Rose Bowl widened to include T20Is, Punam Raut retires, SA reshuffle for 2nd Test — cricket digest 16 Oct 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Rose Bowl to be decided across ODIs and T20Is as Australia-New Zealand rivalry gets a new chapter

The Rose Bowl will now cover women’s T20Is as well as ODIs, expanding a trophy that has been awarded since 1985 for bilateral ODI series between Australia and New Zealand. The upcoming three-match T20I tour in Australia, starting on Sunday at North Sydney Oval, will be the first T20I edition played for the Rose Bowl.

The teams meet again in Australia in March 2027 for three ODIs, and when a Rose Bowl contest includes both formats, the trophy will go to the side with the most overall wins; if the series is drawn, the current holder retains it. Australia have held the Rose Bowl continuously since taking it back in 2000, and North Sydney will host all three T20Is on October 18, 20 and 22.

Punam Raut calls time on India career after 12 years in international cricket

India top-order batter Punam Raut has retired from international cricket with immediate effect at the age of 37. Raut played for India from 2009 to 2021, featuring in four Tests, 73 ODIs and 35 T20Is, and appeared at three ODI World Cups and four T20 World Cups.

She scored 2299 ODI runs at 34.83 with three hundreds and 15 fifties, and highlighted the 2017 ODI World Cup as a defining stretch of her career. Among her standout records was a 320-run opening stand with Deepti Sharma against Ireland in 2017, while her last international outing came in the drawn Test against Australia in Carrara in 2021.

South Africa drop Stubbs and turn to Rickelton as wicketkeeper for second Australia Test

South Africa have left Tristan Stubbs out of their squad for the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, the only change after the defeat in Durban. Matthew Breetzke comes into the 17-man group, and head coach Shukri Conrad confirmed Ryan Rickelton will take the wicketkeeping gloves, a move that leaves Kyle Verreynne unlikely to be in the XI despite staying with the squad.

The switch prompts further decisions around the batting order, including whether Rickelton keeps opening or moves down, with Tony de Zorzi still unavailable as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Kagiso Rabada is expected to be fit after a hamstring niggle, while Sinethamba Qeshile has injured his hamstring; heavy rain is forecast for the first day on Sunday.

Green looks more likely for Cape Town than Gqeberha as Australia manage injuries and workloads

Australia allrounder Cameron Green appears set to miss the second Test against South Africa, with a return in Cape Town viewed as the more realistic target. Green has resumed net work after an abdominal strain but is still building up, and Australia have previously indicated he would be unlikely to bowl in the series even if fit to play as a batter.

Josh Inglis is further along in his comeback from a fractured finger and is stepping up the intensity of his batting. With Australia having won the first Test convincingly, changes look unlikely provided the quicks recover, though rain is forecast for the first two days in Gqeberha.

Durban cricket union to run internal review after sparse Kingsmead crowds for SA-Australia Test

Kwa-Zulu Natal Cricket Union will conduct a “thorough internal review” into poor attendance at the Kingsmead Test between South Africa and Australia, where just under 20,000 fans came through the gates across the match. It was South Africa’s first home Test since January 2025 and their first at home since becoming World Test champions.

KZNCU pointed to the need to better understand supporters’ decisions, with factors including lockdowns in the Durban CBD amid anti-immigration protests and broader cost-of-living pressures. The second Test begins on Sunday in Gqeberha with rain forecast early, while the Cape Town Test starts on a Tuesday, as South Africa host Tests in October amid calendar squeeze.

In brief

  • Zak Crawley has signed a new one-year deal with Kent after losing his England central contract, making the county his primary employer again after six years on the ECB’s books.
  • Sussex allrounder James Coles said the spotlight of his £390,000 Hundred price tag affected his batting form, as he prepares to travel with England’s ODI squad to Pakistan.
  • India and West Indies head into a rain-threatened decider in Bengaluru with their high-scoring T20I series locked at 2-2.
  • West Indies captain Roston Chase said he is focused on making the best decisions for the team as he balances his role in their T20I side with his red-ball leadership.
  • Shai Hope struck his fourth century of West Indies’ tour of India, and his second of the T20I series.
  • Ryan Rickelton said he is ready for the “extra responsibility” of wicketkeeping for South Africa after being backed for the role despite no previous Test experience with the gloves.
  • South Africa coach Shukri Conrad said the middle order must “get bloody better” after the Durban loss to Australia, while cautioning against overreaction.
  • Australia are weighing how best to use Travis Head away from home, with his overseas returns lagging behind his output in Australia.
  • Sydney Thunder have signed Trent Boult for the full BBL 2026-27 season, while Hobart Hurricanes will again have Bangladesh legspinner Rishad Hossain.
  • Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka has been ruled out of the ODI tri-series in Pakistan with a hamstring injury, with Lahiru Udara called up as his replacement.
  • Zimbabwe are looking to build on recent success against Bangladesh as Litton Das returns to captain Bangladesh, who have selection questions thanks to their bowling depth.
  • Afghanistan opener Sediqullah Atal said he shelved his T20 instincts and prioritised leaving outside off stump to help save the Abu Dhabi Test against Bangladesh.
  • Raipur will host its first international women’s match as Smriti Mandhana begins her first series as India captain in Zimbabwe Women’s first-ever bilateral series against India.
  • Smriti Mandhana’s leadership credentials are in focus as she starts her India captaincy tenure after winning two WPL titles with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
  • T Natarajan is returning to Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL trade from Delhi Capitals, with legspinner Zeeshan Ansari moving to Delhi in exchange.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo