Axar Patel has been appointed as the vice-captain of India's T20I squad for the home series against England. Despite this, says captain Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya remains an integral part of the leadership team. The skipper emphasized his long-standing relationship with Hardik and the collective decision-making approach within the team.
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England's Jamie Smith returns for their Champions Trophy opener against Australia in Lahore. Absent from the previous ODI series against India, Smith will bat at No. 3 and keep wickets. England has included Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood in their pace attack.
Chris Gayle has expressed his unwavering confidence in Virat Kohli, calling him the best player in the world despite his current poor form. He acknowledged Kohli's struggles but believes he would bounce back. Gayle congratulated Rohit Sharma for his ODI sixes record and also praised Abhishek Sharma's performance.
India turns focus to limited-overs cricket with upcoming T20I and ODI series against England after Test series losses against New Zealand and Australia. The series is pre-cursor to the ICC Champions Trophy which begins on 19 February with India playing a day later in Dubai. Rohit Sharma is expected to captain India in both series.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir had a private discussion with Jasprit Bumrah at the SCG before meeting chief selector Ajit Agarkar, quelling rumors of dressing room unrest. Gambhir emphasized honesty in communication, strategies to win, and confirmed Akash Deep's injury, with replacement decisions pending pitch assessments. This interaction further fueled speculation about unrest in the dressing room, but Gambhir promptly dismissed such reports as unfounded.
Jasprit Bumrah etched his name in the record books, becoming India's highest Test wicket-taker in Australia during the Brisbane Test. Surpassing Kapil Dev's 51 wickets, Bumrah reached 52, further solidifying his status as India's leading pacer in SENA countries with 133 wickets, trailing only Anil Kumble's 141.
Law enforcement raided a bungalow in Pilerne, Goa, arresting three men from Gujarat involved in illegal betting on a cricket match. Seized items included mobile phones, a laptop, and a router valued at Rs 1.1 lakh. The suspects face charges under the Goa Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act as the investigation continues.
PV Sindhu advanced to the quarterfinals with a solid win against Manami Suizu at the India Open Super 750. Kiran George also kept India's hopes alive in men's event, defeating France's Alex Lanier after a thrilling comeback. Sindhu faces Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, while Kiran takes on Hong Yang Weng in their next matches.
Chennai Super Kings, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, are gearing up for IPL 2025 with the goal of clinching their sixth title. After a lackluster 2024 season under the captaincy of Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK hopes to bounce back, leveraging their strong batting lineup and balanced bowling attack. CSK's dominance can be attributed to the legendary Dhoni, under whose captaincy the team has secured five titles, reached the final ten times, and advanced to the playoffs on 12 occasions.
India vice-captain Shubman Gill will now use an MRF sticker on his bat starting from the Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia. This new endorsement deal ends his long association with CEAT. At 25, Gill has already secured partnerships with several premium brands, highlighting his rising market value.
Ravindra Jadeja attributes his recent success in ODIs to his preparation in domestic cricket, particularly his performance in a Ranji Trophy match. His stint helped him maintain his bowling rhythm, enabling him to excel in the ongoing series against England ahead of the Champions Trophy.