Top Indian cricketers attended BCCI's annual Naman awards in Mumbai, where Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana won the Best International Cricketer of the Year awards. Notably, Virat Kohli was absent due to his participation in a Ranji Trophy match in Delhi. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and ICC chief Jay Shah were among the event's notable attendees.
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Jasprit Bumrah shared his first image after being ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a back injury. He shared an Instagram post from an NCA gym with India heading to the eight-team tournament with Harshit Rana as his replacement. Concerns over his fitness led to Bumrah's exclusion.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged their inability to dismiss England's lower order as a key factor in their defeat, while also praising Adil Rashid’s exceptional spin bowling. Despite having England at 127 for 8, India couldn't capitalize, allowing England to reach 171 for 9. India’s chase fell short at 145/9.
Ajinkya Rahane's century and Royston Dias' five-wicket haul led Mumbai to a 152-run win over Haryana, securing a Ranji Trophy semi-final spot. Rahane scored 108 to set a 354-run target, while Dias (5/39) and Thakur (3/26) dismantled Haryana's chase. Lakshay Dalal and Sumit Kumar's partnership briefly resisted but could not prevent Mumbai's commanding victory.
India's Varun Chakravarthy drops to third in ICC men's T20 bowling rankings, with New Zealand's Jacob Duffy and West Indies' Akeal Hosein ahead. Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh make the top 10. In batting, Abhishek Sharma holds second place, trailing Australia's Travis Head, with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav also in the top five. Hardik Pandya leads the all-rounders.
Namibia's Gerhard Erasmus has won the ICC Men's Associate Cricketer of the Year award for 2024. His consistent performances in ODIs and T20Is, including scoring eight half-centuries and taking 36 wickets, have been pivotal. Notable achievements include his all-round contributions during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, solidifying his status as a premier all-rounder.
New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra was chosen as the Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Champions Trophy for his staggering record in the eight-team tournament. Ex India spinner R Ashwin disagreed with the choice, despite Ravindra's twin centuries in the four matches he played for the Black Caps.
Yashasvi Jaiswal became India's highest Test run-scorer in 2024 with 1,478 runs, including two double centuries against England. He was followed by Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja. Jaiswal also made headlines by hitting 12 sixes in a single innings, tying the world record.
Pakistan cricket team achieved a historic first-ever clean sweep against South Africa on their soil. Captain Mohammad Rizwan praised the team's collective effort and divine blessings. Young opener Saim Ayub shone with two centuries, earning Player of the Series, while Rizwan emphasized the team's trust and unity as key to their success.
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, two contemporary cricket legends, are striving to regain their past form amidst declining averages. Historical figures like Ricky Ponting, Mahela Jayawardene, and Hashim Amla also saw their averages drop towards the end of their careers. Their experiences highlight the difficulty of maintaining peak performance and timing retirement well.
Quetta Gladiators' bowler Usman Tariq faces scrutiny as his bowling action was reported as suspect during a Pakistan Super League T20 match against Lahore Qalandars. This isn't the first time Tariq's action has been questioned; he was previously reported last year.