Category: Cricket

India faced two major defeats in cricket, first against New Zealand and then Australia. But in the midst of this sadness, there’s a silver lining. These losses have started a serious conversation about Indian cricket, the players, and the team’s culture. People are now openly discussing their disappointment, and for the first time, criticism is sharp and honest.

Fans, experts, and even former players like Gautam Gambhir are angry and asking tough questions. Social media is full of strong opinions, showing that cricket fans really care about the game. Traditionally, big-name players weren’t criticized, but after these losses, many feel it’s time for change and accountability.

In the recent matches in Australia, star players, including captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, did not perform well. Rohit scored only 31 runs, while bowler Jasprit Bumrah took 32 wickets. Kohli’s recent Test scores match up poorly with other players, lowering his once-lofty status.

Fans are not just upset about the lack of runs. They feel these players are taking their positions for granted, sometimes missing matches and ignoring domestic cricket. It’s fair to ask players to be accountable since cricket is a team sport where every player counts.

Legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Harbhajan Singh are also speaking out against the ‘superstar culture’ that has damaged Indian cricket. They are calling for players to show real commitment.

Another important point is the need to respect domestic cricket more. Top players have been skipping the Ranji Trophy, which hurts the overall standard of the game. Fans worry that players are focusing too much on the IPL instead of local matches, leading to problems like injuries.

Lastly, we need to think about how the team conducts itself as a whole. Is Virat’s on-field behavior acceptable, or should it be considered unacceptable?

Cricket is incredibly important to us as a nation. While we celebrate the success of our players, we must manage our expectations. After the losses in Australia, a clear line has been drawn. When any player crosses this line, it will serve as a warning for everyone.

In Jamshedpur, three talented golfers are tied for the lead after the first round of the 2025 season of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour on Wednesday. Sneha Singh, Rhea Purvi Saravanan, and Durga Nittur each scored an even par of 72 at the beautiful Golmuri Golf Club.

Just one stroke behind and tied for fourth place are Amandeep Drall and Jasmine Shekar, who both scored 73. Four other players, including Lavanya Jadon who made her pro debut, Neha Tripathi, Ananya Garg, and amateur Saanvi Somu, all finished with 3-over par 75, tying for sixth place.

Rhea Purvi Saravanan started her day slow, being 3-over through 14 holes. However, she turned things around with three birdies in the last four holes, finishing strong to become the clubhouse leader at 72. Sneha Singh, the 2023 Hero Order of Merit winner, matched Rhea’s score, having an exciting round filled with four birdies and four bogeys. Meanwhile, Durga Nittur also scored 72 with three birdies and three bogeys.

Amandeep began with a birdie but then had two bogeys on the 10th and 18th holes, finishing at 73. Jasmine, who won twice in her last three events last season, also finished with 73 after hitting four birdies and five bogeys.

Ananya Garg had a wild start, with no pars in her first seven holes, making three birdies and four bogeys. She added a double bogey on the 11th but ended on a positive note with a birdie. Lavanya, playing her first professional event, struggled with three bogeys and no birdies. Neha Tripathi, one of the veterans, scored one birdie but had four bogeys. Amateur Saanvi Somu started at 5-over but finished strong, making birdies on the last two holes to end up with 75.

Anvitha Narender rounded out the top 10. This exciting tournament promises great golf action ahead!

Faf du Plessis, a former South African cricket star, knows a lot about Virat Kohli, the famous Indian player. They played together in the IPL (a big cricket tournament) for three years at the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and du Plessis understands both the pressure and excitement of cricket.

In February 2021, du Plessis, then 36 years old, chose to retire from Test cricket after playing 69 matches for South Africa. This was a tough but smart decision, as he wanted to focus on T20 internationals, especially with two T20 World Cups coming up.

Now, four years later, Kohli faces a big challenge. His scoring has dropped significantly, and he doesn’t look like the dominant player he once was. In his last five years of playing Test cricket, his average has dropped to 30.72, which is much lower than his career average of 46.85. Just a few years ago, Kohli was scoring well in all formats of the game.

Recently, Kohli struggled in a series against Australia where he only scored 191 runs and was out in the same way eight times. Many wonder if it might be time for him to step away from Test cricket. He used to be a major supporter of Test matches, but now he seems to be at a difficult point in his career.

India’s next Test series will be in June against England. Will Kohli be part of that team? It seems likely, but some think he might not be ready, especially with the series starting right after the IPL, giving him little time to prepare for Test matches.

Du Plessis said, “It’s different for every player. Every player needs to decide for themselves when it’s time to go. For me, when I lost my love for Test cricket, I knew it was time to let new players step in, and I wanted to focus on T20s.” He believes Kohli still has a lot of motivation and will know what to do next.

At 40, du Plessis may be retired from international cricket but remains active in various leagues, including the IPL 2025, where he will play for the Delhi Capitals. He is considered a valuable player and is still passionate about cricket. He said, “As long as my motivation is there, I want to keep playing.”

Even with the added pressure of aging, du Plessis continues to stay fit and active in cricket, proving that with hard work and determination, he can still compete at a high level.

With the Champions Trophy coming up next month, cricket fans are buzzing with talk about which players will make the Indian team. The selectors are expected to finalize a 15-member squad by the end of the week. Reports say that star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will stay as key batters, but others like KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja might not make the cut.

KL Rahul was a vice-captain during the last World Cup but is now being talked about as a backup wicketkeeper for the Champions Trophy. Rishabh Pant, who was injured in a car accident, is expected to be the first choice. Rahul played in a few games after the World Cup, but there are questions about his need in the upcoming tournament.

Big names like Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are also in the mix. Kishan hasn’t had a great run lately, while Samson scored well in his only recent appearance.

As for Ravindra Jadeja, he might face tough competition from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, who have shown better form lately. Jadeja’s batting hasn’t been up to par compared to before.

Mohammed Shami’s place in the team is unclear too. He returned from an ankle injury but hasn’t played much recently. In his latest outings, he took two wickets in eight overs and impressed with the bat by scoring 42 runs.

Lastly, young player Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to get a chance as a backup opener. Though he hasn’t played in ODIs yet, he has an excellent record in other formats.

Fakhar Zaman, a talented cricketer, is getting ready to play for Pakistan in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which will start on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai. He recently shared his excitement on the Vipers Voices podcast. “I’m 100% ready to play for Pakistan,” Fakhar said.

He explained that he had missed out on playing for a while because he wasn’t well after the T20 World Cup. But now he feels completely healthy and is eager to join the team for their next series.

Fakhar used to be a key player for Pakistan in one-day matches but hasn’t played since the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan didn’t do well. His last One Day International (ODI) game was during the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, he remains hopeful about being picked for the Champions Trophy, especially since it holds special memories for him—he became famous during the 2017 Champions Trophy when he scored a fantastic 114 runs in the final against India.

He mentioned, “I have been planning for the Champions Trophy since I didn’t play in the recent tours to Australia and South Africa. My goal has been to be fit and ready for this tournament.” He is thankful to be in good health now and is very excited to participate.

Fakhar also praised the young player, Saim Ayub, who has been doing really well in cricket. Saim has scored three centuries and one half-century in just nine innings. Unfortunately, he injured his ankle recently, and Fakhar hopes he will recover quickly. “Saim is a great talent, and if he keeps performing like this, he will be one of the best players in the world,” Fakhar stated.

Fakhar knows that it will be tough to get back into the team because many talented players, like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, are also vying for top spots. He said, “Sometimes, I feel lucky just to be in the team, even if I can’t always start as an opener. I will play wherever the team needs me.”

As he prepares for a comeback, Fakhar will be playing for the Desert Vipers in the first International League T20 season starting on January 11. He’s excited, especially since many Pakistani players have shared great things about the team.

Fakhar’s return to cricket will be important for Pakistan as they aim to form a strong squad for the Champions Trophy at home.

In an exciting ODI match against New Zealand, Sri Lankan bowler Mahish Teekshana showed his amazing skills by taking a hat-trick. This means he got three batsmen out in just two overs! At only 25 years old, he made history by becoming the first player to take a hat-trick in 2025 and the seventh Sri Lankan to do this in ODIs.

Teekshana’s Hat-Trick Moments

Teekshana’s amazing achievement happened during the 35th and 37th overs. He began by getting New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner out for 20 runs. Then, he quickly got Nathan Smith out on the very next ball. His biggest moment came when he bowled Matt Henry on the first ball of the 37th over, completing his hat-trick. This incredible performance helped Sri Lanka turn the game around after New Zealand had started strongly.

Rachin Ravindra’s Awesome Batting

While Teekshana’s hat-trick grabbed a lot of attention, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra also played really well with the bat. Playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, he scored 79 runs in just 61 balls, reaching his fifty in only 43 balls with nine fours and one six. One of the best parts of his innings was when he hit a fantastic six off Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasranga, sending the ball over the boundary by 86 meters.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand: Match Overview

The match started late due to rain, and Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first at Seddon Park in Hamilton. New Zealand’s openers, Will Young and Ravindra, got off to a good start, making a 31-run partnership before Young was out for 16 runs. Ravindra continued to impress, partnering with Mark Chapman for 112 runs, as Chapman scored 62 runs. Ravindra’s solid knock left New Zealand in a strong position to build on their good start.

Former Indian cricketers Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar are worried about the performance of star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Head coach Gautam Gambhir also hinted that it might be time for them to play in domestic cricket again. Kohli’s performance has been disappointing, with only 90 runs scored besides a century during the recent tour of Australia, making this his worst series there. Meanwhile, Rohit has struggled even more, scoring just 31 runs in five matches, leading to an average of only 6.2.

Experts believe it might help them get back into form if they play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, which starts on January 23. A member of the Indian team management said, “Playing domestic cricket can help them find their rhythm.” They worry that without practice, especially since India won’t play any Test matches until June of next year, Kohli and Rohit’s gameplay could worsen. They easily switch to white ball cricket, but returning to red ball cricket is a challenge.

It’s been a long time since Kohli (last played in 2012) and Rohit (hasn’t played in nine years) participated in the Ranji Trophy. Pathan noted this lack of commitment from today’s players, pointing out that several other key players also haven’t played in the Ranji Trophy for years.

Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin recently talked about the surprising retirement of Indian spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After the third Test in Brisbane ended in a draw, Ashwin announced he was stepping away from international cricket, leaving many fans and players in shock.

Ashwin didn’t play in that match, and prior to it, he appeared in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, where he scored a total of 29 runs and took one wicket. Earlier in the series, India suffered a shocking loss to New Zealand in a Test match at home, which was a big surprise since they hadn’t lost like that in 12 years. Ashwin, known for being a top performer in India’s Test matches, expressed his frustration after not being chosen to play.

On the Willow Talk podcast, Haddin commented, “India started this series not knowing their best spin option, and it’s a bit strange that Ashwin decided to retire mid-series. It seems like he was upset not being picked.” Haddin believes Ashwin views himself as the best spinner and didn’t want to sit on the bench if the team didn’t think he was essential. “He’s accomplished a lot and probably feels he doesn’t need to keep playing if he’s not the first choice,” Haddin explained.

India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-3, finishing after losing the fifth Test at Sydney. With this defeat, India can no longer compete for the ICC World Test Championship final next year, as Australia and South Africa have already secured their spots.

Over his career, Ashwin played 106 Tests, taking 537 wickets with an average of 24.00 and achieving best figures of 7/59. He claimed 37 five-wicket hauls and is now the second-highest wicket-taker for India, right behind Anil Kumble. Ashwin also scored 3,503 runs in Tests, including six centuries.

In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he took 156 wickets and scored 707 runs. Overall, Ashwin collected 765 wickets across all formats, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker. He was also a vital member of the Indian teams that won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013

Virat Kohli had a tough time during his recent tour of Australia. In five Test matches, he only scored 190 runs, despite hitting a century in the first game at Perth. He kept getting out in the same way by chasing wide balls. As a result, his average was just 24, and his struggles contributed to India losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade.

Ricky Ponting, a former captain of Australia, believes that Kohli still has a lot to offer to Indian cricket. He remembered his own difficulties towards the end of his career and how they are similar to what Kohli is facing now. While Ponting averaged 39.48 in his last five years of playing, his overall average was 51.85.

Ponting said, “I can see how much Virat wants to succeed. But sometimes, trying too hard can make things harder. In the past, I focused more on not getting out than actually scoring runs, which might sound weird.”

Kohli has only made three centuries in the last five years of Test cricket, and he struggles against deliveries pitched outside the off-stump. Ponting thinks there might be a mental block for Kohli, but he believes Kohli still has valuable experience to share with his teammates.

Ponting explained, “When I was playing my best, I just focused on scoring runs. Now, with Virat, it seems like he doesn’t want to play those wide balls, yet there’s something holding him back.”

Finally, Ponting reflected on his own career and mentioned that he played for two more years than he should have. He wanted to help guide younger players and make sure they were ready for international cricket as some senior players were retiring, including Mike Hussey.

India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is once again in the running for the ICC Player of the Month! He earned this nomination for his powerful bowling during the exciting Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. The ICC announced the nominees for December 2024, and Bumrah is on the list for the second time in a row.

In December, Bumrah showed his incredible skills by taking 22 wickets in just three Test matches. Despite Australia gaining confidence in the series, Bumrah was a shining star for India. He had amazing performances, including four wickets for 61 runs in Adelaide, six wickets for 76 runs in Brisbane, and a thrilling nine-wicket victory in Melbourne. His success even helped him reach the highest scoring points for any Indian bowler!

Bumrah hopes to win the Player of the Month title and also aims for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year in 2024.

On the other hand, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins is also on the shortlist thanks to his strong bowling. He helped Australia win matches in Adelaide and Melbourne. In December, Cummins scored 144 runs and took 17 wickets, showing his leadership.

Completing the list is South Africa’s Dane Paterson, who performed well with 13 wickets in just two Tests that helped South Africa qualify for the WTC Final at Lord’s in June. Paterson made a great comeback in the Test team, especially with his amazing five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka and another five wickets against Pakistan.

For the women’s nominations, we have Indian star Smriti Mandhana, who scored a lot in December games against Australia and the West Indies. South African player Nonkululeko Mlaba is nominated for the first time for her impressive wicket-taking in a Test against England. Finally, Annabel Sutherland from Australia shined brightly, scoring back-to-back centuries against India and New Zealand while also picking up important wickets.