Category: Cricket

India faced a tough time in Australia during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, losing the series 1-3. While Jasprit Bumrah was praised as the Man of the Series and Nitish Kumar Reddy showed some flashes of brilliance, India’s batting lineup faced heavy criticism. Many former players pointed fingers at the senior players, especially Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, for not performing well.

Rohit was missing from the first Test in Perth because he was on paternity leave, and Bumrah stepped in as captain. However, upon Rohit’s return, things didn’t improve, leading to criticism from Gautam Gambhir and others. Rohit also chose not to play in the final Test due to his poor form, which sparked rumors about his tense relationship with head coach Gambhir.

Robin Uthappa, a former teammate of Rohit, spoke about this situation. When asked if Gambhir’s coaching style was like that of Greg Chappell—who had a famous dispute with Sourav Ganguly—Uthappa defended Gambhir. He said, “Gautam is very straightforward. He tells you directly what he thinks, and I prefer that sort of honesty.”

Uthappa noted that managing different players can be challenging for Gambhir, especially since he has to work with various captains like Rohit and Hardik Pandya. While Gambhir supports Rohit, building their chemistry may take time.

Rohit, now 37 years old, struggled with just 31 runs over three Tests in Australia. He explained his absence from the final Test was due to his own decision because of his form.

Chandigarh: Just three months ago, names like Pratika Rawal, Tejal Hasabnis, and Priya Mishra were mostly known in Indian women’s domestic cricket. But with Shafali Verma dropped from the team and captain Harmanpreet Kaur injured, these players have suddenly stepped into the spotlight. They are eager to show their skills as the ODI Women’s World Cup approaches in six months.

In the first ODI against Ireland in Rajkot, opener Pratika Rawal scored an impressive 89 runs off 96 balls, marking her second half-century in just four international matches. Tejal Hasabnis contributed significantly too, scoring an unbeaten 53 runs off only 46 balls to help India chase down Ireland’s total of 238 runs.

After losing two quick wickets, Smriti Mandhana played brilliantly, making 41 runs in just 29 balls. Rawal and Hasabnis then built a strong partnership, adding 116 runs for the fourth wicket. Once Mandhana got out, Rawal went all out looking for her century but fell short, getting out after hitting some big shots.

In the end, Richa Ghosh came in and secured the win for India with boundaries in the 35th over. Earlier in the match, Ireland’s Gaby Lewis scored 92 runs, and even though India dropped four catches, they managed to win by six wickets. Captain Mandhana praised her bowlers and expressed the need to improve fielding skills.

The two teams will face each other again in Rajkot on Sunday and Wednesday.

Match Summary:
– Ireland: 238/7 in 50 overs (Gaby Lewis 92, Leah Paul 59, Priya Mishra 2/56)
– India: 241/4 in 34.3 overs (Pratika Rawal 89, Tejal Hasabnis 53, Smriti Mandhana 41, Aimee Maguire 3/57)
– India won by six wickets.

The recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series ended with a lot of drama for the Indian cricket team. India lost to Australia 3-1, which was disappointing for fans.

One big shock was when R Ashwin announced his retirement right after the third Test, and Rohit Sharma chose not to play in the final match.

There was also a surprising report from the Indian Express before the Sydney Test. It said a senior player wanted to act like he was the team captain, while Rohit was under pressure for his leadership. This player didn’t have his name mentioned but called himself “Mr. Fix-it.” Former cricketer Robin Uthappa criticized this player on social media, saying he was being selfish.

Uthappa later spoke to Lallantop about this situation. He shared that he usually doesn’t talk to players during tournaments to respect their personal space. He mentioned that he doesn’t know who “Mr. Fix-it” is but thinks the player should be embarrassed for his actions. Uthappa believes that where there is gossip, there’s likely some truth.

When asked who he thought the player could be, he mentioned senior players like KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. He said that Rahul might not seem senior because he is younger, but he has been on the team for almost nine years.

Uthappa emphasized the importance of keeping problems within the team, especially during significant matches. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma struggled in his games, scoring only small runs throughout the series.

PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa’s sports minister, Gayton McKenzie, is urging the country’s cricket team, the Proteas, to skip their upcoming game against Afghanistan. He believes this is important because the Taliban government in Afghanistan has forbidden women from participating in sports and has disbanded their national women’s cricket team.

McKenzie said, “As the sports minister, I don’t have the power to make the final choice about whether we play against Afghanistan. But if it was my choice, we definitely wouldn’t play.” He added that, as someone who experienced unfair restrictions during apartheid, he finds it wrong to ignore similar issues affecting women today.

The Proteas are set to play Afghanistan on February 21 in a group match in Karachi, Pakistan. Recently, more than 160 politicians in the UK also encouraged the England team to cancel their match against Afghanistan on February 26.

McKenzie accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of hypocrisy for not enforcing its own rules about supporting both men’s and women’s cricket. He pointed out that Sri Lanka Cricket was suspended by the ICC last year for political interference, but the same action hasn’t been taken against Afghanistan. He said, “This shows that political problems in sports are being ignored there.”

McKenzie stressed that Cricket South Africa and the ICC should think about the message cricket sends to the world, especially to women who play sports. He hopes that everyone in cricket, including fans, players, and officials, will stand in support of Afghan women athletes.

India really missed their star bowler, Mohammed Shami, on their recent trip to Australia. Fans are excited and hoping Shami will be fit to play in the 2025 Champions Trophy. To show he’s ready, Shami played for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and took three wickets against Haryana. This was important for him because he bowled his full 10 overs for the first time in this tournament. In his last two games, he had good bowling performances too.

Haryana batted first and scored 289 runs. Shami got three key wickets, helping his team. Earlier in the year, Shami had injuries and couldn’t join India’s team in Australia, even though he tried hard to be ready by practicing a lot. He also played several matches in local tournaments.

Due to knee swelling, Shami missed the first match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided he couldn’t play at all during the series. Fans are eager to see if he will be chosen for upcoming T20 and ODI matches against England and if he can play in the Champions Trophy. It’s been a while since he played international cricket; his last game was on November 19, 2023, in the World Cup final. He also missed the entire World Test Championship cycle, meaning India might not be in the next final.

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has shared his admiration for Jasprit Bumrah, saying the star bowler might become the next captain of the Indian cricket team. Gavaskar praised Bumrah after his fantastic performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Bumrah took an impressive 32 wickets in just five Test matches and led India to its only win in the series at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Gavaskar believes that Bumrah is a natural leader. He explained, “Bumrah leads by example and has the qualities of a leader without putting too much pressure on others.” While some captains stress their teammates out, Bumrah simply expects them to do their jobs well.

Bumrah has been a crucial part of the Indian fast bowling team for years. His support has helped young bowlers like Mohammed Siraj improve their skills. According to Gavaskar, Bumrah does a great job communicating with his teammates, always there to help and guide them.

In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah had an outstanding average of 13.06 with a strike rate of 28.37. Sadly, he was injured during the last Test match, which prevented him from bowling properly. Even so, he had already dominated the series, taking eight wickets in Perth and six wickets in the first innings at the Gabba.

During the final Test at the SCG, Bumrah managed to take two important wickets early in Australia’s batting innings but could not bowl much due to back pain. The Indian team did not win the series, finishing with a score of 3-1 in favor of Australia. However, Bumrah’s impressive performance earned him the Player of the Series award.

India has one final chance to prepare for the Champions Trophy when they play against England in a three-match ODI series starting next month. This weekend, team selectors will meet to choose the squad for the series and the Champions Trophy.

Before this important meeting, former Indian cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Sanjay Bangar shared their picks for the 15-member squad to face England, which begins on February 6. Both experts agreed on the same starting 11, with star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma leading the batting lineup. However, they had different choices for the reserve players.

Manjrekar and Bangar both selected KL Rahul as the main wicketkeeper and Sanju Samson as the backup, leaving out Rishabh Pant. They noted that Pant had not played well in ODIs since returning from injury. Bangar said, “Rahul should be your first-choice keeper.”

When it comes to the middle-order batsmen, both experts chose Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul again, just like they had for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Bangar said, “Iyer and KL Rahul are my no. 4 and 5. They were excellent in the World Cup.”

Manjrekar suggested adding Sarfaraz Khan and Tilak Verma in the middle order and said Suryakumar Yadav should only play in T20Is. He even mentioned the option of Dhruv Jurel as a backup wicketkeeper because of his skills.

Here are the final teams both experts selected for the ODI series against England:

Sanjay Manjrekar’s India XI:
– Shubman Gill
– Rohit Sharma
– Virat Kohli
– Shreyas Iyer
– KL Rahul
– Hardik Pandya
– Axar Patel
– Kuldeep Yadav
– Arshdeep Singh
– Mohammed Siraj
– Mohammed Shami

Reserves:
– Sanju Samson
– Yashasvi Jaiswal
– Ravindra Jadeja
– Sarfaraz Khan

Sanjay Bangar’s India XI:
– Shubman Gill
– Rohit Sharma
– Virat Kohli
– Shreyas Iyer
– KL Rahul
– Hardik Pandya
– Axar Patel
– Kuldeep Yadav
– Arshdeep Singh
– Mohammed Siraj
– Mohammed Shami

Reserves:
– Yashasvi Jaiswal
– Suryakumar Yadav
– Ravindra Jadeja
– Sanju Samson

Kuldeep is a talented bowler and has done well for India in the 2023-24 cricket season. Despite his talent, he often faces tough competition for a spot on the team. He was recently dropped from the Indian team after just one average performance in a Test match against New Zealand. Additionally, he struggles with injuries, which makes his position even shakier.

Just when it seemed he was becoming a regular player for India, a surprising announcement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on October 25 changed things. Kuldeep’s name was missing from the teams for upcoming matches, including the T20 series in South Africa and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Instead, he was sent to the BCCI Centre of Excellence to treat a long-standing groin issue.

This injury meant he couldn’t play in important domestic tournaments, and his absence was felt during India’s tour in Australia. With another spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, retiring mid-series, India really needed Kuldeep’s skills to take wickets, especially against weaker players.

Now, looking toward the future: Can we expect Kuldeep to play in the Champions Trophy? The tournament will be held in the UAE, where teams need strong spin bowlers, like Kuldeep, to do well.

Last December, Kuldeep started sharing fitness updates on social media after months of training. He was unable to bowl but is now slowly getting back into shape. However, he hasn’t yet reached full match fitness, and the selection committee will soon pick the teams for upcoming matches.

If Kuldeep isn’t fully fit, India may choose Ravindra Jadeja or reward Varun Chakravarthy for his recent T20 performances. The selection committee has a tough decision ahead!

Keshav Maharaj, the captain of the Durban Super Giants, was surprised to see Kane Williamson go unsold during the IPL 2025 mega auction. Life has changed for the New Zealand captain after he injured his knee while fielding for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023. He made a tough catch but landed badly, and it turned out to be one of his last appearances in the IPL. In 2024, he played only two matches for the Titans. Therefore, when Williamson chose to leave the New Zealand central contract last year and join the SA20 tournament, it was a big deal. As the third season begins today, he has been working hard in the nets after a fantastic Test series against England, where he scored 395 runs in three matches. At 34, Williamson may be nearing the end of his T20 career, but SA20 could help him keep playing longer.

Maharaj shared his thoughts, saying, “When I heard about Kane’s situation, I sent him a message, and I was surprised he replied. He has been a crucial player for New Zealand and in franchise cricket. He’s a talented leader and a great batter. We signed him to add stability to our team as we have plenty of power hitters, but last year we missed someone to anchor our batting lineup.”

Williamson isn’t the only star who had a decline in IPL. Jonny Bairstow and Dinesh Karthik also faced similar fates. Williamson scored most of his 2128 IPL runs while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, including a season where he won the Orange Cap in 2018. Bairstow shone brightly as he played with David Warner, breaking many records, but now he is struggling after going unsold at the auction. He last played a Test in March 2023, and Joburg Super Kings captain Faf du Plessis hopes Bairstow can find his form again.

“Jonny Bairstow is a great player. He has a lot to prove to English cricket, and having someone eager to perform is always beneficial,” Du Plessis said.

With SA20 preparing to grow, experienced players help mix youth and skill in all six teams. David Miller’s Paarl Royals features a unique combination with two players who had very different IPL experiences. Dinesh Karthik, who announced his retirement last June, surprised everyone when he signed to play in South Africa, becoming the first Indian player in SA20. He’ll be joining Joe Root, who has never played in the IPL but is eager to show his talent.

Miller praised the duo, stating, “We are excited for the season with Karthik and Root. Joe adds a lot to the squad. He is one of the best batters in the world and brings valuable experience. His solid play will be vital for us.” About Karthik, Miller added, “He has a lot of experience and helps our young team. It’s great to have him around, and we look forward to learning from him.”

Australia’s cricket team has made big changes for their upcoming tour to Sri Lanka, and Glenn Maxwell’s dreams of playing Test cricket again may now be over. Maxwell and fellow all-rounder Mitchell Marsh were not selected for the squad. Instead, the team has picked 19-year-old Cooper Connolly, who has yet to make his debut, as a new spin bowler.

Steve Smith will be captain, filling in as regular skipper Pat Cummins is away on paternity leave and also dealing with an ankle injury. Paceman Josh Hazlewood is not included as he recovers from a calf injury.

The squad also sees the return of Nathan McSweeney, who was dropped earlier in the series against India. They are looking forward to letting new players grow in their cricket skills while playing in Sri Lanka’s conditions.

Teenagers Sam Konstas and Beau Webster showed great potential in their first games and have retained their spots. Uncapped bowler Sean Abbott joins experienced players like Mitchell Starc.

Australia recently defeated India 3-1 and already secured a place in the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June.

Squad for Sri Lanka:
Steve Smith, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.