Category: Cricket

The Indian men’s cricket team had a year full of ups and downs in 2024, and we’re hoping for better things in 2025! Next year, India will play in big tournaments like the Champions Trophy, five Tests against England, and the Asia Cup.

Unfortunately, 2024 ended heartbreakingly for India as they lost to Australia by 184 runs in their final match at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. Since winning the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, India hasn’t been able to get the results they wanted. They faced tough losses, like losing an ODI series to Sri Lanka and a home Test series to New Zealand.

Overall, in 2024, India played 15 Test matches, winning 8, losing 6, and drawing 1. They only had one ODI series, and they lost that to Sri Lanka in three matches.

As 2025 begins, India will face Australia in the last Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This match is very important because India needs to win to have a chance to play in the World Test Championship final. If they lose or draw, they’ll be out.

After the Sydney Test, India’s focus will shift to the Champions Trophy in February, where they’ll play their first match against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

Here’s what India’s cricket schedule looks like for 2025:

– India vs Australia: 5th Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney
– India vs England: 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs from January 22
– 1st T20I: January 22 (Chennai)
– 2nd T20I: January 25 (Kolkata)
– 3rd T20I: January 28 (Rajkot)
– 4th T20I: January 31 (Pune)
– 5th T20I: February 2 (Mumbai)
– 1st ODI: February 6 (Nagpur)
– 2nd ODI: February 9 (Cuttack)
– 3rd ODI: February 12 (Ahmedabad)

– Champions Trophy: February-March 2025
– India vs Bangladesh: February 20 (Dubai)
– India vs Pakistan: February 23 (Dubai)
– India vs New Zealand: March 2 (Dubai)
– Semi-final (if qualified): March 4 (Dubai)
– Final (if qualified): March 9 (Dubai)

– World Test Championship final (if qualified) – June 2025 (Lord’s Cricket Ground)

– India vs England: 5 Tests from June to August
– 1st Test: June 20-24 (Headingley)
– 2nd Test: July 2-6 (Edgbaston)
– 3rd Test: July 10-14 (Lord’s)
– 4th Test: July 23-27 (Manchester)
– 5th Test: July 31-August 4 (Oval)

– India vs Bangladesh: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is in August

– India vs West Indies: 2 Tests in October

– Asia Cup T20s: October-November

– India vs Australia: 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is in November

– India vs South Africa: 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is in November-December

India’s cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, is having a tough time scoring runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. He tried to bounce back by facing 40 balls in the second innings of the Melbourne Test, but was dismissed for only 9 runs by Pat Cummins.

After India’s disappointing 184-run loss in Melbourne, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan openly expressed his worries about Rohit’s current performance, noting that Rohit averages just over 24 in Test matches in 2024. According to Irfan, Rohit might not be playing if he weren’t captain; his recent scores show he has made only 31 runs in five innings at an average of just 6.20.

Rohit had a great start to 2024, scoring 400 runs in the series against England, but his performance has declined in Tests since then. Irfan commented, “A player who has scored nearly 20,000 runs is struggling like this. If he were not captain, he might not have a spot in the team. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill could be playing instead.”

Rohit began the series batting in the middle order, while KL Rahul was performing well. Due to poor scores, Rohit was moved back to open, but now he has managed just 3 and 9 runs in the latest Melbourne Test.

Irfan added, “As captain, Rohit will play as the team needs to win the next match to tie the series. Sadly, his form is troubling. Even before this series, he wasn’t scoring many runs.”

Seeing Rohit struggle is disappointing for fans. “I love watching Rohit bat, but right now, something seems off about him—maybe his mindset or how he is moving,” Irfan concluded.

In 2024, cricket fans experienced a whirlwind of emotions as some of the game’s biggest players announced their retirements. These players, who entertained us with their skill and talent, left behind memories that fans will cherish forever. Let’s take a look at ten of the most notable retirements from this year.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, known as the ‘Hitman,’ enjoyed a heartwarming retirement after helping India win the T20 World Cup. He played spectacularly, scoring 378 runs in the tournament, including a stunning 41-ball 92 against Australia. Fans will remember him lying on the pitch in joy, marking the end of an incredible journey.

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli’s retirement came after a tough T20 World Cup, despite shining in the IPL with 741 runs. He ended his T20I career with a fantastic score of 76 in the final match, securing his legacy as one of India’s greatest T20I players who earned the most runs in T20 World Cups.

David Warner
David Warner, one of Australia’s best openers, retired after the T20 World Cup. With a total of 18,995 runs across all formats, he leaves a mark as one of the greatest players, known for his fearless hitting and charismatic presence on the field.

James Anderson
James Anderson, England’s pace bowling legend, retired during his final Test against the West Indies after taking his 704th wicket. At 42, he was respected for his skill and fitness, finishing with a remarkable career as one of the top wicket-takers in history.

Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan, who often went unnoticed among big stars, retired after a notable ODI career. He scored 6,793 runs in ODIs and was a key player in many tournaments, including the 2013 Champions Trophy where he helped India shine.

Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali, known for his all-round skills, wrapped up his international career quietly after the Ashes series. He played 298 matches for England and contributed significantly with both bat and ball, helping the team secure major victories.

Tim Southee
Tim Southee bid farewell to cricket with an impressive tally of 776 international wickets, making him New Zealand’s top bowler. He was known for his fast bowling and steady batting, contributing greatly to his team’s success.

Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, admired for his cricketing brain and skills, announced his retirement after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He took 537 wickets in 106 Tests and is regarded as one of the finest spinners in the game.

Dean Elgar
Dean Elgar, a stalwart for South Africa, retired after a strong Test career, scoring over 5,000 runs. His gritty performances provided solid support for his team during challenging times.

Shakib al Hasan
Shakib al Hasan, one of Bangladesh’s star players, announced his retirement from Test and T20I cricket after the series against India. He ends his international career with impressive stats and is the country’s leading all-rounder.

These legends will surely be missed, but their contributions to cricket will always be remembered.

Indian cricket is buzzing with news as veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement after the recent Brisbane Test against Australia. This has led to rumors about other players, like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, potentially retiring too, especially after they struggled in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Recently, in a match in Melbourne, Rohit had a tough time, scoring just 9 runs while chasing 340 to win the match. Over the entire series, he only scored 31 runs in five innings, which averages out to only 6.20—making it the worst for a visiting captain in Australia. His performance has been weak for several months, with only 164 runs at an average of just over 10 since September.

While Kohli managed to score a century in Perth, his performance dipped in the following matches with scores of 7, 11, 3, 36, and 5. Despite their struggles, former India coach Ravi Shastri offered different views on their futures. He believes Kohli still has the potential to continue playing for a few more years, but he feels it might be time for Rohit to consider retiring.

Regarding Kohli’s form, he has had trouble with balls outside off stump, getting out six times out of seven attempts against this type of delivery in the current series. Shastri noted that while Kohli has been tested, he still batted well and showed promise despite his dismissals. He warned that Kohli should rethink his strategy, especially against Australia’s strong bowling attack.

In a thrilling day of cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia’s bowlers took control, leaving India struggling at 33 runs for 3 wickets at lunch on Day 5 of the fourth Test. India needs a huge 340 runs to win, and with their top players falling quickly, things looked tough for them.

Australia was all out for 234 runs early today. Pat Cummins was sensational, taking 2 wickets in one over. He first got Indian captain Rohit Sharma out for just 9 runs, catching him off a thick edge to Mitchell Marsh. Just 5 balls later, Cummins struck again, removing KL Rahul for a duck, as Usman Khawaja made a sharp catch in the slips.

Virat Kohli, who faced mixed reactions from the crowd after a previous incident with Australian bowler Sam Konstas, came to bat but was dismissed quickly. He tried a risky drive off Mitchell Starc and got caught for just 5 runs.

At lunch, the only bright spot for India was Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was still batting but had scored only 14 runs off 83 balls.

Earlier today, Jasprit Bumrah ended Australia’s innings by taking Nathan Lyon’s wicket for 41 runs. Bumrah had an amazing match, taking 5 wickets for 57 runs, bringing his total wickets in the series to 30 at a superb average of just 12.83. Mohammed Siraj also did well, taking 3 wickets for 70 runs after a rough first innings.

Now, India faces a big challenge, needing 307 more runs to achieve an unlikely victory with much of their batting lineup already gone.

Match Scores:
– Australia: 474 & 234 all out
– India: 369 all out & 33/3 after 26.1 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 14; Pat Cummins 2/10)

In Melbourne, Australia, India is struggling to win the fourth Test match against Australia. They need to chase a record number of runs to take the lead in the series. After scoring 369 runs and allowing Australia to make 474 runs in their first innings, India controlled Australia well in their second innings, putting them at 228 runs for 9 wickets. However, they were frustrated by the last-wicket partnership between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland.

To put this in perspective, no team has successfully chased more than 332 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The only time a team managed to chase over 300 runs was back in 1928 when England scored 332 runs. Australia won the toss and chose to bat first. Some key players for Australia included Steve Smith, who scored 140 runs, Marnus Labuschagne with 72 runs, and Usman Khawaja, who added 57 runs.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets, while Ravindra Jadeja grabbed three. India lost two early wickets in their first innings but managed a strong recovery thanks to a partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal (82 runs) and Virat Kohli (36 runs). Later, Washington Sundar (50 runs) and Nitish Rana (114 runs) helped India reach 369 runs.

In Australia’s second innings, they struggled to start, at one point being 91 runs for 6 wickets. Labuschagne and Cummins helped lift the score to 228 runs. Now, India faces the big challenge of chasing a record total to win the match on the final day.

Former India cricket coach Ravi Shastri has some straight talk for Virat Kohli as he works to regain his batting confidence during the important Boxing Day Test. Kohli played well in the first innings at the MCG, but a mistake after teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal’s run-out caused him to get out for 36 runs by hitting the ball outside off-stump. Kohli’s recent performance has raised concerns among fans and experts. Although he scored a century in Perth, he has struggled to score significantly since then, often getting caught behind the stumps.

Shastri, who once coached Kohli, urges him to ignore outside opinions and focus on patience and discipline while batting. “Just bat like you did in the first innings,” Shastri told Star Sports. “Forget the noise around you—what others say doesn’t matter. Leave the balls outside off-stump, make the Australian bowlers pitch to your strengths, and be patient.”

He believes if Kohli can remain patient and disciplined, he will score many runs in the coming years. “Kohli will score a lot of runs if he takes this approach,” Shastri added.

As the final day of the match approaches, Kohli is key for India’s chances of winning. So far in this series, he has scored 162 runs with an average of 32.40. With India chasing a big target, fans hope Kohli will step up and help the team in this tough situation. Kohli is known for performing well under pressure, making this a perfect opportunity for him to find his rhythm again.

After taking a break from Test cricket for three years, Mohammad Abbas made a fantastic return to the Pakistan cricket team in the first Test against South Africa. He took seven wickets, including six in the second innings, almost leading Pakistan to victory in Centurion. Despite a late fight from South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who helped their team win by two wickets, Abbas’s performance on day four was impressive. He finished with amazing bowling figures of 6 wickets for 54 runs in 19.3 overs.

Abbas’s comeback drew attention because many fans and former players, including Mohammad Amir, had wanted him back in the team for quite some time. Amir expressed his thoughts on social media, saying it was wrong for the coaches to leave Abbas out of the team due to his pace. Amir highlighted that it took Abbas three years to get back to playing Tests.

During the match, Abbas bowled for 15 consecutive overs, showing great skill and determination. He got important wickets, turning the match around for Pakistan. His efforts helped reduce South Africa’s score from 96 for 4 to 99 for 8. Fans had been eagerly waiting for Abbas’s return, as he has been fantastic in First Class cricket, with an average of just 20.63.

Even though Abbas bowled throughout the morning session and faced tough batsmen, he remained steady and consistent. Unfortunately, Jansen and Rabada fought back, putting together a 51-run partnership that guided South Africa to victory and secured a spot in the World Test Championship finals.

After this exciting match to wrap up the year, the next match in the series will be on New Year’s Day in Cape Town. While South Africa has already reached the WTC finals, Pakistan is hopeful and looking to start 2025 strong after this encouraging performance in Centurion.

Melbourne, Australia: Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is on cloud nine after his amazing performance in the fourth Test against Australia. He scored a fantastic 114 runs when India batted, helping the team reach a total of 369 runs in reply to Australia’s first innings score of 474 runs. Nitish was thrilled to share the field with his idol, Virat Kohli, especially after Virat praised him for his brilliant innings.

Nitish said, “I grew up watching Virat. Playing with him and receiving his appreciation after I scored a hundred is a moment I’ll cherish forever.”

So far in the series, Nitish has been the highest run-scorer for India, with 293 runs in four matches, averaging 58.60. He also took three wickets. He explained how he faced Scott Boland, a skilled bowler known for his accuracy. “I stepped out of the crease to change his line and length, which helped me play better,” he shared.

Nitish joined the Indian team after impressing everyone in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he scored 303 runs. He shared that while he is happy with his batting, he still needs to improve his bowling. “Fitness is key for me as an all-rounder, so I’ve been pushing myself hard for the last few years,” he added.

In the match, Australia batted first and scored 474 runs with significant contributions from players like Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. India’s innings started rocky at 51/2 but was stabilized by a century partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. Despite some setbacks, a solid performance from Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar helped India reach 369. In the second innings, Australia faced some trouble but managed to make 228 runs by the end of the day.

Centrion, South Africa — In a thrilling finish, South Africa’s bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen secured a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first test match on Sunday. This win has also guaranteed the Proteas a spot in next year’s World Test Championship final.

With South Africa needing 148 runs to win, Jansen hit a crucial boundary against the tough fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who had an amazing bowling performance of 6 wickets for 54 runs. After trailing at 99-8, Rabada and Jansen formed a strong partnership, scoring 51 runs together without losing a wicket. Rabada finished off the match scoring 31 runs off 26 balls, hitting five boundaries.

This match was significant for South Africa, who had started this championship cycle with a defeat against New Zealand. However, they bounced back by drawing with India and winning against West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, putting them at the top of the table.

Captain Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram initially faced a tough challenge with the team struggling at 27-3, needing 121 more runs to win. Bavuma scored 40 runs but controversially was given out, despite evidence showing he may not have hit the ball correctly.

Abbas was impressive, bowling 13 overs straight and taking three wickets in quick succession. After Bavuma’s dismissal, South Africa faltered but managed to regroup with Rabada and Jansen leading the charge to victory.

This win also means Pakistan hasn’t won a test match in South Africa in almost 18 years!