Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional bowling performance has been crucial for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His timely wickets, including a five-wicket haul in Perth and crucial interventions in Adelaide and Brisbane, have prevented Australia from gaining a significant advantage. Without Bumrah's contributions, India could have been 0-2 down going into the third Test.
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Australian skipper Pat Cummins announced his plans to return to the IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad after recovering from a left ankle injury. Absent from recent series, Cummins aims to use the competitive IPL matches as preparation for the World Test Championship final and subsequent Test series against South Africa and West Indies.
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's vice-captain Shubman Gill suggested that a score of 300-325 would be ideal for the upcoming Champions Trophy match against Pakistan, noting the absence of dew influences. He emphasized that the team batting second will face more pressure, accentuating the need for strong performances in the middle overs.
Torrent Group is set to acquire around two-thirds stake of Gujarat Titans from CVC Capital Partners, valuing the deal at Rs 7,500 crore. The agreement, pending BCCI approval, will be finalized before the IPL season starts in March. The deal marks the first majority stake sale of an IPL team since 2008.
Pakistan's interim head coach Aaqib Javed on Wednesday acknowledged that injuries to Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman affected the team's Champions Trophy performance. Despite elimination from semis, Aaqib remains determined to end positively against Bangladesh. He defended the team selection and noted that the squad closely resembles the one that previously achieved ODI series victories.
Desert Vipers secured a commanding 53-run win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, continuing their unbeaten run in ILT20. Alex Hales, with a crucial half-century, emphasised adaptability and his successful partnership with Dan Lawrence. Knight Riders’ Jason Holder pointed out the need for better discipline and tighter bowling. The Vipers remain table leaders with four consecutive wins.
New Zealand triumphed over Pakistan by five wickets in the tri-nations series final, with key performances from bowler Will O'Rourke, who took four wickets, and batsmen Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham, who both scored half centuries. New Zealand chased down Pakistan's total of 242 in 45.2 overs, securing victory at Karachi's National Stadium.
On the eve of the 2017 Champions Trophy final, MS Dhoni's photo with Sarfaraz Ahmed's baby went viral. Sarfaraz shared the story behind it and recalled Dhoni's invaluable advice. As India and Pakistan prepare for Champions Trophy 2025, their players continue to uphold mutual respect and camaraderie, despite not playing bilateral series since 2013.
Pakistan cricket is facing instability, particularly affecting star player Babar Azam, whose performance has declined amid frequent changes in leadership and management. Saeed Ajmal criticised former cricketers' harsh comments and urged a more supportive environment. The removal of Babar and Rizwan from captaincy roles is viewed as a hasty decision that may further harm the team's prospects.
England captain Jos Buttler believes their Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan should proceed despite calls for a boycott due to the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights. Over 160 British lawmakers urged the ECB to avoid the match, but Buttler argues politics should not influence sports. ECB CEO Richard Gould plans to advocate for ICC to take collective action.