Nicholas Pooran is named as the new T20 and ODI captain of West Indies cricket. The left-handed batter was considered the leader post Kieron Pollard's retirement from international cricket.

Pooran earlier was the deputy of Pollard in the white-ball formats of the game for the West Indies team for the last year. Meanwhile, now Shai Hope will be the deputy of Nicholas Pooran in the shorter formats of the game.

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After being the captain, Pooran will have the responsibility of leading the team in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2022 and the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in October 2023.

"We believe Nicholas is ready for the challenge of leading our white-ball teams given his experience, performances, and the respect he has within the playing group. The Selection Panel believes that Nicholas has matured as a player and were impressed with his leadership of both teams when Kieron Pollard had been absent. The experience he has gathered playing in various franchise leagues around the world was also a factor in the decision to recommend him for the T20 Captaincy."

CWI's Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams via West Indies Cricket's website

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Pooran was one of the stars for the West Indies team in the 2014 ICC Men's U19 World Cup. He had scored 303 runs from six matches in that tournament. After that, the southpaw was included in the senior team and since then he has hit eight T20I half-centuries. Meanwhile, in the one-day format, Pooran has scored eight fifties and one century in his career until now.

"I am truly honoured to be appointed captain of the West Indies team. I am following the footsteps of several giants of the game who have created an amazing legacy for West Indies cricket. This is indeed a prestigious role, a pivotal position in the West Indian society, as cricket is the force that brings us all West Indians together. To be named captain is indeed the highlight of my career so far and I want to drive the team forward to accomplish great things on the field for our fans and loyal supporters."

Nicholas Pooran

Pooran's first series as West Indies captain will be against the Netherlands in an away fixture of ICC World Cup Super League.

West Indies just registered their lowest test score in their history after registering only 27 in the fourth innings of the third West Indies vs Australia test in Kingston. While chasing only 204 in the last inning of the test match, West Indies were bundled out for 27 after Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland ran through them. 

For the West Indies, only Justin Greaves could reach the double-figure (11) mark. 7 of 11 batters of the West Indies team were dismissed for ducks.

Australia started the inning on a fiery note, with Mitchell Starc taking three wickets in the first over. He then went on to break the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in a test inning as he reached the landmark in just 15 balls. West Indies once were 6 for 11, but a small partnership from Alzarri Joseph and Justin Greaves helped them reach 26.

But from 26/6, Scott Boland took a hat-trick to reduce them to 26/9. Mitchell Starc then wrapped up the inning with his sixth wicket as he finished with a bowling figure of 7.3-4-9-6. 

What is the lowest test score in history?

New Zealand in 1955 registered the lowest test score in history when they were bundled for only 26 in the third inning against Australia in Auckland. Bert Sutcliffe could only reach the double-figure mark (11) for the Kiwis. 

Frank Tyson started the attack for Australia, taking the first two wickets. But it was Brian Statham and Bob Appleyard who finished the job for the team from down under. Statham returned with 9-3-9-3 while Appleyard had the bowling figure of 6-3-7-4. 

Although New Zealand had played 27 overs to score those 26 runs. They lost the test match by an innings and 20 runs.

10 lowest test scores in test cricket

Along with New Zealand in 1995 and the West Indies in 2025, South Africa features in the top five of the lowest test scores in test cricket. 

In 1896, South Africa were bundled for 30 against England in Gqeberha, which was the lowest test score for nearly 59 years.

South Africa again matched their record when England bowled them out for 30 again, this time in Birmingham in 1924. In 1899 and 1932, South Africa registered 35 and 36, respectively, against England and Australia.

Then comes India's 36 all-out against Australia in 2020 in Adelaide. India comes on the list again with their 42 against England in 1974 at Lord's. 

However, before all of these, Australia had the record for the lowest test score, before New Zealand broke the record. In 1888, Australia were bundled out for 42 against England at their own turf in Sydney. 

On his 100th test, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc created a record which would be very hard to break in future. During the second innings of the pink-ball test between West Indies and Australia in Kingston, Starc registered his 16th five-wicket haul in test cricket in just 15 balls. 

In doing that, he broke the record for the fastest five-wicket haul (from the start of bowling innings) in test cricket history, breaking Ernie Toshack, Stuart Broad and Scott Boland's previous record of 19 balls.

Starc's record-breaking five-wicket haul in 15 balls

Here is how Mitchell Starc broke the record for the fastest five-wicket haul in test cricket history.

1st wicket: 1st ball - John Campbell

Starc dismissed John Campbell with a beautiful outswinger in the first ball of the second inning. The ball moved a bit, and it was enough to produce an edge to substitute wicket-keeper Josh Inglish.

2nd wicket: 5th ball - Kevlon Anderson

In the fifth ball of the first over, Kevlon Anderson left a delivery from Starc, who was able to make the ball come in sharply. The ball hit the pad, and the umpire was not hesitant to rule him out, as Kevlon Anderson did not offer any shot. Although he took the DRS, only to be proven wrong by the review. 

3rd wicket: 6th ball - Brandon King

It was a typical Mitchell Starc dismissal. Brandon King was bamboozled by a big inswinging delivery from Starc.

King went for a big drive through the long off region, but the ball came back sharply to go through his bat and pad and took an inside edge before hitting the stumps. 

Starc had three wickets in his and Australia's first over. 

Read Also | West Indies vs Australia: West Indies register second lowest test score in an inning by a team

4th wicket: 13th ball - Mikyle Louis

Although West Indies batters were able to play out Starc's second over, the left-arm pacer struck in the first ball of his third over. 

Another big inswinging delivery at 142.4 kmph, and Mikyle Louis did not have any answer to that. Louis lounged into a big defence, but the ball came back in sharply and went on to hit the front of his back pad, in front of the middle. 

The right-handed batter did not even wait for the umpire's decision and started walking back.

That was Starc's 400th test wicket. He is only the second left-arm pacer ever to take 400 test wickets. Only Wasim Akram is ahead of him at the moment with 419 test wickets.

5th wicket: 15th ball - Shai Hope

Two balls later, Starc got Shai Hope out with the same formula. 

Hope did not know which way the ball was going and had his weight on the back foot. He was late before the inswinger hit his front pad.

Hope went for the DRS, only to know that the ball was crushing the middle of leg stump. 

After the 15th ball, Starc's bowling figure showed 2.3-2-2-5. 

Fastest five-wicket hauls (from the start of bowling innings) in test cricket

"Catches win matches" is a well-known proverb that is crucial in terms of cricket. Having exceptional fielders who would get to any extent to grab match-winning catches is a blessing for teams.

IPL has witnessed some unbelievably good fielding efforts from players across the globe. Here's the ones that stood out for their consistency, having the most catches in IPL history.

Virat Kohli (117 catches)

Virat Kohli is one of the fittest athletes in the world and is also considered as an expectional fielder for India. He always lits up the stadium with his energy and agility while fielding for his team.

Kohli has taken a total of 117 catches in 263 matches so far, which is the highest in IPL history. He is barely seen missing or letting the ball go off his hand.

His contributions in aspect of taking catches remains hard to beat, and hopefully there are more to come in the upcoming matches in IPL for RCB.

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Suresh Raina (109 catches)

Suresh Raina's contribution in IPL goes beyond his batting performance. He has taken 109 catches in 205 matches for Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions.

Raina ended his IPL journey in 2021 and still his second place in the list of most catches stays unbeaten. He is among the top Indian fielders who took some match-winning catches.

Ravindra Jadeja (108 catches)

Ravindra Jadeja is one name that everyone anticipates when it comes to the category of fielding and catching. His quick reflexes and fielding abilities made him one of the best fielders in the history of not only IPL, but also Indian cricket. 

Jadeja has taken 108 catches in 251 matches for CSK, GL, KTK, and RR. He consistently worked towards taking important wickets for the team and saving boundaries when needed. 

Jadeja also played a crucial role in CSK's success over the years.

Kieron Pollard (103 catches)

Kieron Pollard has served as a fielding pillar for Mumbai Indians throughout his IPL career. He often changed the course of the game in favour of his team by taking difficult catches.

Pollard has taken 103 catches in 189 matches for MI, and some of them were too good to be true! His athleticism proved to be beneficial everytime he is on field, specially near the boundary.

Read Also: Cricket Stats: most catches by a keeper in tests

Rohit Sharma (102 catches)

Rohit Sharma is another Indian player having a catch count of more than hundred in IPL. He has taken 103 catches in 267 matches for MI and DCH. He has proved to be a dependable fielder for his team throughout.

Rohit's game awareness and experience played a crucial role in his fielding, which also aligned with the field setup and his captaincy. He is the 5th player to have 100+ catches in IPL history.

Mumbai Indians are one of the most successful teams in IPL history. They’ve won the title five times and are known for having some of the best bowlers in the league.

Throughout the seasons, MI has produced some of the finest bowling talents of the modern era. The combination of legendary pacers and crafty spinners has played a huge role in their success.  

Read Also | Fastest 50 IPL Wickets Among Pacers (by Matches)

1. Jasprit Bumrah (2013-present, 174* wickets)

Since his debut in 2013, Jasprit Bumrah has been the leader of MI's bowling attack. He is known for his pin-point yorkers, deceptive slower balls and as a death over specialist. With 174 wickets, Bumrah has surpassed Lasith Malinga as the highest wicket taker for MI including his best figures 5/10.

2. Lasith Malinga (2009-2019, 170 wickets)

Slinga Malinga is undoubtedly MI's one of the most iconic players. Known for his deadly yorkers and unorthodox bowling action, Malinga was MI's leading wicket taker throught the seasons. With the best figures of 5/13, he was the purple cap holder in the 4th edition of the IPL.

3. Harbhajan Singh (2008-2017, 127 wickets)

The Turbanator, Harbhajan Singh was a crucial bowler during his tenure in MI. Being an experienced off-spinner, he provided control and important break-throughs in the middle overs. His best bowling figures of 5/18 came in the 4th edition and he also played an important role in MI's 1st title.

4. Mitchell McClenaghan (2015-2019, 71 wickets)

McClenaghan was known for aggressive bowling which helped him bag wickets during crucial moments. With his fierce pace, the kiwi added firepower to MI's bowling attack. He has the best bowling figure of 4/21 against Gujrat Lions in the 2016 season.

5. Kieron Pollard (2010-2022, 69 wickets)

Being an all-rounder, Kieron Pollard has made some key contributions as a medium pacer for MI. Often called the "man with the golden arm", Pollard had knack for breaking partnerships during crunch situations. He has his career-best figures of 4/44 against the Rajasthan Royals.

6. Hardik Pandya (2015- 2025, 65* wickets)

The current captain of MI, Hardik Pandya is known for his versatility in his bowling. Though he can be expensive at times, Pandya has delivered wickets during the powerplay, middle overs, and at the death. With the best figures of 5/36, he has been one of the key players for MI over many years.

Read Also | IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya becomes the new captain of Mumbai Indians

7. Krunal Pandya (2016-2021, 51* wickets)

Krunal Pandya was known for his tight bowling during the middle overs. With his economical bowling, he had the ability to control the run-rate and bowl during pressure situations. Krunal proved to be a valuable asset to the MI's squad and has the best bowling figures of 5/36.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian men's cricket team's schedule for the upcoming home series against West Indies and South Africa. The men in blue will play a two-match test series against the West Indies to start the 2025-26 season, followed by an all-format series against South Africa. 

The West Indies series will start with the test match, starting from 2nd October 2025 in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the second and final test match of the series will be played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, starting from 10th October. 

After the West Indies series, the focus will be shifted towards the all-format home series against the strong Proteas side. The first test match of the series will be played in New Delhi from 14th November. Guwahati will host its first-ever test match, as the test series is set to end there from 22nd November. 

The three-match ODI series will be played in Ranchi, Raipur, and Vizag. On the other hand, the five-match T20I series will be played in Cuttack, New Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. 

Here is the full schedule for the home series against West Indies and South Africa

West Indies Tour of India 2025

South Africa Tour of India 2025