India cricketers Harshit Rana and Nitish Rana defended head coach Gautam Gambhir after heavy criticism following India's 1-3 series loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The debate intensified as former player Manoj Tiwary also criticized Gambhir, despite some successful T20I performances under his tenure.
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England captain Jos Buttler is contemplating his role in the team's performance following their early exit from the Champions Trophy and sixth consecutive ODI defeat. Their latest setback came with an eight-run loss to Afghanistan, eliminating them from the race to semi-finals.
The BlackCaps last won a white-ball title in an ICC tournament way back in 2000, when they clinched the Champions Trophy; but former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes it won't be long before that wait ends for New Zealand.
Paarl Royals secured a five-wicket win against Durban Super Giants, reinforcing their lead in SA20 Season 3. With 20 points, they are close to clinching a playoff spot. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman starred with 2/23, restricting the Super Giants to 142/7. Rubin Hermann's 44 off 22 balls was crucial in their successful chase, reaching victory comfortably.
Bengal keeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha received a guard of honour during the Ranji Trophy match against Punjab, marking his retirement from all cricket forms. Saha's career includes 141 First-Class matches and 40 Tests for India. The 40-year-old veteran last represented India in December 2021 against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium.
India's unbeaten run in the ICC Champions Trophy culminated in their record third title under Rohit Sharma's leadership. Key performances came from Varun Chakravarthy's 'mystery spin', Shubman Gill's consistent starts, and superb finishes from KL Rahul, ensuring India's dominance throughout the tournament.
Afghanistan pacer Shapoor Zadran has announced his retirement from international cricket after a notable career spanning over 10 years. He played key roles in Afghanistan's cricket rise, including being the hero of their first ICC Men's Cricket World Cup win in 2015. Having last played in 2020, the 37-year-old made the announcement via his Facebook page.
The IPL 2025 season opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday is under threat due to an orange alert for thunderstorms and lightning by the weather department in West Bengal. The groundstaff has already taken precautions by covering the playing arena.
Steve Smith achieved his 33rd Test century, his first in 18 months, despite the difficulties posed by the changed Kookaburra ball introduced in 2020. He considers the last three years the toughest of his career due to increased seam movement and harder wickets.
Lucknow Super Giants are facing injury concerns with key pacers Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Akash Deep missing training sessions ahead of IPL 2025. While Avesh and Mayank are rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy, Akash Deep's fitness status remains unclear as he hasn't joined the camp yet.
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra made a triumphant return from a bizarre on-field injury, scoring a match-winning 112 in a victory over Bangladesh to secure a spot in the Champions Trophy semi-finals. His crucial partnership with Tom Latham helped eliminate Bangladesh and Pakistan from the competition.