Saha should come in ahead of Rishabh Pant in Australia: Syed Kirmani

Wriddhiman Saha should get the nod ahead of young Rishabh Pant in the Test series against Australia in the year-end, according to Syed Kirmani, the legendary former Indian wicketkeeper.

The four-Test series in December- January is one of the few certainties in the cricketing calender for 2020, which has been ravaged by the Coronavirus pandemic, and the stakes will be certainly high for Virat Kohli & Co as they had recorded a historic Test series win during their last visit there in 2018-19.

Saha, now 35, was left out in the dressing room during the two-Test series against New Zealand last February as Pant donned the gloves - with his socalled better batting skills giving him the edge.

'' I would prefer Saha for such a crucial series for he is technically more equipped for a high pressure affair like that while Pant still needs grooming,'' said Kirmani, a key member of India's 1983 World Cup winning squad and regarded arguably as the best wicketkeeper ever coming out of India.

Speaking to Gulf News in an exclusive interview over phone from the south Indian city of Bengaluru, the feisty 70-year-old said that much is often made out of the age factor these days - a factor which tends to tilt the scales against the Bengal stumper.

''I don't agree with the age factor as I feel cricketers mature between the age of 30 and 35 years in international cricket.

Small and mid-sized businesses around the world are being hit hardest by the impact of COVID19 lockdowns and about a fifth say they risk shutting down permanently within three months, a survey by the International Trade Centre (ITC) showed on Monday.

"The lockdown has led to major revenue drops for most and the survival of many is at stake," the 176page report released by the Geneva-based ITC, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

In its global business impact survey of thousands of companies in 132 countries between April and June, nearly two-thirds of micro and small firms said they were "strongly affected" by the impact of lockdowns versus 43 percent of large ones.

About 1/5 of small and medium firms (SMEs) said they risked shutting down permanently within three months, it showed. The findings could implications

Borna Coric announced on Monday he has become the second player to test positive for coronavirus after taking part in an exhibition tournament in Croatia featuring world number one

Novak Djokovic.

"Hi everyone, I wanted to inform you all that I tested positive for COVID

19," the Croatian, ranked

33rd in the world, posted on Twitter. It follows

Sunday's announcement by

Grigor Dimitrov that he had also tested positive after pulling out of the exhibition event, which is one of the biggest since the tennis season was halted because of the pandemic.

Coric tweeted: "I want to make sure anyone who country lacked new scientific eviing imports of goods under Maximum has been in contact with dence, as required by the WTO Residue Limits ( MRL) according to me during the last few days Agreement on Sanitary and Codex, the international standards used gets tested! The United States and Brazil Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), to justifor acceptable residue levels in traded

"I am really sorry for lodged separate protests with Thailand fy a measure that could restrict internafood commodities. any harm I might have over its ban on two farm chemicals eartional trade. Many countries that ban paraquat caused! I'm feeling well lier this month, documents reviewed "We have general concerns or chlorpyrifos domestically still allow and don't have any simpby Reuters show, saying the "restricregarding the notified actions which imported foods under MRL standards. toms (sic). Please stay safe tive" and "serious" move could hurt appear to be more trade-restrictive than "The Thai authority's approach disreand healthy! Lots of love to key agricultural exports. necessary," Russ Nicely, Agricultural gards risk analyses in the setting of all!" One of Djokovic's Bangkok's pesticide ban could hit Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in regulatory measures that may have coaches and another memU.S. and Brazilian exports of wheat Bangkok, wrote in a letter reviewed by serious impact on trade," said Brazil's ber of Dimitrov's and soy that are worth more than $1 Reuters. agriculture ministry, in a letter entourage have also reportbillion a year, according to United Thailand imports nearly all of its reviewed by Reuters defending the use Instagram live, Tyson won't break anything on edly tested positive for the Nations data, potentially setting up a soybeans from the United States and of insecticide chlorpyrifos. attacked the UFC's pay you." Jones has lost just virus, according to diplomatic showdown with Thailand, a Brazil. In 2019, Thailand was the The latest tensions on farm chemiscales and said: "A UFC once in 27 bouts, via a Croatia's N1 television leading importer of the commodities world's eighth and fourth largest cals come in the wake of a spat last

Former world heavy( fighter) will never be controversial disqualificachannel. from both countries. importer of U.S. and Brazilian soyyear when the United States protested weight boxing champion richer than a first class tion for an illegal downCoric had beaten The knock-on effect on Thailand's beans, worth $525 million and $602 Thailand's plan to ban glyphosate, used

Mike Tyson has taken ( boxer). ward elbow against Matt Bulgaria's Dimitrov in the food chain could also add tens of bilmillion, respectively, according to the in Bayer AG (BAYGn.DE)'s concheap shot at Jon Jones, "To make a hundred Hamill in 2009 - ruling second leg of the Adria lions of dollars to costs while slashing United Nations Comtrade database. tentious weedkiller Roundup, the subarguably the greatest fightmillion dollars, Conor that has been strongly Tour in Zadar on Croatia's millions of jobs, according to one Thai Thailand, also the 10th largest ject of many U.S. lawsuits claiming it er in MMA history, by ( McGregor) had to fight refuted by the UFC. In Adriatic coast on Saturday. industry estimate. market for U.S. wheat, uses millions of causes cancer. Thailand later backed stating that no matter how Floyd ( Mayweather, in the recent times, Jones has Dimitrov withdrew Thailand added weedkiller tonnes of both crops each year to prodown on glyphosate, but proceeded to good he is or how he much boxing ring) Even if he said he may quit the UFC from the Balkans tournaparaquat and insecticide chlorpyrifos duce a range of products from cooking ban the other two pesticides. earns, he will never be ( McGregor) fights Jon due to poor pay. Speaking ment following that match, to its list of most hazardous substances oil, noodles, to animal feed. Thailand would be one of few richer than a first- class Jones, he's not going to get on Twitter he reached out complaining of feeling on June 1, citing a need to protect The U.S. and Brazilian embassies major markets for agricultural goods to boxer. that. to up- and- coming fighters unwell. Sunday's final human health. The move triggered in Thailand did not immediately comimpose zero tolerance on imports of

Interestingly Tyson, Jon Jones gotta fight saying: "Advice to you between Djokovic and another health regulation banning ment. Mananya Thaiset, a Thai deputy commodities containing residues. who has spent the bigger me to make some super Young fighters, if you're Russia's Andrey Rublev imported food products containing About 10 million Thai farming housepart of his $ 300 million tiT Bangkok's agriculture ban, minister has said who the championed rationale is

money." Responding to hot right now. was immediately cancelled residues of prohibited chemicals. holds are already facing up to the boxing fortune and is estiTyson's suggestion, Jones Get paid. As much as as a precaution. Fears are The import ban has been drafted to protect human health at all costs. impact of the ban, especially on fa mated to be worth just $ 3 said he would step into the the UFC is building your now growing that the virus pending comments from interested Mananya's office declined to comment paraquat. million, was targeting ring to fight the veteran, brand, you are building could have spread further. parties up to July 18 and will become to Reuters for this story. "Other chemicals are expensive

Jones whose bank account provided Tyson returns the theirs. "If you think your Djokovic has flown to law once published in Thailand's Royal Paraquat, which has been linked to and do far more damage to main crops boasts a respectable $ 10 favour and accepts return biggest paydays will come Belgrade for testing. Gazette. There is no apparent legal Parkinson's Disease in various than paraquat, while killing weed with million. fight in the octagon. after being with the comAustralian star Nick mechanism to derail the ban without research, is banned in the European less efficiency," said Sarawut

Tyson, 53, has not Taking to Twitter, pany for a while. You are Kyrgios responded to first amending Thai health law. Union and China, while Brazil itself is Rungmekarat, an agronomist at fought professionally Jones wrote: "I'm listening wrong." So by the looks of Coric's tweet by describing The United States and Brazil chalalso prohibiting its use later this year. Kasetsart University in Bangkok. Thai since 2005, but may actuMike Tyson. I'll box you in it, one thing is clear - the the staging of the tournalenged Thailand's move in separate letSeveral studies have also linked chloragribusinesses also argue the import ally come out of retirethe ring if you promise to need for money seems to ment as "boneheaded". ters in late May after Thailand pyrifos, banned in Europe and U.S. ban would create ripple effects that disment to help raise money give me a real fight in the have triggered Tyson's "Boneheaded decision informed the World Trade state California, to impaired brain rupts the domestic food chain, from for charity and also potenOctagon afterward. UFC jibe with Jones, to go ahead with the 'exhiOrganization ( WTO) of the pending development in children. animal feed to livestock, fishery, food tially challenge Jones to a And because I respect seeming to agree with him bition'," Kyrgios wrote on import ban. Both the United States and But Brazil and the United States industries. fight. During a recent you so much, I promise I on this count. social media. Brazil suggested the Southeast Asian both urged Thailand to continue allow- The import ban would cost Thai

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