Rohit Sharma may have returned to action and played three back-to-back matches for the Mumbai Indians as they marched to a record fifth IPL title earlier this week, but he is still only "70 per cent" fit, according to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

"Rohit is still 70 per cent [fit]," Ganguly said in an interview with The Week when asked about Sharma playing for his franchise not long after being left out of the India touring party for Australia on fitness grounds. "Why don't you find out from Rohit himself? That is why he is still not picked for the ODIs and T20s down under. He has been added to the Test squad."

ALSO READ - Rohit Sharma not to join India squad in Australia until Test series

Sharma suffered a hamstring tear in his left leg on October 18 during the Mumbai Indians' match against the Kings XI Punjab in Dubai. He missed the team's next four games, but came back for the last three, helping them seal the title with a half-century in the final against the Delhi Capitals.

Along the way, the BCCI selectors first left Sharma out of all three squads for Australia, and later added him to the Test squad. It is expected that he would undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru before joining the India squad in Australia ahead of the first Test in Adelaide, starting December 17, pending a fitness test. Sharma hasn't travelled to Australia with the rest of the contingent from the UAE.

In between, on November 3, Ganguly had also asked Sharma to exercise caution when deciding whether or not to return for the Mumbai Indians during the playoffs' stage. "Rohit is injured at the moment. Otherwise, why would we leave out a player like him? He is the vice-captain of the national (limited-overs) team," Ganguly had said. "We will have to assess him. I don't know (when he can come back). He hasn't played so far since the time he has got injured. We want him to recover. It's the BCCI's job to get their best players on the park. If he recovers, he plays."

"I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish" Sourav Ganguly

Wriddhiman Saha is another member of India's contingent recovering from a hamstring injury. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is part of the Test squad but not the limited-overs teams, has flown to Australia with the rest of India's touring party after missing the Sunrisers Hyderabad's last two matches. The BCCI's communication with the media with regards to player injuries has often been opaque, but Ganguly said Saha's situation - and the fitness of every player - was being closely monitored by the board and India's team management.

"Who should know [about player injuries]? We know, the Indian physio knows, the NCA knows," Ganguly said. "I think people don't know how the BCCI works. The BCCI trainers, physio and Wriddhi himself know that he has two hamstring issues. People don't understand injuries, that is why they talk rubbish.

"Wriddhi is travelling to Australia because he will be fit for Tests. He is not part of the shorter formats. For the entire duration of the IPL, Indian physios and trainers were in Dubai. [India physio] Dr. Nitin Patel is managing injuries and monitoring it all."

The Indian touring party - Ishant Sharma is another player who is recovering from injury and hasn't gotten on the plane yet - reached Sydney on Thursday, and immediately went into quarantine for two weeks.

Nathi Mthethwa, the South Africa sports minister, has asked the members' council of Cricket South Africa (CSA) to recognise the interim board "immediately", and warned the body that if it failed to do so, he would use his statutory powers to intervene in the matter. He would "not hesitate to impose the sanctions available" under the country's National Sport and Recreation Act, Mthethwa said. The act gives Mthethwa the power to withdraw from funding CSA and strip it of its status as the governing body of cricket in the country.

If Mthethwa were to intervene, his actions could be regarded as government interference, which is prohibited by the ICC and could cause further sanctions for South Africa. Mthethwa has, however, looped the ICC in on all his communications to CSA so far, including his decision last month to step in as requested by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), which reached a standoff with CSA over the same issue.

ALSO READ: CSA board impasse likely to impact ICC chairman elections

CSA has been plagued by governance-related issues since September 2017, when it parted ways with former CEO Haroon Lorgat following the failure to launch the now-defunct Global T20 League. That tournament, and the reasons that it did not take place, formed part of the forensic report that CSA commissioned earlier this year, which was used to fire Lorgat's successor Thabang Moroe for financial misconduct.

Lorgat is part of the current interim board and his presence has caused the greatest apprehension among the members' council, which has cited a conflict of interest in having Lorgat on board.

Mthethwa clarified that Lorgat would recuse himself from all discussions relating to the Global T20 League and that the interim board remained a robust and credible body that should continue its work. The minister said that he had been impressed with the "speed, vigour, passion and independence" of the interim board, and believed they would complete their task within three months, if they receive the co-operation of the members' council.

More to follow…

Cardiff Blues forward Shane Lewis-Hughes says he experienced a "mixture of emotions" as he won his first senior Wales cap in the loss to Scotland.

The 23-year-old starts against Ireland in the opening game of the Autumn Nations Cup in Dublin on Friday night.

Lewis-Hughes says Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones is a "good guy to be around" - someone who "has the drive to get better each day"."

Read more: Wales must win back respect - Francis

Listen: Scrum V podcast - Ireland v Wales previewed

"Of course it will have an impact," Australia coach Justin Langer said when asked about Virat Kohli returning home after the first Test in Australia later this year for the birth of his first child. Using an Aussie Rules Football parallel, Langer likened Kohli's absence to "taking Dustin Martin out of Richmond", but stressed that even without their captain, India "are a very, very good team" and "we have to be on our toes all summer".

"Are we happy he is not playing? It's like taking (AFL star) Dustin Martin out of Richmond," Langer said with a laugh at a press interaction earlier today. "Of course it will have an impact, but we also know that India beat us last time (in 2018-19). They are a very, very good team. We cannot get complacent for a second with or without Virat.

"So we are going to have to be on our toes all summer, and we're looking forward to that."

Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma are expecting their first child around the turn of the year, and Kohli has asked for - and been granted - paternity leave. The tour will start with three ODIs, followed by three T20Is, with the four-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy played at the end. In a media statement earlier this week, the BCCI confirmed Kohli's return after the first Test, which will be India's first day-night Test overseas, but did not specify whether Kohli would rejoin the Indian Test squad at a later stage, though any return would have to negotiate strict quarantine protocols, adding to the time that he would not be available.

As far as Langer was concerned, though, taking time off for "one of the great things you will ever do" was worth the sacrifice on Kohli's part.

"Virat Kohli is probably the best player I have ever seen in my life for so many reasons, not only his batting but his energy and passion for the game, the way he fields. I cannot believe he displays the energy he does in everything he does, and I've got so much respect for him," Langer said. "I've also got respect for him in the sense that he's made this decision (to take paternity leave).

"He's a human being like all of us. It's the same with Kane Richardson. He sacrificed the IPL so that he could be at the birth of his son a couple of days ago. So if I was giving advice to any of my players, I would always say never ever miss the birth of your children, because it is one of the great things you will ever do. Virat's a human being, and I respect his decision."

The Indian contingent - without Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma, who are both carrying injuries - reached Sydney from the UAE on Thursday, and have gone into two weeks' quarantine straightaway.

Ireland and Wales will share the honour of kicking off the new Autumn Nations Cup on Friday evening in Dublin.

Each team plays every other team in their group over three successive weekends to complete the pool stages.

Then the top-ranked team in Pool A plays the top-ranked team in Pool B, the second-ranked team in Pool A plays their equivalent in Pool B and so on for a final weekend of fixtures on the first weekend in December to decide the final placings.

Both Ireland and Wales are coming into this tournament in transition although the hosts are in a more encouraging position.

Ireland won each of their three Six Nations fixtures in Dublin, with an away defeat by England and then another in the French capital proving decisive on 31 October.

The 35-27 defeat in Paris at the end of October left Andy Farrell's side third in the final Six Nations table behind champions England and France.

Wales come into the competition struggling after five successive defeats under Wayne Pivac and their worst Six Nations performance since 2007 as the side have dropped to eighth in the world rankings.

They have lost five of six Tests since Pivac succeeded Warren Gatland after the 2019 World Cup.

A routine win against Italy on 1 February was followed by successive losses to Ireland, France, England, France again, then Scotland. Wales must go back to 2012 for the last time they went six games without a win.

This sorry situation has seen the departure this week of defence coach Byron Hayward, somebody who Pivac had worked with for six-and-a-half years with Scarlets and Wales.

Former Wales prop Gethin Jenkins has stepped up to take over defensive responsibilities just a few weeks after he had taken over from Sam Warburton as the breakdown technical advisor.

Team news

Leinster winger James Lowe makes his Ireland debut after the New Zealand-born player qualified through residency. The 28-year-old starts alongside Hugo Keenan and Jacob Stockdale in the back three.

Jamison Gibson-Park makes his first start at scrum-half while Ulster fly-half Billy Burns is in line to make his debut from the bench.

Ronan Kelleher returns from injury to start at hooker for Andy Farrell's men.

With the side showing seven changes from the Six Nations defeat by France, Kelleher replaces Ulster's Rob Herring at hooker with Iain Henderson coming back into the side after serving a suspension to start in the second row with James Ryan.

Caelan Doris retains his spot in the back row and will pack down at number eight along with flankers Peter O'Mahony and Josh van der Flier as Will Connors drops to the bench and CJ Stander misses out.

Flanker Justin Tipuric returns from illness in the only Wales change as coach Pivac reverts to the side initially picked against Scotland. The Ospreys back-rower was ruled out on the morning of that 14-10 defeat by tonsillitis.

Uncapped Bristol fly-half Callum Sheedy is on the bench, named in Wales' matchday squad for the first time alongside George North, who will become the youngest player to play 100 internationals if he comes on as a replacement.

View from both camps

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton: "This week is playing against a team that is a lot, lot better than their latest results have suggested.

"They've had a couple of tight games which haven't gone their way as well.

"It will be two teams that will be hurting a lot probably and it will be a really tough game on Friday.

"They will come out fighting."

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: "We believe we can win whenever we take the field, against any opposition.

"The fact we haven't done that in a series of games now is not something we're comfortable with.

"We're working very hard and trying to eliminate the errors in our game that are putting us under pressure.

"This tournament is a fresh opportunity. We've talked about that. We're looking forward to it.

"Ireland away is a stiff challenge first up, but there is no better challenge to find out how much improvement we've made over the last two weeks."

Line-ups

Ireland: Jacob Stockdale; Hugo Keenan, Chris Farrell, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Ian Henderson, James Ryan, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ed Byrne, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, Will Connors, Conor Murray, Billy Burns, Keith Earls.

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Owen Watkin, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Shane Lewis-Hughes, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Aaron Wainwright, Lloyd Williams, Callum Sheedy, George North.

Match facts

Head-to-head

Ireland

Wales

Match officials

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Touch judges: Pascal Gauzere & Alex Ruiz (France)

TMO: Romain Poite (France).

As his teenage players gathered before him, Martin Haag had a message. And a request.

And then he asked each of them how they wanted to be remembered after their World Under-20 Championships campaign was over.

Jack Willis thought carefully. And then gave his answer: "The most relentless and versatile back-row forward at under-20 level."

England went on to win that tournament. Four years on, Willis continues to live up to the adjectives he set himself.

This season in the Premiership, he has been a one-man crime wave around the breakdown, burgling ball at an astonishing rate.

In total, he finished with 46 turnovers. No other player reached even 20.

In the modern game, there is no talent more valuable. This season, there has been no better exponent.

Willis could rest on that statistic. He could build a career on it. But in England's congested back row, you have to diversify to thrive.

"I have always focused on attacking the breakdown and the jackal work but I don't want to be a one-trick pony," Willis told Rugby Union Weekly in September.

"I want all areas of my game to be as good as they can be. Having one major skill won't get you very far."

So, as well as the improbably low split-leg stance that has become his calling card at the contest, he has been rampaging in the loose, chopping down ball carriers in defence and soaring in the line-out.

He has been relentless, and has scooped up end-of-season awards like unguarded breakdown ball.

He is the Players' Player of the Year, the Land Rover Discovery of the Season and the Premiership Player of the Season.

England head coach Eddie Jones has doubts about Premiership form as a guide to Test ability. But Willis has been too good to ignore.

This Saturday, as Georgia roll into a empty Twickenham for the first match of the Autumn Nations Cup, he will make his England debut.

It comes at 23. However it has been far from the usual journey from promising youngster to fulfilled potential.

As a boy, Willis played football alongside his rugby. It was while warming up for a kickabout that he first discovered the exceptional flexibility that he has nurtured ever since.

He hit the barre, following his girlfriend's ballet exercises to fine-tune his balance and core strength.

If it sounds outlandish, his teenage CV is equally leftfield.

Some players get on the 'pathway' early. Earning spots on representative teams that put them on the radar of Premiership clubs and England selectors.

Willis had more fundamental concerns. In his early teens, the Reading Abbey team he played for came close to being disbanded because of lack of numbers.

He went for a trial at London Irish - the club his father had played for. And was rejected.

While other prospects chose between scholarship offers from top private schools, Willis had to make his own pitch.

He wrote to The Henley College, a state sixth-form college in Oxfordshire that ran a programme developing players for Wasps, asking for a trial.

That tenacity was clear to Haag as Willis forced his way into England Under-20 squad in 2016.

"He was always pushing to improve, to be the best he could be. He was not afraid to talk up in meetings. If you asked him to present a point to the rest of the team, he could do that," remembers Haag.

"He was part of the banter flying around, but he had a serious head on as well. He was always working hard on his game, doing the extras. He knew it was a great opportunity and he was going to make the most of it."

Joe Marchant, Ollie Thorley and Will Stuart were all part of that group. All are part of this week's senior get-together. All, unlike Willis, have already won their first caps.

Willis could, maybe should, have been before any of them.

After a breakthrough campaign in the Premiership, he was named by Jones in the England squad to tour South Africa in 2018.

But he never made the plane. Instead, he spent the summer mulling over the wreckage of his knee.

As he was carried off and out of the Premiership semi-final against Saracens with extensive ligament damage, he could feel the unsupported joint slipping out of place.

Haag sent him a text of just three words: bigger, faster, stronger.

Willis did eventually return as a more physical, powerful presence, but also as a more rounded person.

As he fixed his knee, he also learned to fix radiators and taps, taking a plumbing course during his down time.

He started a property business, hunting out potential investments for others.

"Rugby had become a bit of a bubble - it was all I thought and spoke about 24 hours a day to family and friends," added Willis.

"Everything that was going on was rugby. When I got the injury and that was taken away, you realise there is a lot more around you."

Versatile. Relentless. In four years, plenty has changed. But some things haven't.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods longs for peace. For most of his professional life, he has sought refuge from the masses, on his yacht, appropriately named Privacy, or at his gated enclave in South Florida.

Such calm is nearly impossible to find in Woods' golf world, and yet there it was Thursday morning at Augusta National.

There were nearly 100 people who gathered near the 10th tee as the defending Masters champion began his quest for green jacket No. 6, and a large contingent was still there in the vast expanse made possible by the removal of a large block of bleachers that sits behind the 12th tee.

Needless to say, it was a far different scene than the one Woods has encountered countless times over his career. And to compare it to the last time he traversed this hallowed ground during the final round of the 2019 Masters is to extrapolate oneself to a different universe.

Woods has often given credence to the idea that the boisterous, jacked multitude of thousands who cheered him on during the 2019 Masters helped lift him to victory.

For a man who loves quiet, he now misses the noise.

"There's no patrons, no roars,'' Woods said after matching his best first-round score in 23 Masters, a 4-under-par 68. "We'd ask the camera guys where did the ball end up, but we just don't know. That's very different. A lot of firsts [in Thursday's first round]. That's kind of the way this entire year has been.

"The fact that we're able to compete for Masters this year, considering all that's been going on, it's a great opportunity for all of us.''

Woods is thankful for the chance, rueful of the circumstances. He delayed his competitive return to golf after the coronavirus pandemic shutdown because he was unsure how life would be in a COVID-19 world.

And he never really has gotten on track. Woods tied for 37th at the PGA Championship in August -- and that's his best finish in six tournaments prior to the Masters. In eight tournaments total, he has not contended, and typically finds himself way out of the mix by the time the network television cameras turn on for the weekend.

But Thursday brought him back to familiar ground, and perhaps he willed himself to a good score without the supporters who typically carry him. Sure, his buddy Peyton Manning was there. So was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. As Augusta National members, they were among the few allowed to attend.

Woods went the entire round without a bogey, a first for him on opening day at the Masters and the first time in any major round since the 2009 PGA Championship -- a span of 105 rounds.

Woods hit 15 greens in regulation, always a good sign. He had no three-putts. He found 10 of 14 fairways, and for a November Masters, that is important because the rough is far more penal than we see in April.

Other than Bryson DeChambeau, nobody had more people following him, and yet for Woods, it is so far removed from his reality that it is difficult for him to come to grips with the circumstances.

"It's so different,'' Woods said. "Shane [Lowry] was telling me [Thursday] that it was pretty exciting last week [at the Houston Open] to have the energy level of 200 people out there following his group. We haven't had that this entire year. It's been very different.

"This world that we live in is not what we've had throughout my career, and that's something we're going to have to get used to for some time.''

Lowry, who won The Open last year at Royal Portrush, had never played with Woods. The experience was still daunting, although far less so without the chaos that envelopes Woods at every event.

Andy Ogletree, the winner of the 2019 U.S. Amateur, earned a spot in Woods' group as a part of Masters tradition. Woods had already won a Masters before Ogletree was born, and the Georgia Tech grad felt the pressure despite the smattering of people, playing his first four holes in 4 over par.

But he settled down to shoot 73, and even snuck in a few words with the defending champion, telling him about his stay in Augusta National's Crow's Nest, the area of the clubhouse where amateurs are traditionally housed during the Masters.

"I was so amped up, I didn't want to go to sleep,'' Ogletree said. "I had to find a way to go to sleep. Just put my phone down, turned it off. Put it on airplane mode so the alarm would still go off -- like I wasn't going to wake up. It was super cool.

"Tiger and I were actually talking about it [Thursday] walking down one of the fairways. And he was asking me about the Crow's Nest. Said I wish I could stay up there. He was telling me cool stories about his experience back in the day. It's pretty neat.''

If only Ogletree knew. Tiger in the hunt with thousands upon thousands of spectators in full throat is a scene to behold, a joyful assault on the eardrums. Other than the television drones that hummed overhead, or the Sub-Air system that sucked water out of the fairways, the noise on Thursday was simply that of a serene day in the park.

For now, Woods has to rely on making his own noise. He did so for one day at a familiar locale filled with so many memories. And that remains the challenge.

NEW YORK -- Ryan Tepera?

Baseball fans love to argue over who should win big awards. But there likely was no debate Thursday about the most surprising name on the list of players getting National League MVP votes.

That was Tepera, the Chicago Cubs reliever who was 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA during the coronavirus-shortened season.

The 33-year-old right-hander received a single 10th-place vote for one point, leaving him tied for 18th in the NL balloting, far behind winner Freddie Freeman. Still, that's more support than the likes of Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom and Nolan Arenado drew as they got shut out.

Tepera struck out 31 in 20⅔ innings over 21 games and pitched in the playoffs for Chicago.

Turns out there was a simple explanation for the vote. It was a mix-up -- one that didn't affect the results in any way.

"I meant to hit Trea Turner and thought I had,'' longtime St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Rick Hummel said. Fondly called "The Commish" by his peers, Hummel in 2006 won the Baseball Writers' Association of America's award for excellence that is presented during the Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies.

Hummel said he intended to click on Turner's name on a drop-down list, but figures he accidentally clicked Tepera. Turner, the Washington Nationals shortstop, finished all alone in seventh place.

"I should have double-checked it," Hummel said.

CORONA, Calif. – Lucas Oil Products has made the decision to discontinue its ownership and operation of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

The series has operated since 2009, sanctioning short course off-road racing events across the United States.

The announcement also includes the discontinuation of the Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series.

“The Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series could never have achieved the levels of success it did without the individuals who made it all happen – out on the racetrack. The unwavering commitment from our drivers over the years has allowed Lucas Oil to invest in their talent, and we couldn’t be prouder to see all the success stories that have come out of this championship,” said Director of Race Operations, Ritchie Lewis. “Moreover, we owe tremendous gratitude to the companies that have lent their support to short course off road, as their partnerships were invaluable to our success. As we close this chapter, these individuals and our relationships are what we will remember.”

Justin Langer has given the strongest indication yet that Joe Burns will retain his place at the top of Australia's batting order for the first Test against India with the final decision being made after the first of the Australia A matches next month.

Both Burns and Will Pucovski, who has made two double-hundreds in three Sheffield Shield innings this season compared to Burns' 57 runs in five knocks, are in the Australia A squad to face the Indians at the Drummoyne Oval and then the SCG under lights.

However, Langer said that the man chosen to partner David Warner in the day-night Test would mostly likely link up with the Test squad in Adelaide when they start their preparations, which will overlap with the second Australia A fixture - a floodlit match starting on December 11.

Though Burns has struggled at the start of the season for Queensland, Langer referenced the strong pairing he has with Warner - which averages over 50 for the first wicket - and the fact it was part of Australia's clean sweep of the 2019-20 season against New Zealand and Pakistan when they went to No. 1 in the world, although the pressure from Pucovski is significant.

"[Will's] been amazing hasn't he, and it's exactly what we are looking for, I've said it for a very long time that we want guys who are outside of the team to bang so hard you can't ignore them," Langer said. "The fact is he's been so good we can't ignore him, he's been brilliant.

"That said I've also been consistent with the messaging that last summer we loved the combination of Joe Burns and David Warner, they have a real synergy, so at this point I'd say that will remain the same. But what Will's doing, what Cameron Green has done, is making a real statement through sheer weight of runs and that's always been a strong foundation for the strength of Australian cricket."

Burns and Pucovski will likely open together in a three-day game starting on December 6, but Langer was reluctant to term it a showdown. "I wouldn't say it's a bat-off. Joe Burns has done really well for us. Will Pucovski, we are really looking forward to seeing how he steps up to Australia A. It will be great to see him play against India, a new step up for him, so it's an exciting time. Competition is healthy.

"When guys have done a really good job for us - like in this case that Joe and Davey did for us last summer - there's a reason we're ranked the No.1 Team in Test cricket. Those sorts of partnerships are really important, so we should never underestimate that.

"Will Pucovski is doing everything humanly possible to play the first Test. But that's what we have to weigh up. We should never underestimate the job the guys have done to get us to where we are. We went through a period when there were lots of ins and outs, and in my view we should back the guys in there. That can change, but it's a pretty strong philosophy to stick to."

The decision between Burns and Pucovski is the only major debate for the selectors among the final XI for the start of the series. The much-talked-about allrounder Green is in the squad - with Langer saying his batting alone puts him in contention - and he has recently resumed bowling for Western Australia, but the theme of caution continued to be urged.

"We know he's got enormous talent, but he's had two stress fractures," Langer said. "The way we manage Cameron Green, as Western Australia are at the moment, will be a combined effort. We have to show the due respect that's required and we have to patient. We've learned that over and over again.

Langer added that up to 15 of the Test squad will probably come together in Adelaide for their preparations ahead of the first Test with potentially two batsmen remaining with the A squad for the pink-ball warm-up. All the bowlers, including Mitchell Swepson, will be in the Test camp which means he along with Michael Neser, Sean Abbott and James Pattinson would not play the second Australia A game at the SCG.

Although the squads for this series will continue to operate with various biosecure protocols, the easing of some state borders has allowed a little more flexibility in where players can be.