Wednesday, April 16
A severe crash occurred during Australia's Tour Down Under cycling race, resulting in a female spectator being hospitalised with serious injuries. Cyclists collided with barricades, causing one rider to fly into the crowd. South Australia state Premier described it as an 'awful, freak accident.' The men's classic sprint race accident happened before the main six-stage event.
American tennis star Coco Gauff expressed her sadness over the ban of TikTok in the US by writing 'RIP TikTok USA' after winning at the Australian Open. Gauff, who frequently posted on TikTok, reflected on the app's role in supporting small businesses and creators. The ban follows a federal law requiring its parent company to sell the platform.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra comments on Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and England ODIs. He expresses concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from the T20I series against England. Chopra praises the inclusion of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and highlights Hardik Pandya's importance in the squad.
Indian cricket veterans, including Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, and Gautam Gambhir, stress the importance of Ranji Trophy participation to aid players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in regaining form. Despite a packed international schedule, players commit to participating in domestic matches when possible. When asked about this during the press conference for the Champions Trophy and England ODI series squad announcement, Rohit responded, "Yes, I will."
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra comments on Shubman Gill's vice-captaincy selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and England ODIs. He expresses concern over Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from the T20I series against England. Chopra praises the inclusion of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and highlights Hardik Pandya's importance in the squad.
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.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has criticised the Kerala Cricket Association for mishandling Sanju Samson, resulting in his exclusion from the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. Tharoor attributes Samson's omission to administrative egos within the KCA, noting Samson's impressive ODI record and questioning the decision to drop him over missing a training camp despite prior notice.
Selectors are optimistic about Jasprit Bumrah's recovery for the ICC tournament despite his back injury, while Mohammed Shami returns to the ODI squad. Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain, and Yashasvi Jaiswal receives his maiden ODI call-up. Mohammed Siraj is excluded, with Arshdeep Singh preferred for the seam bowling role.
Pretoria Capitals achieved a strong total of 212/5 thanks to contributions from Will Smeed, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and others. However, Paarl Royals chased it down successfully with notable performances from Joe Root, who scored an unbeaten 92, and debutant Rubin Hermann. Root's performance, praised by Royals captain David Miller, proved decisive in sealing the victory.
Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma announced India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, omitting Sanju Samson despite his impressive T20I performance against South Africa. Samson’s absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy and his last-minute unavailability for the preparatory camp influenced this decision, according to Kerala Cricket Association president Jayesh George.
