Author: Virat Verma

Despite suffering a 10-wicket defeat to South Africa in the second Test at Cape Town, Pakistan showed remarkable resilience in their second innings, posting an impressive total of 478 while following on. After South Africa’s massive first-innings score of 615, Pakistan crumbled to 194, forcing them to bat again. However, a superb knock of 145 by skipper Shan Masood led Pakistan’s spirited fightback, setting a new record on South African soil. Pakistan’s total of 478 is now the highest score by a visiting team while following on in South Africa in the 136 years since Test cricket began in the…

After wrapping up their nearly two-month-long tour of Australia, which ended on a disappointing note, the Indian men’s cricket team will now shift focus to white-ball cricket. The 2024 T20 World Cup champions are set to take on England in a five-match T20I series at home, beginning on January 22 in Kolkata. Following the T20Is, the two teams will play a three-match ODI series, scheduled for February 6, 9, and 12, in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad, respectively. These ODI fixtures will serve as vital preparation for the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy is…

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticised the “star culture” dominating Indian cricket, voicing concerns about its negative impact on the team’s performance and future. Gavaskar’s remarks followed India’s disappointing 1-3 series loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia, under Pat Cummins’ leadership, secured a six-wicket win in the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, reclaiming the trophy after a decade. Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar expressed his disappointment and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take strict steps to restore discipline and accountability. He emphasised that players must prioritise…

Cricket Australia has responded to Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar’s disappointment at not being invited to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gavaskar expressed his unhappiness over the decision to exclude him from the presentation ceremony following the fifth Test between India and Australia. Clarifying the matter, Cricket Australia stated that Gavaskar had been informed he would present the trophy to Indian captain Jasprit Bumrah if India had retained it. However, since Australia claimed the trophy after 10 years, Allan Border was chosen to hand it over to Australian captain Pat Cummins. A spokesperson for Cricket Australia admitted, “We acknowledge it would…

Rohit Sharma’s ODI captaincy appears to be in danger after being dropped from the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Reports suggest that Hardik Pandya has emerged as the strongest contender to replace Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain. In the final Test match against Australia, which began on January 3, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah stepped in to lead the team in Rohit’s absence. Has Rohit Played His Last Match? During the toss, Bumrah stated that Rohit had decided to take a “rest” from the Test match. However, several media reports in India claimed that Rohit…

India and Australia are playing the final match of a five-match Test series in Sydney. On the second day of the match, Rohit Sharma made a big revelation. He denied all the reports suggesting that he is retiring from Test cricket. Rohit stated that he is not in form, and that’s the only reason he is not playing in the Sydney Test. He emphasized that winning the Sydney Test and retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was more important for India, which led him to make this decision in the team’s interest. In recent days, several media reports claimed that Rohit had…

India has suffered defeats in two matches of the five-match Test series against Australia. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Nitish Reddy, other players have failed to perform as expected. Due to the team’s disappointing performance, head coach Gautam Gambhir is facing several tough questions. Meanwhile, former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has stated that Gambhir lacks coaching skills. On his YouTube channel, Basit Ali said, “Gautam Gambhir does not know the art of coaching. There is no doubt that he led Kolkata to a trophy, but T20 cricket does not require much coaching. In Test matches, the coach is…

Ben Stokes has been ruled out of all cricket for a minimum of three months due to a torn left hamstring. The England captain sustained the injury during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, where England secured a 2-1 series victory. Earlier this week, Stokes was excluded from England’s 15-man squad for next year’s Champions Trophy due to his injury. His last appearance in the 50-over format was during the 2023 World Cup. Stokes has faced a series of long-term injuries in recent months. Following the ODI World Cup, he underwent knee surgery in October 2023, which required…

Tanush Kotian, Mumbai’s offspinning all-rounder, is set to join the Indian men’s team in Australia for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This comes after Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket following the third Test in Brisbane. The 26-year-old Kotian, currently playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, will fly to Melbourne ahead of the third Test. He is currently in Ahmedabad and will first return to Mumbai before heading to Melbourne on Tuesday. Having recently been part of the India A squad in Australia, Kotian is expected to face no visa issues. Kotian boasts an impressive record in 33 first-class matches, amassing…

India stalwart Virat Kohli has been facing criticism for his inconsistent form with the bat recently, but he has now received support from one of his childhood heroes. Kohli, who has struggled with an average of just 25 in Test cricket in 2024, has been encouraged by former South African batter Herschelle Gibbs, whom Kohli had named as one of his idols during his U19 days. Gibbs believes Kohli should not be written off just yet. “He scored a Test hundred just a couple of weeks ago. You don’t suddenly become a bad player in such a short time. It…