Virat Kohli arrived an hour before the team for extra practice to address his poor form ahead of India's crucial Champions Trophy match against Pakistan. Michael Clarke praised Kohli's dedication, predicting he could excel under pressure, while Sanjay Manjrekar warned that Kohli might be overexerting himself.
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Desert Vipers defeated Gulf Giants by five wickets in ILT20 Season 3 at Dubai International Stadium. Max Holden scored 70 off 54 balls. Despite Tom Curran's 64 off 34 balls, Gulf Giants managed only 129/8. Wanindu Hasaranga and Sam Curran took three wickets each. Vipers secured a top-two finish in the league.
As India faces Australia in the fifth Test at Sydney Cricket Ground, all eyes are on Virat Kohli, who needs just 36 more runs to surpass Rahul Dravid as India's second-highest Test run-scorer at this venue. Kohli has scored 248 runs in three Tests at the SCG, and a good performance from him could be pivotal for India.
Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria views the ICC's hybrid model approval for India-Pakistan matches during the 2025 Champions Trophy as advantageous for India, suggesting the PCB's hosting of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028 is merely a consolation. He emphasised the importance of ensuring security and smooth operations, highlighting the potential impact on Pakistan cricket's reputation.
Jason Gillespie stepped down as Pakistan's Test cricket coach. He cited poor communication with the Pakistan Cricket Board. The board's decision to remove the high-performance coach frustrated Gillespie. He was also not involved in selecting the new selection panel. Gillespie felt the board undermined his role. He led Pakistan to a series win against England.
Rain disrupted the opening day of the third Test between Australia and India at the Gabba, limiting play to just 13.2 overs. Australia reached 28/0 before heavy rain forced players off the field. India opted to bowl after winning the toss. Sunday's forecast is dry, but rain is expected for the remaining days of the match.
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.
Ravindra Jadeja will play for Saurashtra in their next Ranji Trophy match against Delhi at Rajkot, starting Jan 23. In addition to Jadeja, other top Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill, will also participate in various Ranji matches. The BCCI emphasizes domestic match participation for player eligibility and central contracts.
Pakistan's Champions Trophy campaign is in jeopardy after a six-wicket loss to India, prompting top-order batsman Saud Shakeel to call for significant changes. Despite a 104-run partnership, Pakistan's batting collapsed, leading to an underwhelming total of 241. With bottom placement in Group A and a crucial match against Bangladesh next, their tournament future looks bleak.
Joburg Super Kings secured a narrow six-run win over MI Cape Town in a rain-affected SA20 match. Bowler Tabraiz Shamsi discussed the difficulties bowlers face, particularly on flat wickets with small boundaries, and expressed no sympathy for batters. Despite a challenging target of 140, JSK remained confident and emerged victorious through the DLS method.
Congress MP Vijay Vasanth has urged Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to bestow the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award upon recently retired cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin, who announced his retirement after the third India vs Australia Test, boasts an impressive career with 765 international wickets.