A weighted ball would also pre-empt any ball-tampering, Warne said.

In April, the Australian tour of Bangladesh was postponed due to the persisting coronavirus threat.

The element of competitiveness will not be lost even if action unfolds before empty stadiums, says world's premier all-rounder Ben Stokes who wouldn't mind international cricket becoming a TV only sport till coronavirus pandemic is under control. Stokes' opinion was sought whether the upcoming England vs West Indies series at home in empty stadiums will lose its sheen as the England and Wales Cricket Board is contemplating cricket without spectators for some time.

Faf du Plessis said that it is 'very important' to have a positive attitude and he is putting a lot of energy into it.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Wednesday announced its decision to recommend former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara for a second term as president due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The former wicketkeeper-batsman had became the first non-British President of the club after he assumed office on October 1 last year.

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore did not entirely rule out the possibility of the popular IPL franchise "evaluating" investment opportunities in England and Wales Cricket Board's ambitious franchise league 'The Hundred', which had to be shelved this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. British newspaper The Telegraph on Tuesday quoted Mysore saying that they would surely be keen to "explore" investment opportunities in The Hundred.

Dhoni was speaking to coaches from various sports during an interaction, which was organised before the country went into a lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

These are certainly turning out to be good days for Smith fans with an opportunity to learn a few batting techniques from the Aussie run machine.

"It's the other end of the spectrum now ... You can't wait just to get out there on the cricket field and running around with your mates, getting stuck into training and playing games."

The batting resources of West Indies' 'intimidating' team has reduced Dwayne Bravo's role to a specialist bowler.

Solo Nqweni is the third cricketer known to have contracted the disease after Pakistan's Zafar Sarfraz and Scotland's Majid Haq.

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq said being confined to home due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown can become depressing and wants some cricket activities to resume soon even if the matches have to take place behind closed doors with proper safety barriers. Misbah said he would love to see some cricket activities resume at the international level and has no problems in playing in empty stadiums.

England Test captain Joe Root is keen to play international cricket this summer but not by compromising on quality of the game or its intensity, the 29-year-old has said. With professional cricket suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is considering playing the series against West Indies and Pakistan behind closed doors.

Playing against India behind closed doors in the much-anticipated Test series at the end of the year might end up being an advantage for the home side, according to Australia batsman Usman Khawaja. Cricket Australia are desperate for the tour, scheduled for December and January, to go ahead as the lucrative Indian TV rights for the series would go a long way to easing a financial crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble compared the fight against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic to the "second innings" of an intense Test match where people can't afford to let their guard down. The coronavirus outbreak has wreaked havoc across the world, claiming over 2,76,000 lives so far while infecting more than four million people.

Rebel leader R.K. Meghen’s presence in Manipur could be a crucial factor

Europe has focused more on firms and the US on them as well as individuals, India has so far focused on the poor.This is not a time to focus on the fisc. A package to save our firms is urgently needed to set the multiplier effect rolling