New Zealand coach Gary Stead acknowledges India's 'mystery' spinner Varun Chakravarthy as a significant threat for the ICC Champions Trophy final. He plans to strategize against Chakravarthy's skills. Despite India's familiarity with Dubai conditions, Stead is optimistic about his team's adaptability and preparation, emphasising the importance of the crucial match against India on Sunday.
Related news
Nineteen-year-old Australian opener Sam Konstas is poised for a potential Boxing Day Test debut against India, replacing the struggling Nathan McSweeney. McSweeney's dropping after just three Tests has ignited debate, with some questioning the decision's fairness.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will open their IPL campaign against Rajasthan Royals, led by Riyan Parag in place of injured Sanju Samson. SRH's strong lineup includes top performers like Abhishek Sharma and Pat Cummins. The Royals face a challenge with Jos Buttler absent and reliance on key players like Shimron Hetmyer. The match starts at 3:30pm IST on Sunday.
Varun Chakravarthy has been nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month for January for his impressive performance against England in the T20I series, taking 14 wickets. Other nominees include Jomel Warrican and Noman Ali. Indian opener Gongadi Trisha was nominated in the women's category for her standout play in the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup.
West Indies' 2025 home schedule features a highly anticipated Test series against Australia, their first since 2015. Scheduled across June and July, the series is part of the ICC World Test Championship. Additionally, West Indies will host Pakistan for ODIs and T20Is. The women's team has crucial matches against England and South Africa, aiming for World Cup qualification.
Ashwani Kumar's impressive four-wicket haul on IPL debut and Ryan Rickelton's unbeaten 62 helped Mumbai Indians secure a commanding eight-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders. Kumar became the first Indian to take four wickets on IPL debut, contributing significantly to KKR's collapse at 116 all out.
Indian women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur evaded tough questions about the team's recent struggles and grueling travel schedule ahead of their T20I series against the West Indies. She deflected queries about Shafali Verma's omission and the demanding itinerary, citing the need to focus on the upcoming matches.
India celebrated a historic win in the Champions Trophy final, defeating New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai. Skipper Rohit Sharma scored 76, leading the team to their third title. KL Rahul contributed with an unbeaten 34, sealing the victory with six balls remaining. The win sparked widespread celebrations and congratulatory messages on social media from fans, former cricketers, and politicians.
Australian pacer Scott Boland caused significant damage to India's batting lineup by dismissing key players Jaiswal, Rahul, and Kohli in the fifth Test at the SCG. Rishabh Pant stabilized the innings with a knock of 61. Kohli's struggle against Boland continued, with Boland dismissing him for the fourth time in the series.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir approves the challenging SCG pitch, emphasizing its importance for Test cricket. He highlights the need for converting starts into big scores and underscores the importance of fairness in team selection. Gambhir also advocates for senior players to guide Indian cricket forward and stresses the significance of domestic cricket.
Babar Azam, once Pakistan's premier batter, has seen a steady decline in performances in recent years, particularly in major tournaments. Despite his impressive record, he struggles with technical issues against spinners, leading to severe criticism from former players and fans. Cricket legends suggest technical improvements for a comeback.