Sunday, November 24
Former Indian cricket captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes Rohit Sharma may retire from Test cricket if India performs poorly in their upcoming series against Australia. Srikkanth emphasizes the need to prepare for Sharma's replacement, citing the captain's recent poor form and acknowledgment of his leadership shortcomings.
Indian cricket fans' hopes of seeing fast bowler Mohammed Shami's return during the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia have been virtually dashed. A new side strain injury has sidelined the pacer, who was already on the road to recovery from a knee injury that kept him out for most of the past year.
IPL defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have come under fire for their lack of communication with players. Both Mitchell Starc and Shreyas Iyer have highlighted the franchise's minimal contact with them regarding retention, despite Starc's stellar performance in the previous IPL final and Iyer's leadership in their championship win.
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja candidly discussed the challenges he faced as a Pakistani-Muslim immigrant navigating a predominantly white Australian cricket culture. He revealed feeling pressured to conform and the impact of post-9/11 societal shifts. Now, Khawaja embraces his identity, advocating for inclusivity and challenging prejudice to create a more welcoming environment in Australian cricket.
Despite India's recent Test series whitewash against New Zealand, Australian bowler Josh Hazlewood believes it could make them even more formidable opponents in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hazlewood acknowledges New Zealand's impressive victory but anticipates a fiercely competitive series against a potentially ignited Indian team.
Captain Rohit Sharma emphasizes the importance of India's mental preparedness for the challenging tour of Australia after a 0-3 home series whitewash by New Zealand. With the first Test approaching, he stresses creating a supportive environment for young players and plans intensive practice sessions to adapt to Australian conditions.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes Chennai Super Kings might strategically rest MS Dhoni in some IPL 2025 matches to maximize his performance. Despite not being captain, Dhoni's mentorship and leadership remain crucial for the team.
India's T20I squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, has arrived in South Africa for a four-match series. Kicking off the tour with a light-hearted general knowledge quiz about South Africa, the team aims to stay energized ahead of their first match in Durban on November 8.
England cricketer Jos Buttler expressed gratitude to Rajasthan Royals after not being retained for the 2025 IPL auction. Playing for seven seasons, Buttler acknowledged his memorable journey with the team. Despite scoring 359 runs in the 2024 season, his departure leaves a significant void in terms of leadership and performance for the Royals.
India's 0-3 home series defeat to New Zealand has dropped them to second place in the World Test Championship standings. Australia's victory propels them to the top. India must now win four of their remaining five matches in Australia to secure their WTC final spot. In the current WTC cycle, India's fifth defeat led to a substantial reduction in their points percentage (PCT), declining from 62.82 to 58.33. This drop positioned India behind Australia, who reclaimed the top position with a PCT of 62.50.
