At lunch on the final day of the Rawalpindi Test, South Africa were clearly on top, needing just 151 runs with seven wickets in hand. The predictor on the official broadcast said South Africa had a 75% chance of winning from there. But then everything turned when the new ball was available, with Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi ripping through the line-up, seven wickets falling for 33 runs, and Pakistan winning the series 2-0. It was a "tough win" compared to the seven-wicket win in Karachi, according to captain Babar Azam, but most pleasing because "everyone played a role" and the team "finished off well".

"This is Test cricket and you can't afford to take anything easy," said Azam, who became the fifth Pakistan captain after Fazal Mahmood, Mushtaq Mohammad, Javed Miandad and Saleem Malik to start their Test captaincy stints with a series win. "At times, when they [Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma] were having a good partnership, we didn't have negative thoughts in our minds, about losing it from there. We had a clear message and understanding that another couple of wickets and we have the game. And that is what happened when we took the new ball and our fast bowlers brought us back.

"But this was a tough win as compared to the one in Karachi, because they were settled and on the last day you never know how the pitch is going to behave. It was a slow pitch with the older ball coming soft, but then that eight-over spell with the new ball turned the game around and it was a good competitive win."

"There was no pressure as such, but whenever I feel I am stuck and need help, I reach out to Rizwan and Azhar. It's not like I just go and impose myself, but I ask around, discuss and take their counsel before making any decision"

Babar Azam

Hasan, whose last Test appearance before this series was in January 2019, returned a ten-wicket match haul. Afridi's burst with the second new ball - he picked up 4 for 51 - sparked the collapse. And before that Mohammad Rizwan, who won the Player of the Series award, scored 115* in close to five hours and put on valuable partnerships with the tail - 53 with Yasir Shah for the eighth wicket and 97 with Nauman Ali for the ninth - which proved decisive in the end.

"At times we are thinking of sticking around for 250 to 260 [as South Africa's target] but Rizwan's innings was outstanding and those partnerships from Yasir and Nauman gave us vital runs to put up a good total at the end [setting South Africa 370 to win]," Azam said. "Hasan with the ball showed some really good commitment on his comeback, so this is all teamwork, and these are very important factors. Individual performances don't really matter and you see everyone played a role and we finished off well. There were some mistakes and we are definitely going to try and improve them going forward. Wins always bring in confidence as a team, and I am looking forward to taking this form to the T20 series [of three games, with the first on February 11]."

The 2-0 series result was crucial in other ways too, with the PCB having put pressure on the team management to get the house in order. The PCB cricket committee had opted against making big changes following the disappointing tour of New Zealand, resolving instead to meet again after the home series against South Africa. The win should therefore, help, with Pakistan moving up to No. 5 in the ICC Test rankings.

"It was a much-needed win for us as a Test team," Azam acknowledged. "We were rebuilding and it takes time with new players and for me as a fresh captain. So it has been a learning phase and we tried to keep it as simple as possible. We intend to give players the required confidence and back them with their game so that they feel comfortable, and now the result is here with every player playing his role and it's good to be in the top-five teams in the world. We would like to extend our victory streak to rise higher in the ranking."

The result was the right one, but Azam's team was tested in both Tests. In Karachi, South Africa were 185 for 2 in the second innings before being bowled out for 245. This time, while Markram and Bavuma were there, Pakistan were in trouble.

"There was no pressure as such, but whenever I feel I am stuck and need help, I reach out to Rizwan and Azhar [Ali, the previous Test captain]," Azam said. "It's not like I just go and impose myself, but I ask around, discuss and take their counsel before making any decision. You have your plans and you go session by session and the proceedings keep on fluctuating, with the other team sometimes getting an advantage - after all, they are also competing. So it's all about patience and keeping your calm and remaining cool, no matter how tough the situation is. There is always a plan and you have to stick with it and wait for things to fall your way. This is what I am told and this is what I am trying to do as well."

Ireland men's limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe, originally scheduled for April, has been postponed indefinitely after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) advised Cricket Ireland against going ahead with the tour owing to the Covid-19 situation in the African nation.

The Irish squad was due to fly to Harare on March 28 and play three T20Is, followed by a three-match ODI series, in April. None of the postponed ODIs were part of the World Cup Super League (WCSL). Ireland are slated to host Zimbabwe for the WCSL fixtures this summer - dates for which haven't been announced yet - to vie for 30 qualifying points in their bid to book an automatic spot for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Richard Holdsworth, High Performance Director for Cricket Ireland, said the board would be aiming to draw up alternate fixtures to aid the national side's preparations for the T20 World Cup in India in October-November.

"We're obviously disappointed, but to be honest, it is not an unexpected announcement from our Zimbabwean counterparts," Holdsworth said. "We appreciate their efforts and willingness to try and make the tour possible, but in the end the health and safety of players and support staff must be of primary consideration.

"We'll now look at whether alternate fixtures can be arranged during that period, which is a crucial window in advance of a busy home season and in a T20 World Cup year."

Ireland recently toured the UAE, where they won an ODI series against the hosts 2-0 before suffering a 3-0 whitewash in the format against Afghanistan. Aside from the home series against Zimbabwe, they are also due to host South Africa in the summer, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Ireland's full summer schedule is set to be released in April.

Holdsworth also said that the postponement of the home series against Zimbabwe makes the upcoming tour of Bangladesh by Ireland Wolves, the A team, all the more important.

"This places even greater importance on the proposed Ireland Wolves tour in February/March given the need to provide many of our players the volume and quality of cricket we need to keep the momentum in player development we have been seeing over the last few years," Holdsworth said. "We expect to be providing an update on the Wolves situation in coming days."

The Pakistan women's team is currently touring Zimbabwe for six for three ODIs, to be played on February 11, 13, and 15, and two T20Is, on February 18 and 20 at the Harere Sports Club. The tour, as per a ZC release, is being conducted in a bio-secure bubble with no spectators allowed at the match venue.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Two weeks after Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak announced his retirement, the team is replacing the veteran playcaller with his son, Klint, multiple league sources confirmed to ESPN.

Klint Kubiak, 33, will take over the position his father held for the 2020 season after coaching Minnesota's quarterbacks for the last two years. NFL Network was the first to report the younger Kubiak's promotion to offensive coordinator.

Minnesota's offensive staff is set for the upcoming season with Andrew Janocko, who coached wide receivers last season, expected to become the team's quarterbacks coach while Keenan McCardell, who coached wide receivers in Jacksonville from 2017-20, will hold the same position with the Vikings, according to league sources.

The long-expected promotion of Klint Kubiak to offensive coordinator supports Mike Zimmer's wishes to preserve continuity on offense after the Vikings finished 7-9 and failed to reach the playoffs. Zimmer said he felt like Minnesota's offense was the most explosive he's had in seven seasons with the Vikings and pointed toward wanting to maintain the same philosophy moving forward.

"I love the scheme that we're running offensively, I love the wide zone offense, I love the play-action passes," Zimmer said in January. "All those things. A coach told me one time that your offense should be what your quarterback is best at. And that's what I feel Kirk is best at. Those kind of things are what makes him really good. So to me, that is really important."

In one season with Gary Kubiak as Minnesota's offensive coordinator, the Vikings finished fourth in total offense and 11th in scoring with quarterback Kirk Cousins rebounding from throwing 10 interceptions in his first six games to finishing with a career-high 35 touchdowns. Running back Dalvin Cook earned MVP consideration while rushing for a career-high 1,557 yards and scoring 17 total touchdowns while Justin Jefferson broke the franchise's record for catches and receiving yards as a rookie and is second all-time with 1,400 receiving yards in a rookie season.

This upcoming season will be Klint Kubiak's first as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. Before joining his father, offensive line coach/run game coordinator Rick Dennsion and tight ends coach Brian Pariani in Minnesota in 2019, the younger Kubiak was an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach in Denver from 2016-18. He has never called plays at the college or professional level.

Nearing the completion of their staff for the 2021 season, the Vikings promoted Ryan Ficken to special teams coordinator last week. Ficken was previously Minnesota's assistant special teams coach from 2013-20.

LEXINGTON, N.C. – Hyperice, an industry leader in recovery technology and pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression and thermal technology, has signed as Kaulig Racing’s official recovery technology partner.

The partnership kicks off this week at Daytona Int’l Speedway, where Kaulig Racing and driver Kaz Grala will attempt to qualify for the 63rd Daytona 500. Grala will pilot the No. 16 Hyperice Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing.

“In a race that often comes down to hundredths of a second, each team looks for tools that provide competitive advantages to outperform the pack,” said Jim Huether, CEO of Hyperice. “In the same way that the car build is expertly engineered from the ground up to the highest of standards and with top-notch technologies, the Kaulig Racing team now has access to Hyperice devices and technologies to optimize their movement, recovery and performance.”

Kaulig Racing has been equipped with the entire Hyperice product suite to aid in their training and preparation leading up to the race. The pit crew will also have track-side access to Hyperice technologies during the race via custom Kaulig Racing HyperTanks, helping them to move better.

“At Kaulig Racing, we are dedicated to enhancing team performance and succeeding week in and week out,” said Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice. “Many of Hyperice’s products are designed to accelerate warmup and recovery, which fits with Kaulig Racing’s appetite for success. I can relate personally and professionally to the versatility of Hyperice’s products and am thrilled to have them partner with us. While people don’t always associate NASCAR with athleticism, the amount of stress our drivers and crew put their bodies under is incredible, making the warmup and cool-down process an integral part of their routine.”

As a part of the partnership, Hyperice and Kaulig Racing will co-produce exclusive, behind the scenes footage about the training and preparation that takes place for the driver and his team to compete at the most prestigious NASCAR event. The content will be released on Hyperice and Kaulig Racing’s social channels leading up to the Daytona 500, as well as post race.

“I’ve been using Hyperice products for a couple years now to complement my training program,” said Grala. “Not only have they helped me increase my mobility, but I rely on them each week to get my body ready for the track after intense training between races. I couldn’t think of a better fit to join me in my first Daytona 500 than Hyperice. Now it’s time to get to work and move better together.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Speedco, a national network of service locations for the trucking industry, will rejoin Todd Gilliland for the second consecutive year as a primary sponsor aboard the Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Speedco will be the primary sponsor for eight races throughout the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season while also serving as a season-long associate partner.

The nation’s largest preventive maintenance and total truck care network will be the primary sponsor for Gilliland in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener on Feb. 12 at the Daytona Int’l Speedway, as well as for both races at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 7 and Sept. 26; the Bristol dirt race on March 28; the Circuit of the Americas on May 23; the Bristol night race on Sept. 18; the Talladega Superspeedway race on Oct. 3 and the Martinsville Speedway race on Oct. 31.

Speedco has been part of the Love’s Family of Companies since 2017. Love’s has more than 400 truck service centers, which include Speedco and Love’s Truck Care locations, and provides oil changes, preventive maintenance, inspection services and tire offerings for commercial truck drivers. The network has more than 1,500 maintenance bays and the most comprehensive, roadside coverage in the country.

“In racing, timing is everything,” said Front Row Motorsports Owner, Bob Jenkins. “There’s a profound importance that we put on getting our race haulers to the track on time each week and it’s a big relief to know that the Love’s Truck Care and Speedco roadside technicians are always there to help us out whenever we might need it.”

In 2020, Gilliland secured his first NASCAR Truck Series playoff berth and would go on to close out the season 10th in the overall points standings, with a total of six top-10 and two top-five finishes.

“It’s really special to be partnered with Speedco for the second year in a row,” said Gilliland. “Last season, we shared success right out of the gate with a top-10 finish in our first race together, before going on to make the Truck Series playoffs. I’m eager to pick up right where we left off and continue to deliver more successful results for Speedco this season.”

Tom Brady cemented his sporting greatness on Sunday night by claiming his seventh Super Bowl ring as his Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran roughshod over the Kansas City Chiefs, and there were plenty of stars from the soccer world left in awe of his achievement.

The Bucs won 31-9 in their own Ray Jay Stadium to deny the Chiefs back-to-back titles as Brady asserted his dominance over rival quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

At the age of 43 years and 188 days, Brady extended his record for the most Super Bowl wins ever mustered by an individual player, as well as becoming the first NFL player ever to win a Super Bowl in three different decades. The former New England Patriots star also joins Peyton Manning as the only two quarterbacks in the history of American football to start and win a Super Bowl with multiple franchises.

However, Brady stands alone as the only NFL player ever to win with a team in both conferences, and the only player in NFL history to have won multiple titles since turning 40.

HOW 'BOUT THAT?! #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/VMeX3PhCOl

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) February 8, 2021

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Brady's incredible accomplishment was watched admiringly all over the world, with lots of soccer stars rushing to congratulate the veteran QB after the game.

Neymar was among the first to offer a salute, with the Paris Saint-Germain striker posting an image of Brady and his seven glittering Super Bowl rings on Instagram along with the caption "Congrats my bro, you are a legend."

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A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)

David Beckham was in a motivational mood after watching Brady power the Bucs to the championship, posting an image of Brady's No.12 jersey along with an inspirational message to any youngsters watching the big game.

"Kids, this is what happens with hard work, dedication and true leadership," the former Manchester United and England midfielder wrote, also referring to Brady as the "all-time American G.O.A.T."

Repping ?? at the #SuperBowl

? @anthonyjoshua, @HKane! pic.twitter.com/Q9kfDr58Dl

— NFL UK (@NFLUK) February 7, 2021

Known to be a huge NFL, Patriots and Brady fan, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that Harry Kane was among the cheerleaders. After scoring for Tottenham Hotspur on his surprise early comeback from injury mere hours before, the striker settled in at home to watch the Super Bowl on television, although he was also in "attendance" in the crowd.

Kane's cardboard likeness found its way to Florida thanks to NFL UK, who made sure the Spurs and England forward would be there in spirit, if not in body. Who knows, if Kane should ever follow through on his ambition to try out as an NFL kicker after his football career comes to an end, maybe one day he'll get even closer to the Super Bowl action!

Content with watching on from his living room for this year, the Spurs man congratulated Brady on Instagram as the Bucs' main man hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy aloft once again.

Gracias @NFL por "invitarme" al partido de mañana! ?? #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/TUAeuYdzng

— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) February 6, 2021

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann was also surprised to find himself watching the Super Bowl from the terraces, thanking the NFL for their special invite.

No denying @TomBrady is the greatest of all time. A proven winner and consistent in everything he does. Made everyone around him better. What a storybook year. Congrats to the @Buccaneers #ageisjustanumber #SuperBowl #GOAT ?

— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) February 8, 2021

Another soccer star to have spoken about a potential second career as an NFL kicker, USWNT hall-of-famer Carli Lloyd paid homage to Brady after his historic win.

With a hamstring injury ruling him out of Sunday's Premier League clash with rivals Liverpool, Manchester City's own quarterback (of sorts) Kevin De Bruyne revealed he'd be rooting for Brady and the Bucs before the day's other big game kicked off.

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez called Brady an "pure inspiration" via his Instagram, with the Mexico and LA Galaxy striker adding that "one day the world will understand and realise what he has done as an athlete."

In 2016 you told me your dream was to get 6 rings like MJ and I told you get 7 so you're the real GOAT??‍♂️
Challenge accepted and brilliantly executed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2021 @TomBrady @SuperBowl #TheOnlyGoat #thegreatest pic.twitter.com/R4XUM5u3iR

— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) February 8, 2021

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba revealed himself to be a catalyst behind Brady's ongoing quest for NFL immortality while casually recalling a brief yet pivotal conversation he had with the quarterback a few years ago.

Good luck for the #SuperBowl2021, @Chiefs! ?
Let it rock, @PatrickMahomes ? https://t.co/bOO8beaP9k

— Thomas Müller (@esmuellert_) February 7, 2021

Meanwhile, Thomas Muller and his Bayern Munich teammates had thrown their weight behind the Chiefs and their quarterback, Mahomes.

Bayern fans will hope that doesn't prove to be a bad omen as the German side aim to claim their own world title this week at the FIFA Club World Cup.

There is an inescapable sense of deja vu about Manchester City right now and, if it proves to be correct, they will end the season having achieved another domestic treble.

Sunday's 4-1 victory at Liverpool in the Premier League sent City five points clear at the top of table, with a game in hand on all of their rivals, and delivered a chilling warning to the chasing pack that Pep Guardiola's side are threatening to disappear over the horizon. If they win their game in hand against Everton at Goodison Park on Feb. 17, the rest will be playing for the dubious distinction of finishing second.

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But as City prepare to travel to Wales to face Championship promotion contenders Swansea City in the FA Cup fifth round on Wedne
sday (stream LIVE on ESPN+ at 12:20 p.m. ET in the U.S.) it is not just the Premier League trophy that could be added to the growing honours list at the Etihad Stadium.

City are already in the Carabao Cup final and they will face Tottenham at Wembley on April 25 as strong favourites to win the competition for the fourth year in a row. And with a lower-league outfit standing between them and a place in the FA Cup quarterfinals, that achievement of sweeping the board of major domestic honours in 2019 may yet be repeated just two years later by Guardiola's latest outstanding team.

Of course, every cup competition carries an element of jeopardy for even the biggest clubs, as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have discovered to their cost in domestic cups this season with defeats against Holstein Kiel and Alcoyano respectively. But City have developed an aura of invincibility in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in recent seasons, which makes it almost impossible to bet against them emerging victorious again in both competitions this time around.

Guardiola's team has not been eliminated from the Carabao Cup since a fourth-round defeat against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United in October 2016, while last season's FA Cup semifinal defeat against Arsenal was their only defeat in that competition since February 2018. City have become a cup juggernaut in England and none of the top clubs still standing in the FA Cup -- United, Everton, Spurs, Leicester and Chelsea -- will hold any fears for Guardiola or his players.

Two years ago, City's biggest scare en route to winning both cups was a quarterfinal at Swansea, when the home side led 2-0 until the 69th minute. Three goals in the final 21 minutes turned the tie on its head for City and they never looked back from that point on, beating Brighton & Hove Albion in the semifinal before equalling the all-time biggest FA Cup Final winning margin with a 6-0 win against Watford at Wembley.

Will it be any different this time, and can anybody stop City from another domestic treble?

The manner of Sunday's victory at Liverpool emphasised City's status as, by some distance, the best team in the country right now. They are on a run of 14 straight wins in all competitions, and they are unbeaten in 21 games. Back in 2019, City won 18 and drew one of their final 19 domestic games, so their form is showing a familiar pattern of dominance. But while the statistics offer compelling evidence of their surge towards silverware, it is also worth looking at the depth of Guardiola's squad for another key factor to support the theory that they can pull off another treble.

Sunday's 4-1 win at Liverpool -- the first time City have scored four at Anfield since 1937 -- was achieved without the injured Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, who has yet to overcome the effects of COVID-19. It was also secured with the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Ferran Torres and Benjamin Mendy consigned to the bench as unused substitutes. Gabriel Jesus, usually the man to fill in for Aguero, played for just 18 minutes as a second-half substitute.

No other Premier League team has such a depth of experience beyond the starting XI and, in the weeks ahead, Guardiola will be able to rotate his squad and ensure ongoing freshness while City's rivals struggle to keep pace with the unique demands of a season that has been shortened and congested as a consequence of the pandemic. That said, Guardiola will believe he has little need to change a winning team right now because his players are performing at such impressive levels.

Phil Foden's display at Anfield quite rightly claimed the headlines, the 20-year-old stealing the show with his stunning late goal, but it's also worth noting that no player has scored more league goals since the start of December than Ilkay Gundogan -- the midfielder's two at Anfield made it nine since Dec. 1 -- and Mohamed Salah's second-half penalty for Liverpool was the first Premier League goal conceded by City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes in 831 minutes. Only Edwin van der Sar and Petr Cech have recorded lengthier shut-outs in Premier League history.

Unlike in 2019, when their toe-to-toe title battle with Liverpool kept them at the front and centre of the spotlight, City have flown under the radar for much of this season, having made their worst start for over 10 years. But the end result might just be the same -- more success and more history -- because they are simply so much better than everyone else.

Aiden Markram could not enjoy his first century in the subcontinent because it came in a defeat for South Africa, who have lost four of their last five series and have not won a series away from home since March 2017. Markram made his debut six months after the 2017 series win, and has since been part of tough tours to Sri Lanka and India, and the disappointment of losing again in the subcontinent denied him the opportunity to soak in his individual triumph.

"We are competitive people so to lose a game and a series, means more than personal performances. There is a lot more hurt than satisfaction from my side," a visibly despondent Markram said after South Africa's 95-run loss in Rawalpindi on Monday. "It felt like there were stages where just when we started making progress and getting ahead, we would give it away. That's where the hurt comes from. It's time for us to take lessons and learn and to not make the same mistakes again."

South Africa squandered several positions of advantage in the second Test, from dropping Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 115, when he was on four, to unravelling against the second new ball when the chase was set up, and their inconsistency irked Markram. "The mood is pretty down at the moment. There have been patches through the series, where I felt we played really good cricket and looked the part but we couldn't be in those patches for long enough. That's the feeling in the camp," he said.

But the main cause of South Africa's inability to consistently challenge Pakistan was a slew of batting collapses, which got worse as the series wore on. South Africa lost seven for 87 and nine for 70 in Karachi and five for 37 and seven for 33 in Rawalpindi, and Markram believes conditions contributed to their difficulties. "You have to appreciate the fact that we are in the subcontinent and getting in is really tough. The nature of the conditions often suggests that wickets will fall in clusters," Markram said. While South Africa know the cause, they "haven't got the solution for it," according to Markam, although the answers may lie with his performances.

Markram had his best series in the subcontinent and finished as the top run-scorer overall with 74 in Karachi and 108 in Rawalpindi. In both matches, he demonstrated the temperament to get through the new ball and the technique to play on surfaces where the ball turned and kept low. He also probably put paid to suggestions South Africa are still searching for a permanent partner to Dean Elgar at the top.

Markram missed almost all of the 2019/20 season with hand injuries, so South Africa used Pieter Malan and after that they picked domestic run-scoring machine Sarel Erwee in their last two Test squads as a reserve opener. Markram's form means Erwee's window of opportunity could be closing while Markram's own may be widening.

With two fifties and a hundred from four Tests, measured assessments of how the team has performed (as opposed to the "I-don't-knows "coming from temporary captain Quinton de Kock) and his history as an Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, Markram has made a case for the Test captaincy. Though he acknowledged it's a job he would like to do, he was careful to play down his chances of succeeding de Kock immediately.

"I haven't given it too much thought. I don't think, with four Test matches this season, it allows a player to all of a sudden think along those lines. It's something I would naturally enjoy doing but nothing I have given too much time to," he said. "My goal is ultimately to score runs and win games. That's still the focus for me."

Markram won't get the opportunity to do that for the rest of this season as South Africa do not have anymore Tests scheduled after a three-match series against Australia was indefinitely postponed. With the FTP still unclear, South Africa are only likely to play Tests again towards the end of the year but ESPNcricinfo understands there is some talk of Cricket South Africa attempting to organise a winter series, which Markram would welcome playing.

"If it were to happen, it would be great and players would be over the moon," Markram said. "It would have been nice to play against Australia in a home series. It's always a really exciting series to be a part of and normally quite good cricket on display. It's not ideal that the series isn't going ahead. We're just going to have to wait over the next couple of weeks to find out when the next Test series will be."

The Indian team seems fairly confident about what they're dealing with on the last day of this Test: they need 381 to win with nine wickets in hand, and going by the reflections of R Ashwin and Ishant Sharma at the end of day four, the possibility of victory is not something they have discounted. Ishant suggested that India's batting line up could easily scale down the daunting target, while Ashwin - who batted nearly 30 overs in an 80-run stand with Wahsington Sundar - suggested that the pitch would play nicely on the last day.

"I think it all depends how we start up tomorrow," Ishant said in a chat right after the day's play with Star Sports. "If we get a good start, then I'm sure we can chase this down, because we have a batting line-up who are very fearless. So we are obviously very positive about this, so it's just about the start, and then we look how we go through the innings."

India have had to play catch-up on all four days of this Test so far, having lost the toss and conceded 578 before they were bowled out for 337 on Monday. Heading into day five on a pitch that has shown some signs of the ball keeping low, Ashwin suggested that India aren't worried too much about it, particularly about how it might assist James Anderson and Jofra Archer.

"I think even in the first innings Jassi [Bumrah] got a couple of lbws," Ashwin said when it was pointed out that Bumrah got a few deliveries to stay low on Monday. "There are a few things we need to understand when it comes to Jassi's bowling. The arm path is different to what Anderson and Archer have. And these two [Bumrah and Ishant] are exponents of subcontinent conditions, they've been playing cricket in India. So I think it's a facet of the game that goes unnoticed or unobserved from the outside, which I think might not necessarily happen. We think the wicket will play nicely."

India's famous returns in the recently concluded Australia series included a chase of 407 in Sydney on the last day, which they pursued until injuries forced them to shut shop at 334 for 5, and a successful chase of 328 in the last session in Brisbane. Some of the central figures of those final-day efforts are part of the XI currently taking on England, including Ashwin himself. Whether that fact had anything to do with England's conservative batting towards the end of their second innings, Ashwin said he wasn't sure about.

"I think the approach was something we probably expected, that they'll try and put up 430-440 on the board, so we were also trying to manage our roles accordingly," he said.

"I think they had two options in front of them in the morning. They could have asked us to follow on...the only reason I can see [for not doing that], is they wanted to give a bit of a rest to their bowlers, which is a part of the game that sometimes is not very well understood from the outside. So that could have been the thinking in wanting to bat again and give the bowlers rest, because sometimes fresh bowlers can do the trick more than tiring bowlers."

The option to enforce a follow on, with a lead of 241, is something Ashwin and Sundar briefly believed they could completely take out of England's hands, he said. The two Tamil Nadu batsmen, both playing on their home ground, were well placed to understand this pitch, he said. In what could be a nod to Ishant's beliefs about this batting line-up, Ashwin also said Sundar is a special batsman.

"We actually did believe that we can wipe out the follow on and go on big, because we've played on pitches here, both Washi and I, and we sort of understand how it can be slow and we can pick our shots and pick our battles properly. In fact, we had got nicely settled, but I thought the ball bounced a little too much on that particular delivery [the one that dismissed him]. But having grown up playing club cricket in Chennai, playing spin, it's one facet of the game that anyone coming from this part will do really well.

"Washi's a fantastic batsman. I feel a lot of people going by the T20 format, where he plays No. 7, don't recognise the batting talent. He's quite a special batsman."

"When it comes to bowling, it's the joy I have. Even if some parts of my body are not responding, I can really keep going. That's really how much I really love my art."

R ASHWIN

Ashwin ended the day with his 28th five-wicket haul in Tests, with figures of 6 for 61, and a total of nine wickets in a Test where he has had to bowl 72.4 overs and bat 91 balls so far. Ashwin had missed India's last Test through an aggravated back injury, but said the mammoth spell in Chennai's heat and its effects on his body, didn't occur to him. Bowling all day was a joy, he said.

"I've seen a few interesting observations on what people think might happen and might not happen," he said on being asked about his back. "But as a cricketer, that's the last thing that'll go through my head. For me, part and parcel of my club cricket days was bowling 35-40 overs in a day and probably going back again to the nets and bowl. When it comes to bowling, it's the joy I have.

"Even if some parts of my body are not responding, I can really keep going. That's really how much I really love my art. I wouldn't even go that route and think. My body today morning was pretty fresh and I wanted to come out and bat, so I just want to keep bowling as long as I'm doing it."

World leads are set by Sandi Morris and Marquis Dendy, while Vashti Cunningham clears high jump PB and young athletes impress at the American Track League

The jumps were in the spotlight during the third meeting in the American Track League series on Sunday (February 7), with Sandi Morris and Marquis Dendy setting respective pole vault and long jump world leads and Vashti Cunningham setting an indoor high jump PB.

Morris had recorded a world lead of 4.81m the previous weekend but that had been improved by Holly Bradshaw with 4.85m and then Anzhelika Sidorova with 4.87m during the following week.

But, clearing 4.88m on her third attempt, world indoor champion Morris went back up to the top of the rankings and even had three tries at what would have been a world record height of 5.07m.

In the men’s long jump, 2016 world indoor champion Dendy opened with 7.89m but then had four fouls, before leaping his world-leading 8.21m in the final round.

Another world indoor gold medallist in action was Cunningham and the 2016 high jump champion cleared an indoor PB of 2.00m to win and match her best mark achieved outdoors.

Ronnie Baker claimed the men’s 60m win from Trayvon Bromell – 6.53 to 6.58. They had both also won their heats in respective times of 6.58 and 6.61.

Blessing Okagbare won the women’s 60m final in a PB of 7.10 as Daryll Neita finished fifth in 7.22 after a 7.21 heat.

A video clip of 2005 400m hurdles world champion Bershawn Jackson’s eight-year-old son blasting his 4x200m relay leg recently went viral but this time it was Jackson’s 15-year-old daughter Shawnti impressing as she clocked a 7.24 60m PB for seventh in the women’s 60m final in Fayetteville.

She then ran a 23.23 200m behind Okagbare’s winning 23.01. In another race, Jenna Prandini clocked 22.55.

Recently Bershawn Jackson's eight-year-old son did this ?

Now his 15-year-old daughter Shawnti has clocked a 7.24 60m PB for seventh in that @americantrack 60m final! https://t.co/x2k2Tg0jcZ

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) February 7, 2021

The men’s mile also had a mixture of great experience and young stars, with Takieddine Hedeilli winning in a 3:56.79 PB as Nick Willis achieved 19 consecutive years of sub-four-minute miles with 3:56.82 in second and Hobbs Kessler – who wasn’t even born when Willis achieved his first sub-four – clocking 3:57.66 in third for a US high school record.

Britain’s Adelle Tracey won the 800m in 2:02.11 as 15-year-old Sophia Gorriaran clocked a world under-18 indoor best of 2:02.44 in second, while Shamier Little ran 51.33 to win the 400m, with Lina Nielsen clocking 53.85 and Michael Cherry winning one of the men’s races in 45.24.

British record-holder Tiffany Porter ran 7.95 twice to win her two 60m hurdles races, with Olympic champion Omar McLeod taking the men’s final in 7.53 after a 7.55 heat.

Over at the PSD Bank Indoor Meeting in Dortmund on the same day, Khaddi Sagnia soared out to a long jump world lead of 6.82m in the second round of the competition, while Joris van Gool won the men’s 60m in a Dutch record of 6.58.

In Offenburg, 2017 world javelin champion Johannes Vetter threw 87.27m.

Click here for other recent results, while subscribers to AW magazine can access the AW Clubhouse as part of their membership for further reports and results – click here