The former <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">BCCI</a> secretary and the current ICC chair, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jay-shah">Jay Shah</a>, has added another feather to his already-illustrious-looking administrative cap by joining the new Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) advisory board, replacing the club&rsquo;s World Cricket Committee.
Shah was among notable absentees from the inaugural World Cricket Connects forum last year (staged by the MCC), where over 100 leading voices discussed the state of the game at Lord&rsquo;s; however, he is now among the 13 founding members of this new board, chaired by Kumar Sangakkara &ndash; the MCC President.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/like-father-like-son-andrew-flintoffs-child-rocky-scores-maiden-ton-for-england-lions-8647441" rel="dofollow">Like father, like son: Andrew Flintoff's child Rocky scores maiden ton for England Lions</a>
The MCC announced on Thursday that the Lord&rsquo;s will host the second World Cricket Connects forum on June (7 and 8) before staging the third edition of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/icc-world-test-championship-final">World Test Championship Final</a> between South Africa and Australia starting June 11.&nbsp;
"We are looking forward to welcoming many of the game's most influential figures to debate the most important topics that dominate global cricket,&rdquo; MCC chair Mark Nicholas said.
Meanwhile, the new advisory board has replaced the World Cricket Committee (formed in 2006), which last met during the previous summer. Besides, the other founding members of this new board include Sourav Ganguly, Graeme Smith, Andrew Strauss, and England women's captain Heather Knight, alongside JioStar's CEO (Sports), Sanjog Gupta.
"An important step has been made in the forming of the World Cricket Connects Advisory Board," Nicholas said.&nbsp;
"We have assembled an impressive group of the best minds in cricket across several different areas relevant to our sport. I am delighted to be working with this experienced group and excited about what we can collectively achieve for the benefit of the global game,&rdquo; he added.
<h2>New board, new role</h2>
The now-dissolved World Cricket Committee was an independent body, holding no formal powers; however, the ICC often adopted its recommendations that included calls for a Decision Review System (DRS), the formation of the WTC, the introduction of the Pink-Ball Test and the use of the shot clock to improve the slow over-rates.
However, the MCC declared the new advisory body&rsquo;s role, stating, "This independent group will shape the annual World Cricket Connects agenda, help facilitate the event's discussions, and in turn, maximise the opportunity for genuine impact on the health of the game."
<h3>Here is the list of its founding members &ndash;</h3>
Kumar Sangakkara (chair), Anurag Dahiya (ICC chief commercial officer), Chris Dehring (CWI CEO), Sourav Ganguly, Sanjog Gupta (JioStar CEO - Sports), Mel Jones, Heather Knight, Trudy Lindblade (Cricket Scotland CEO), Heath Mills (World Cricketers' Association chair), Imtiaz Patel (Former SuperSport chair), Jay Shah, Graeme Smith and Andrew Strauss
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: ICC chair Jay Shah, who was not part of the inaugural World Cricket Connects forum last year, is now among the 13 founding members of this new board.

The former BCCI secretary and the current ICC chair, Jay Shah, has added another feather to his already-illustrious-looking administrative cap by joining the new Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) advisory board, replacing the club’s World Cricket Committee. Shah was among notable absentees from the inaugural World Cricket Connects forum last year (staged by the MCC), where over 100 leading voices discussed the state of the game at Lord’s; however, he is now among the 13 founding members of this new board, chaired by Kumar Sangakkara – the MCC President. Also read | Like father, like son: Andrew Flintoff's child Rocky scores maiden ton for England Lions The MCC announced on Thursday that the Lord’s will host the second World Cricket Connects forum on June (7 and 8) before staging the third edition of the World Test Championship Final between South Africa and Australia starting June 11. "We are looking forward to welcoming many of the game's most influential figures to debate the most important topics that dominate global cricket,” MCC chair Mark Nicholas said. Meanwhile, the new advisory board has replaced the World Cricket Committee (formed in 2006), which last met during the previous summer. Besides, the other founding members of this new board include Sourav Ganguly, Graeme Smith, Andrew Strauss, and England women's captain Heather Knight, alongside JioStar's CEO (Sports), Sanjog Gupta. "An important step has been made in the forming of the World Cricket Connects Advisory Board," Nicholas said. "We have assembled an impressive group of the best minds in cricket across several different areas relevant to our sport. I am delighted to be working with this experienced group and excited about what we can collectively achieve for the benefit of the global game,” he added. New board, new role The now-dissolved World Cricket Committee was an independent body, holding no formal powers; however, the ICC often adopted its recommendations that included calls for a Decision Review System (DRS), the formation of the WTC, the introduction of the Pink-Ball Test and the use of the shot clock to improve the slow over-rates. However, the MCC declared the new advisory body’s role, stating, "This independent group will shape the annual World Cricket Connects agenda, help facilitate the event's discussions, and in turn, maximise the opportunity for genuine impact on the health of the game." Here is the list of its founding members – Kumar Sangakkara (chair), Anurag Dahiya (ICC chief commercial officer), Chris Dehring (CWI CEO), Sourav Ganguly, Sanjog Gupta (JioStar CEO - Sports), Mel Jones, Heather Knight, Trudy Lindblade (Cricket Scotland CEO), Heath Mills (World Cricketers' Association chair), Imtiaz Patel (Former SuperSport chair), Jay Shah, Graeme Smith and Andrew Strauss (With inputs from agencies)

ICC chair Jay Shah adds another feather to his illustrious administrative cap

Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to make the return of an ICC event to the country for the first time in almost 30 years a blockbuster. Per the latest report, the Punjab police (Pakistan) beefed up the security for the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy-2025" rel="dofollow">ICC Champions Trophy 2025</a> scheduled for the February 19 start.&nbsp;As also quoted and carried by several publications, the local media states that Pakistan has deployed 12,664 officers across all three venues (Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi) for the eight-team tournament. While 7,618 officers shall be present in Lahore, 4535 will be safeguarding proceedings in Rawalpindi.&nbsp;
Besides, around 411 Special Branch officers will provide a cushion in improving operations.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/here-are-all-details-of-virat-kohlis-ranji-trophy-game-for-delhi-after-13-years-8647202" rel="dofollow">Here are all details of Virat Kohli&rsquo;s Ranji Trophy return game for Delhi</a>
&ldquo;Aerial monitoring will be conducted with support from the Pakistan Army and Rangers to strengthen surveillance. Routes to the venues will be monitored via Safe City cameras, providing real-time surveillance to prevent any incidents,&rdquo; Geo News, Pakistan&rsquo;s news agency, stated, as quoted by the Indian Express.
Meanwhile, UAE, chosen as the neutral venue, will host all India matches, including the marquee clash against the archrivals and the knockouts, should India qualify.&nbsp;
The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">BCCI</a> officially communicated to the ICC late last year, denying sending its team across the border due to security concerns.
Given the tense political relations between both countries, India and Pakistan have never toured each other since 2012, meeting only during the ICC events or Asia Cups.
After India denied sending its team for the eight-team tournament, the ICC proposed a hybrid model, which Pakistan rejected in the first go. Though they stood their ground earlier, unlike doing it for last year&rsquo;s Asia Cup, when Sri Lanka was added as the last-minute co-host, Pakistan eventually accepted the model, zeroing in on the UAE as a neutral venue.&nbsp;
<h2>Tit-for-Tat</h2>
However, in accepting India&rsquo;s stance of not coming over to the country due to security threats, Pakistan cut itself a deal with the apex body (the ICC) and the BCCI, making them agree to accept the same for them&mdash;meaning India and Pakistan will not travel to each other&rsquo;s country for any tournament till 2028 (the start of the next FTP); and whenever either of them would stage a multi-team tournament, the host nation would pick a neutral venue.&nbsp;
Though Sri Lanka will play as a neutral venue during next year&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/t20-world-cup" rel="dofollow">T20 World Cup</a>, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the BCCI must work on finalising the neutral venues for the remaining ICC tournaments to be hosted in India, including the 2025 Women&rsquo;s ODI World Cup and 2025 Asia Cup.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: UAE, chosen as the neutral venue, will host all India matches, including the marquee clash against the archrivals and the knockouts, should India qualify.

Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to make the return of an ICC event to the country for the first time in almost 30 years a blockbuster. Per the latest report, the Punjab police (Pakistan) beefed up the security for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled for the February 19 start. As also quoted and carried by several publications, the local media states that Pakistan has deployed 12,664 officers across all three venues (Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi) for the eight-team tournament. While 7,618 officers shall be present in Lahore, 4535 will be safeguarding proceedings in Rawalpindi. Besides, around 411 Special Branch officers will provide a cushion in improving operations. Also read | Here are all details of Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return game for Delhi “Aerial monitoring will be conducted with support from the Pakistan Army and Rangers to strengthen surveillance. Routes to the venues will be monitored via Safe City cameras, providing real-time surveillance to prevent any incidents,” Geo News, Pakistan’s news agency, stated, as quoted by the Indian Express. Meanwhile, UAE, chosen as the neutral venue, will host all India matches, including the marquee clash against the archrivals and the knockouts, should India qualify. The BCCI officially communicated to the ICC late last year, denying sending its team across the border due to security concerns. Given the tense political relations between both countries, India and Pakistan have never toured each other since 2012, meeting only during the ICC events or Asia Cups. After India denied sending its team for the eight-team tournament, the ICC proposed a hybrid model, which Pakistan rejected in the first go. Though they stood their ground earlier, unlike doing it for last year’s Asia Cup, when Sri Lanka was added as the last-minute co-host, Pakistan eventually accepted the model, zeroing in on the UAE as a neutral venue. Tit-for-Tat However, in accepting India’s stance of not coming over to the country due to security threats, Pakistan cut itself a deal with the apex body (the ICC) and the BCCI, making them agree to accept the same for them—meaning India and Pakistan will not travel to each other’s country for any tournament till 2028 (the start of the next FTP); and whenever either of them would stage a multi-team tournament, the host nation would pick a neutral venue. Though Sri Lanka will play as a neutral venue during next year’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the BCCI must work on finalising the neutral venues for the remaining ICC tournaments to be hosted in India, including the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup and 2025 Asia Cup. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan beefs up security for Champions Trophy 2025, deploys over 10,000 personnel

November 2012 was the last time <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> featured for Delhi in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a>. 13 years later, he will play his next game in India&rsquo;s premier domestic tournament. The ace Indian batter, perhaps the best of the past decade, will play Delhi&rsquo;s last league game this season. Find out all the details of Virat Kohli&rsquo;s Ranji Trophy return match.
The India international has amassed 81 centuries across formats - 50 of those have come in the One-Dayers, 30 in Tests and the remaining one in the shortest format &ndash; the T20Is. Even though he has nothing to prove to anyone, having won all ICC trophies, barring the newly-inducted World Test Championship (WTC), Kohli finds himself in a tighter spot form-wise, willing to work his way out ahead of the first showpiece event of the year &ndash; the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled next month in Pakistan.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/jaiswal-to-open-gill-drops-to-number-3-where-does-kohli-bat-ravi-ashwin-drops-his-predicted-xi-for-champions-trophy-2025-8646818" rel="dofollow">Champions Trophy 2025: Ashwin plays Kohli out of position in his India's predicted playing XI</a>
However, following India&rsquo;s horrid run in the past two Test match series, having lost both to New Zealand at home (0-3) and against Australia Down Under (1-3), the BCCI issued a fresh ten-point policy mandate, making it compulsory for everyone to feature for their respective states in the Ranji Trophy.&nbsp;
Like his fellow India internationals, captain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-ranji-trophy-dismissal-on-return-video-mumbai-vs-jammu-kashmir-ranji-trophy-8646775">Rohit Sharma</a>, keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, and youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, Kohli was also named in the probable squad (for Delhi); however, he pulled out of their first match against Saurashtra due to a neck sprain.
<h2>So when Kohli plays next?</h2>
The big question is, when will Kohli play for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy?&nbsp;
Virat Kohli will feature for Delhi in their final Ranji Trophy league game against Railways at home (Arun Jaitley Stadium) starting January 30. His last Ranji Trophy match came against Uttar Pradesh (in 2013), where he returned with scores of 14 and 43 across two innings.
Meanwhile, Kohli trained with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad earlier but sat out of the game against Saurashtra.
With the world&rsquo;s best batter back to playing the Ranji Trophy, expect a sea of fans to visit the Delhi stadium for their next domestic match.
<h2>Ready for Champions Trophy</h2>
Virat endured a poor run with the bat in the last two Test series, scoring 91 and 190, respectively. Though his struggle against the spin worried most cricket fans, his inability to avoid chasing the fourth stump line that saw him getting out similarly on six occasions against Australia broke the camel&rsquo;s back.&nbsp;
With the England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 looming, Kohli trying to find some luck with the bat in the Ranji Trophy game would benefit him.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket Sports: Ace batter Virat Kohli's last Ranji Trophy match came against Uttar Pradesh (in 2013), where he returned with scores of 14 and 43 across two innings.

November 2012 was the last time Virat Kohli featured for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. 13 years later, he will play his next game in India’s premier domestic tournament. The ace Indian batter, perhaps the best of the past decade, will play Delhi’s last league game this season. Find out all the details of Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return match. The India international has amassed 81 centuries across formats - 50 of those have come in the One-Dayers, 30 in Tests and the remaining one in the shortest format – the T20Is. Even though he has nothing to prove to anyone, having won all ICC trophies, barring the newly-inducted World Test Championship (WTC), Kohli finds himself in a tighter spot form-wise, willing to work his way out ahead of the first showpiece event of the year – the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled next month in Pakistan. Also read | Champions Trophy 2025: Ashwin plays Kohli out of position in his India's predicted playing XI However, following India’s horrid run in the past two Test match series, having lost both to New Zealand at home (0-3) and against Australia Down Under (1-3), the BCCI issued a fresh ten-point policy mandate, making it compulsory for everyone to feature for their respective states in the Ranji Trophy. Like his fellow India internationals, captain Rohit Sharma, keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, and youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, Kohli was also named in the probable squad (for Delhi); however, he pulled out of their first match against Saurashtra due to a neck sprain. So when Kohli plays next? The big question is, when will Kohli play for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy? Virat Kohli will feature for Delhi in their final Ranji Trophy league game against Railways at home (Arun Jaitley Stadium) starting January 30. His last Ranji Trophy match came against Uttar Pradesh (in 2013), where he returned with scores of 14 and 43 across two innings. Meanwhile, Kohli trained with the Delhi Ranji Trophy squad earlier but sat out of the game against Saurashtra. With the world’s best batter back to playing the Ranji Trophy, expect a sea of fans to visit the Delhi stadium for their next domestic match. Ready for Champions Trophy Virat endured a poor run with the bat in the last two Test series, scoring 91 and 190, respectively. Though his struggle against the spin worried most cricket fans, his inability to avoid chasing the fourth stump line that saw him getting out similarly on six occasions against Australia broke the camel’s back. With the England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 looming, Kohli trying to find some luck with the bat in the Ranji Trophy game would benefit him. (With inputs from agencies)

Here are all details of Virat Kohli’s Ranji Trophy return game for Delhi

Former spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravichandran-ashwin" rel="dofollow">Ravichandran Ashwin</a> reflected on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-champions-trophy-squad-england-odi-announcement-date-live-updates-rohit-gill-kohli-rahul-iyer-pandya-shami-bumrah-axar-jadeja-kuldeep-karun-liveblog-8627125" rel="dofollow">Team India&rsquo;s Champions Trophy 2025 squad</a>, trying to work out the best XI for the eight-team tournament scheduled for February 19 start. Ashwin dropped his first XI for the opener against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai, with star batters &ndash; Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant missing the cut. However, he discussed another scenario where Jaiswal comes into the XI, with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli sacrificing their positions.
<h2>Rahul discusses India&rsquo;s strongest XI</h2>
The Men in Blue will play their first ODI since August last year (against England in February), with most of the 2023 ODI World Cup-bound players making the cut. Given how well each fared in the ten-team tournament almost 14 months ago, Ashwin didn&rsquo;t make too many changes to his predicted XI.
Discussing India&rsquo;s strongest side, Ashwin said the captain Rohit Sharma and his deputy Shubman Gill will open, with the batting great Virat Kohli walking in next.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/coach-gautam-gambhir-gets-backing-from-t20i-captain-suryakumar-yadav-after-kolkata-t20i-win-against-england-8646233" rel="dofollow">Coach Gautam Gambhir gets backing from Suryakumar after Kolkata T20I win</a>
Ashwin picked Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul (keeper) to play at four and five, with Hardik Pandya and one of Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel accompanying him in the lower middle order.
Ashwin is keen on playing Kuldeep Yadav with three seamers. Though Jasprit Bumrah&rsquo;s availability remains subject to fitness, should he be declared fit, he will lead the pace attack consisting of Arshdeep Singh and returning Mohammed Shami.
&ldquo;Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill open, both right-handed. Then there&rsquo;s Virat Kohli. Shreyas Iyer likely bats at 4, given his strong performance in the World Cup. KL Rahul follows. At No. 6, it&rsquo;s a choice between Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Hardik occupies No. 7. We lack left-handed batters in the top seven. Outside the XI, we have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant,&rdquo; Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
<h3>Can Washington Sundar play?</h3>
Head coach Gautam Gambhir&rsquo;s growing confidence in Sundar (as a batter) played a role in Ashwin&rsquo;s shock retirement call midway through the BGT Down Under; however, speaking of the same, Ashwin discussed a scenario where Sundar could make it to the playing XI.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-bcci-suspends-ankit-bawne-for-refusing-to-walk-after-being-out-ankit-bawne-ranji-trophy-runs-matches-stats-8646387" rel="dofollow">Meet Ankit Bawne - Maharashtra batter with 8000-plus runs suspended by BCCI in Ranji Trophy for showing dissent</a>
&ldquo;Another scenario involves Washington Sundar. I&rsquo;m not biased, but Gautam Gambhir highly values Washington due to his batting. He can also be used as a floater.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If you follow the World Cup format, you play either Jaddu or Axar at No. 6, Hardik at 7, and Washington at 8. This allows for three fast bowlers or Kuldeep and two pacers, maintaining balance with Hardik&rsquo;s all-round skills,&rdquo; Ashwin said.
&ldquo;If Washington bats at No. 7, it weakens the batting. Ideally, he should bat at 8. Washington Sundar at 8 might not be feasible if dew is a major factor. In that case, Kuldeep Yadav would bat at 8, and the team would likely go with all seamers &ndash; Arshdeep, Bumrah, and Shami. In the 2023 World Cup, we lacked batting depth from No. 8 onwards. These are the crucial questions that need to be addressed,&rdquo; he continued.
<h3>Will Kohli bat at number 4?</h3>
Kohli is perhaps the greatest number three in the ODIs during his time, but if India considers playing Jaiswal, making the most of his form, Shreyas Iyer might face the axe. That doesn&rsquo;t end the top-order problem, with Ashwin reckoning Jaiswal and Rohit would open, with Gill at number three and Kohli playing at four.
&ldquo;Jaiswal might only play if someone gets injured. He could have a chance against England. But what if he scores consecutive centuries? One option is to&nbsp;open with Jaiswal and Rohit, pushing Shubman to 3, followed by Virat at 4. This would place either Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul at 5.
&ldquo;If Jaiswal plays, Shreyas Iyer would likely be dropped. While unlikely, India must capitalize on Jaiswal&rsquo;s current form.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to exclude KL Rahul given his excellent ODI and World Cup performances,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

Cricket Sports: Given how well each fared in the 2023 ODI World Cup almost 14 months ago, Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t make too many changes to his predicted XI.

Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reflected on Team India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad, trying to work out the best XI for the eight-team tournament scheduled for February 19 start. Ashwin dropped his first XI for the opener against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai, with star batters – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant missing the cut. However, he discussed another scenario where Jaiswal comes into the XI, with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli sacrificing their positions. Rahul discusses India’s strongest XI The Men in Blue will play their first ODI since August last year (against England in February), with most of the 2023 ODI World Cup-bound players making the cut. Given how well each fared in the ten-team tournament almost 14 months ago, Ashwin didn’t make too many changes to his predicted XI. Discussing India’s strongest side, Ashwin said the captain Rohit Sharma and his deputy Shubman Gill will open, with the batting great Virat Kohli walking in next. Also read | Coach Gautam Gambhir gets backing from Suryakumar after Kolkata T20I win Ashwin picked Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul (keeper) to play at four and five, with Hardik Pandya and one of Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel accompanying him in the lower middle order. Ashwin is keen on playing Kuldeep Yadav with three seamers. Though Jasprit Bumrah’s availability remains subject to fitness, should he be declared fit, he will lead the pace attack consisting of Arshdeep Singh and returning Mohammed Shami. “Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill open, both right-handed. Then there’s Virat Kohli. Shreyas Iyer likely bats at 4, given his strong performance in the World Cup. KL Rahul follows. At No. 6, it’s a choice between Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Hardik occupies No. 7. We lack left-handed batters in the top seven. Outside the XI, we have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. Can Washington Sundar play? Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s growing confidence in Sundar (as a batter) played a role in Ashwin’s shock retirement call midway through the BGT Down Under; however, speaking of the same, Ashwin discussed a scenario where Sundar could make it to the playing XI. Also read | Meet Ankit Bawne - Maharashtra batter with 8000-plus runs suspended by BCCI in Ranji Trophy for showing dissent “Another scenario involves Washington Sundar. I’m not biased, but Gautam Gambhir highly values Washington due to his batting. He can also be used as a floater.” “If you follow the World Cup format, you play either Jaddu or Axar at No. 6, Hardik at 7, and Washington at 8. This allows for three fast bowlers or Kuldeep and two pacers, maintaining balance with Hardik’s all-round skills,” Ashwin said. “If Washington bats at No. 7, it weakens the batting. Ideally, he should bat at 8. Washington Sundar at 8 might not be feasible if dew is a major factor. In that case, Kuldeep Yadav would bat at 8, and the team would likely go with all seamers – Arshdeep, Bumrah, and Shami. In the 2023 World Cup, we lacked batting depth from No. 8 onwards. These are the crucial questions that need to be addressed,” he continued. Will Kohli bat at number 4? Kohli is perhaps the greatest number three in the ODIs during his time, but if India considers playing Jaiswal, making the most of his form, Shreyas Iyer might face the axe. That doesn’t end the top-order problem, with Ashwin reckoning Jaiswal and Rohit would open, with Gill at number three and Kohli playing at four. “Jaiswal might only play if someone gets injured. He could have a chance against England. But what if he scores consecutive centuries? One option is to open with Jaiswal and Rohit, pushing Shubman to 3, followed by Virat at 4. This would place either Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul at 5. “If Jaiswal plays, Shreyas Iyer would likely be dropped. While unlikely, India must capitalize on Jaiswal’s current form. “It’s difficult to exclude KL Rahul given his excellent ODI and World Cup performances,” he continued. (With inputs from agencies)

Champions Trophy 2025: Ashwin plays Kohli out of position in his India's predicted playing XI

After what Team India went through in the past three months under head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gautam-gambhir" rel="dofollow">Gautam Gambhir,</a> having lost two Test match series (against New Zealand and Australia), everyone took a jibe at him and his coaching style. Amid a debatable start to his international coaching career, Gambhir finally found some backing from the T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. After <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-live-score-today-india-vs-england-latest-scorecard-jan-22-ind-vs-eng-playing-xi-prediction-pitch-report-toss-timing-venue-eden-gardens-kolkata-8644275">India beat England by seven wickets in the series-opener in Kolkata</a>, SKY praised Gambhir for his leadership.
Team India drew first blood in the five-match T20I series with an emphatic win at the Eden Gardens. While mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy won the Player of the Match award for picking three for 23 in the first innings, rookie opener <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/kolkata-1st-t20i-england-hero-abhishek-sharma-reflects-on-managements-support-we-know-youre-going-to-win-the-game-for-us-8645811">Abhishek Sharma slammed a brilliant 79 off 34 deliveries</a>, helping India win with 43 balls remaining.
The T20I captain appreciated everyone for playing their roles to perfection but lauded head coach Gambhir for giving a free hand to everyone to play freely and express themselves.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-out-cheaply-on-ranji-trophy-return-jaiswal-gill-fail-as-india-internationals-struggle-8645879" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma dismissed cheaply on Ranji Trophy return; Jaiswal, Gill fail</a>
&ldquo;The energy after we won the toss set the benchmark. Bowlers had plans executed, and the way we batted was icing on the cake. We did the same in South Africa, Hardik had responsibility to bowl the new ball, so cushion to play the extra spinner. Varun&rsquo;s preparations are on point, and Arshdeep is taking the extra responsibility.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of freedom being given by Gauti bhai, we want to play a bit different. The fielding is one area we&rsquo;ve been working really hard. Let&rsquo;s take those half chances and make a difference," India&rsquo;s T20I captain said after the match.
Gautam and the coaching staff chosen by him came under scrutiny after India failed to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 despite leading the points table at least until October last year. While New Zealand whitewashed India across three Tests in the away series, India&rsquo;s tour of Australia Down Under ended in the hosts beating it 3-1 across five Tests.&nbsp;
Several reports doing rounds on social media claimed that BCCI has given Gambhir-led backroom staff a deadline to improve performance or face repercussions, although none has been confirmed yet.
<h2>India rock England at Eden</h2>
India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens. The lone specialist seamer, Arshdeep Singh, began with a double blow in his first two overs before Varun broke into the middle order with twin strikes. Captain Jos Buttler tried saving the sinking ship with a gritty 68, but an all-round bowling show restricted them to 132 in 20 overs.
Indian openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek added 41 for the first wicket before Jofra Archer removed Samson and SKY in the same over; that, however, wasn&rsquo;t enough for England to breathe relief as Abhishek hammered eight sixes to see India home with seven wickets in hand.
Chennai will host the second match on Saturday (Jan 25).&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Amid a debatable start to his international coaching career, Gautam Gambhir finally found some backing from the T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav.

After what Team India went through in the past three months under head coach Gautam Gambhir, having lost two Test match series (against New Zealand and Australia), everyone took a jibe at him and his coaching style. Amid a debatable start to his international coaching career, Gambhir finally found some backing from the T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. After India beat England by seven wickets in the series-opener in Kolkata, SKY praised Gambhir for his leadership. Team India drew first blood in the five-match T20I series with an emphatic win at the Eden Gardens. While mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy won the Player of the Match award for picking three for 23 in the first innings, rookie opener Abhishek Sharma slammed a brilliant 79 off 34 deliveries, helping India win with 43 balls remaining. The T20I captain appreciated everyone for playing their roles to perfection but lauded head coach Gambhir for giving a free hand to everyone to play freely and express themselves. Also read | Rohit Sharma dismissed cheaply on Ranji Trophy return; Jaiswal, Gill fail “The energy after we won the toss set the benchmark. Bowlers had plans executed, and the way we batted was icing on the cake. We did the same in South Africa, Hardik had responsibility to bowl the new ball, so cushion to play the extra spinner. Varun’s preparations are on point, and Arshdeep is taking the extra responsibility. “There’s a lot of freedom being given by Gauti bhai, we want to play a bit different. The fielding is one area we’ve been working really hard. Let’s take those half chances and make a difference," India’s T20I captain said after the match. Gautam and the coaching staff chosen by him came under scrutiny after India failed to qualify for the WTC Final 2025 despite leading the points table at least until October last year. While New Zealand whitewashed India across three Tests in the away series, India’s tour of Australia Down Under ended in the hosts beating it 3-1 across five Tests. Several reports doing rounds on social media claimed that BCCI has given Gambhir-led backroom staff a deadline to improve performance or face repercussions, although none has been confirmed yet. India rock England at Eden India won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens. The lone specialist seamer, Arshdeep Singh, began with a double blow in his first two overs before Varun broke into the middle order with twin strikes. Captain Jos Buttler tried saving the sinking ship with a gritty 68, but an all-round bowling show restricted them to 132 in 20 overs. Indian openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek added 41 for the first wicket before Jofra Archer removed Samson and SKY in the same over; that, however, wasn’t enough for England to breathe relief as Abhishek hammered eight sixes to see India home with seven wickets in hand. Chennai will host the second match on Saturday (Jan 25). (With inputs from agencies)

Coach Gautam Gambhir gets backing from Suryakumar after Kolkata T20I win

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>&rsquo;s much-talked-about return to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ranji-trophy">Ranji Trophy</a> lasted just 19 balls as he got out for three runs during Mumbai&rsquo;s home game against Jammu &amp; Kashmir on Thursday (Jan 23). Besides Rohit, his fellow India teammates, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai) and Shubman Gill (Punjab) also fell cheaply, with batting miseries continuing in Indian cricket.
After Mumbai elected to bat first at the BKC, Rohit and Jaiswal opened the innings; both returned to the pavilion inside the first half an hour. While Auqib Nabi trapped the young opener in front of the wicket on just four, seamer Umar Nazir dismissed the Indian captain who played a mistimed shot, with J&amp;K captain Paras Dogra grabbing it successfully.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/kolkata-1st-t20i-england-hero-abhishek-sharma-reflects-on-managements-support-we-know-youre-going-to-win-the-game-for-us-8645811" rel="dofollow">Abhishek Sharma reflects on management&rsquo;s support after 1st T20I heroics</a>
The disappointment continued for the batting veteran, who endured a horrible run with the bat in the past two Test match series. Against New Zealand, Rohit was vulnerable to the new ball, while others struggled against spin. However, on his recent and perhaps last tour Down Under, Rohit scored just 31 runs across five innings in three Tests.
Though Rohit missed the series opener in Perth for personal reasons, the only Test India won on that tour (under Jasprit Bumrah&rsquo;s captaincy), his return to the playing XI, batting at number six in the second and third Test before returning to the top at the MCG helped India in no way. He never looked comfortable in the middle, reflecting his poor reflexes and ability to put the opposition down with his bat.&nbsp;
The Indian skipper sat out of the final Test, with India going down at the SCG, eventually conceding the BGT (for the first time in ten years) and the chance to qualify for their third straight WTC Final in England.&nbsp;
<h2>The repercussions</h2>
In the wake of two horrid outcomes, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/bcci">BCCI</a> tightened the screws by making it mandatory for everyone to feature in the domestic matches. Those opting out without obtaining permission from the chief selector and the head coach shall face penalties beyond disciplinary actions.
Following BCCI&rsquo;s latest ten-point policy mandate shared with all centrally-contracted players and state associations, top stars like Rohit, Jaiswal, Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant vowed to feature for their respective Ranji Trophy teams.
<h3>No luck for the youngsters</h3>
Let alone Rohit, none of the top-order players, including Jaiswal and Gill - all three of whom have been picked for the Champions Trophy - failed to leave any mark. While Jaiswal got out for four, Gill, opening the innings for Punjab, departed for just four.&nbsp;
Elsewhere, Mumbai captain and out-of-favour India batter Ajinkya Rahane got out for 12 bowled by Nazir, who removed Rohit early.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: India captain Rohit Sharma departed for another single-digit score, but this time on his much-awaited Ranji Trophy return for Mumbai. 

Rohit Sharma’s much-talked-about return to the Ranji Trophy lasted just 19 balls as he got out for three runs during Mumbai’s home game against Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday (Jan 23). Besides Rohit, his fellow India teammates, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai) and Shubman Gill (Punjab) also fell cheaply, with batting miseries continuing in Indian cricket. After Mumbai elected to bat first at the BKC, Rohit and Jaiswal opened the innings; both returned to the pavilion inside the first half an hour. While Auqib Nabi trapped the young opener in front of the wicket on just four, seamer Umar Nazir dismissed the Indian captain who played a mistimed shot, with J&K captain Paras Dogra grabbing it successfully. Also read | Abhishek Sharma reflects on management’s support after 1st T20I heroics The disappointment continued for the batting veteran, who endured a horrible run with the bat in the past two Test match series. Against New Zealand, Rohit was vulnerable to the new ball, while others struggled against spin. However, on his recent and perhaps last tour Down Under, Rohit scored just 31 runs across five innings in three Tests. Though Rohit missed the series opener in Perth for personal reasons, the only Test India won on that tour (under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy), his return to the playing XI, batting at number six in the second and third Test before returning to the top at the MCG helped India in no way. He never looked comfortable in the middle, reflecting his poor reflexes and ability to put the opposition down with his bat. The Indian skipper sat out of the final Test, with India going down at the SCG, eventually conceding the BGT (for the first time in ten years) and the chance to qualify for their third straight WTC Final in England. The repercussions In the wake of two horrid outcomes, the BCCI tightened the screws by making it mandatory for everyone to feature in the domestic matches. Those opting out without obtaining permission from the chief selector and the head coach shall face penalties beyond disciplinary actions. Following BCCI’s latest ten-point policy mandate shared with all centrally-contracted players and state associations, top stars like Rohit, Jaiswal, Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant vowed to feature for their respective Ranji Trophy teams. No luck for the youngsters Let alone Rohit, none of the top-order players, including Jaiswal and Gill - all three of whom have been picked for the Champions Trophy - failed to leave any mark. While Jaiswal got out for four, Gill, opening the innings for Punjab, departed for just four. Elsewhere, Mumbai captain and out-of-favour India batter Ajinkya Rahane got out for 12 bowled by Nazir, who removed Rohit early. (With inputs from agencies)

Rohit Sharma dismissed cheaply on Ranji Trophy return; Jaiswal, Gill fail

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/abhishek-sharma">Abhishek Sharma</a> scored a magnificent 79 off 34 balls against England in the first T20I in Kolkata on Wednesday (Jan 22), slamming eight maximums and five fours, powering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-live-score-today-india-vs-england-latest-scorecard-jan-22-ind-vs-eng-playing-xi-prediction-pitch-report-toss-timing-venue-eden-gardens-kolkata-8644275">India to a seven-wicket win</a> with 43 balls to spare. The rookie opener reflected on his performance, crediting the management for supporting him throughout, allowing him to play aggressively yet freely.
Understanding the fight for the opener's spot in India, especially in the shortest format, Abhishek admitted that the captain and the coach backed him to keep his intent, boosting his confidence.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-1st-t20i-abhishek-sharma-20-ball-fifty-equals-yuvraj-singh-record-india-beat-england-by-7-wickets-8645304" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG, 1st T20I: Abhishek Sharma equals Yuvraj Singh's record in India's win</a>
"I have thought always from the start to be a team player," Abhishek said after the 1st T20I against England.&nbsp;
"In India, there will always be a lot of competition [when it comes to selection] in our senior team. But when Suryakumar [Yadav, the T20I captain] and Gautam [Gambhir] paaji tell me to always keep my intent, that was a big moment for me, that when the team wants me to do that, then I can do it,&rdquo; he added.
Reflecting on the support he got from the management, Abhishek said,&nbsp;
"As a batsman, it can play on your mind if you don't score runs in three-four-five innings, but the way the coach and captain have managed all the players, even when I've not done well - even then they tell us, 'we know you're going to win the game for us, any game, just go and express yourself' - I think when the captain or coach say this, you get confidence and you back yourself.&rdquo;
<h2>Experience working with Yuvraj Singh</h2>
Indian cricket legend <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yuvraj-singh">Yuvraj Singh</a> took Abhishek Sharma under his wings during the Covid period, transforming him into a T20 beast, something the youngster appreciates and feels grateful for.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m68ua4di-8ir6oit9-4oi4bni6">
Good start to the series boys ! 🇮🇳 great tone set by our bowlers and well played sir !@IamAbhiSharma4 top knock &lsquo;!! I&rsquo;m impressed you hit 2 boundaries down the ground aswell 🤪! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/indiavsengland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#indiavsengland</a>
&mdash; Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) <a href="https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1882125605204009246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Talking in detail about how far he had come from being a prospect to becoming one of the most-feared top-order batters in T20 cricket, Abhishek said,
"I believe I'm very lucky in this," he said.&nbsp;
"I was working with Yuvi paaji [Yuvraj Singh] at first. Going forward, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Moving forward, Dan Vettori was pretty simple, he just wanted everyone to express themselves, and I think that gave me the freedom to play my shots. So obviously, with Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and even Gauti bhai right now, they just want me to showcase my talent the way I play and to back myself,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, India drew first blood in this five-match T20I series, with their next game scheduled for Saturday (Jan 25) in Chennai.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Understanding the fight for the opener's spot in India, Abhishek admitted that the captain and the coach backed him to keep his intent, boosting his confidence.


Abhishek Sharma scored a magnificent 79 off 34 balls against England in the first T20I in Kolkata on Wednesday (Jan 22), slamming eight maximums and five fours, powering India to a seven-wicket win with 43 balls to spare. The rookie opener reflected on his performance, crediting the management for supporting him throughout, allowing him to play aggressively yet freely. Understanding the fight for the opener's spot in India, especially in the shortest format, Abhishek admitted that the captain and the coach backed him to keep his intent, boosting his confidence. Also read | IND vs ENG, 1st T20I: Abhishek Sharma equals Yuvraj Singh's record in India's win "I have thought always from the start to be a team player," Abhishek said after the 1st T20I against England. "In India, there will always be a lot of competition [when it comes to selection] in our senior team. But when Suryakumar [Yadav, the T20I captain] and Gautam [Gambhir] paaji tell me to always keep my intent, that was a big moment for me, that when the team wants me to do that, then I can do it,” he added. Reflecting on the support he got from the management, Abhishek said, "As a batsman, it can play on your mind if you don't score runs in three-four-five innings, but the way the coach and captain have managed all the players, even when I've not done well - even then they tell us, 'we know you're going to win the game for us, any game, just go and express yourself' - I think when the captain or coach say this, you get confidence and you back yourself.” Experience working with Yuvraj Singh Indian cricket legend Yuvraj Singh took Abhishek Sharma under his wings during the Covid period, transforming him into a T20 beast, something the youngster appreciates and feels grateful for. Good start to the series boys ! 🇮🇳 great tone set by our bowlers and well played sir !@IamAbhiSharma4 top knock ‘!! I’m impressed you hit 2 boundaries down the ground aswell 🤪! #indiavsengland — Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) January 22, 2025 Talking in detail about how far he had come from being a prospect to becoming one of the most-feared top-order batters in T20 cricket, Abhishek said, "I believe I'm very lucky in this," he said. "I was working with Yuvi paaji [Yuvraj Singh] at first. Going forward, I had Brian Lara, who really helped me at SRH. Moving forward, Dan Vettori was pretty simple, he just wanted everyone to express themselves, and I think that gave me the freedom to play my shots. So obviously, with Yuvraj Singh, Brian Lara and even Gauti bhai right now, they just want me to showcase my talent the way I play and to back myself,” he continued. Meanwhile, India drew first blood in this five-match T20I series, with their next game scheduled for Saturday (Jan 25) in Chennai. (With inputs from agencies)

Abhishek Sharma reflects on management’s support after 1st T20I heroics

Axar Patel, Team India&rsquo;s new T20I vice-captain, feels his role will be more than of a floater during the England series. The left-handed all-rounder has been India&rsquo;s mainstay across both domains, batting and bowling, with his performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa (with the bat) a testament to it.
Given that ageing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</a> is approaching the twilight stage of his ODI career, Axar remains the first choice for any captain across formats.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/disappointed-and-perplexed-shreyas-iyer-breaks-silence-on-kkr-exit-ahead-of-ipl-2025-8637827" rel="dofollow">&lsquo;Disappointed and perplexed&rsquo; Shreyas Iyer breaks silence on KKR exit</a>
Besides being known to bowl tight lines in the shortest format, Axar&rsquo;s role as middle order batter has come in handy for India. Though his numbers until the end of 2022 read 21.26 (batting average) and 131.25 (strike rate), his promotion in the batting order saw a surge, with both increasing rapidly (average to 30.32 and strike rate 145.62 since the start of 2023).
Batting at number three, four, six and seven in the past two years across all competitions (for India, IPL and domestic), Axar has scored six fifties.
Shedding light on his role in this new-looking T20I side, Axar said, "Batting wise, it's not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position.
"Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well.
"We've spoken about that how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting,&rdquo; Axar said in a chat with reporters on Monday in Kolkata.
<h2>New day, new role</h2>
Besides thinking about how to be used during 40 overs, Axar will now have to play as Suryakumar&rsquo;s deputy, meaning he will now be part of the leadership group, working towards building the team for the next T20 World Cup (next year).
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/womens-u19-t20-world-cup-2025-nigeria-beat-new-zealand-in-one-crickets-greatest-upsets-8637229" rel="dofollow">Women&rsquo;s U19 T20 World Cup 2025: Nigeria beat New Zealand in cricket&rsquo;s greatest upset</a>
"It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group, there is an extra responsibility," Axar said. "The T20I side is settled, so there's not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making, and during the game, I need to work closely with Suryakumar.
"As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions, and that will help build trust in this group.
"The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, India will play five T20Is against England starting January 22 in Kolkata.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Given that ageing Ravindra Jadeja is approaching the twilight stage of his ODI career, Axar remains the first choice for any captain across formats.

Axar Patel, Team India’s new T20I vice-captain, feels his role will be more than of a floater during the England series. The left-handed all-rounder has been India’s mainstay across both domains, batting and bowling, with his performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa (with the bat) a testament to it. Given that ageing Ravindra Jadeja is approaching the twilight stage of his ODI career, Axar remains the first choice for any captain across formats. Also read | ‘Disappointed and perplexed’ Shreyas Iyer breaks silence on KKR exit Besides being known to bowl tight lines in the shortest format, Axar’s role as middle order batter has come in handy for India. Though his numbers until the end of 2022 read 21.26 (batting average) and 131.25 (strike rate), his promotion in the batting order saw a surge, with both increasing rapidly (average to 30.32 and strike rate 145.62 since the start of 2023). Batting at number three, four, six and seven in the past two years across all competitions (for India, IPL and domestic), Axar has scored six fifties. Shedding light on his role in this new-looking T20I side, Axar said, "Batting wise, it's not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position. "Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well. "We've spoken about that how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting,” Axar said in a chat with reporters on Monday in Kolkata. New day, new role Besides thinking about how to be used during 40 overs, Axar will now have to play as Suryakumar’s deputy, meaning he will now be part of the leadership group, working towards building the team for the next T20 World Cup (next year). Also read | Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2025: Nigeria beat New Zealand in cricket’s greatest upset "It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group, there is an extra responsibility," Axar said. "The T20I side is settled, so there's not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making, and during the game, I need to work closely with Suryakumar. "As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions, and that will help build trust in this group. "The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that,” he continued. Meanwhile, India will play five T20Is against England starting January 22 in Kolkata. (With inputs from agencies)

Vice-captain Axar Patel ready for new challenge with ‘role flexibility’ in England T20Is

Amid rumours of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer">Shreyas Iyer</a> leading <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kkr">KKR</a>&rsquo;s retention race ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl">IPL 2025</a> auction late last year, the India international and the IPL 2024 champions parted ways, with KKR opting to retain six players but Iyer. The middle-order batter helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their third IPL title, beating SunRisers Hyderabad in the finale.
Fast-forward to January 2025, Iyer is named the new captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), with the IPL franchise splurging $3.09mn (INR 26.75 crore) &ndash; a record price in the auction history. Although he held the record of the most expensive player ever (for a few minutes), LSG bagging Rishabh Pant for a whopping $3.11m (INR 27 crore) surpassed his figures.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-vows-to-bring-champions-trophy-home-recalls-mumbais-victory-parade-during-wankhedes-50th-anniversary-8636854" rel="dofollow">Upbeat India captain Rohit vows to bring Champions Trophy title home</a>
Meanwhile, for the first time since parting ways with KKR, for whom he played two seasons (2022-2204), missing the 2023 edition with an injury, Iyer broke his silence on what happened behind the scenes. Dismissing reports of him seeking more money being the reason behind KKR&rsquo;s call, Iyer said &lsquo;lack of communication&rsquo; led to the fallout between them.
"Certainly, I had a fantastic time winning the championship at KKR,&rdquo; Iyer said in a chat with the Indian Express.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The fan following was outstanding; they were electrifying in the stadium and I loved every moment I spent there. So, obviously, we had a conversation straight after the IPL championship. But for a few months, there was a layover and no concrete effort in having a retention talk.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I was perplexed about what was happening. So, because of a lack of communication, we came to a situation where we parted ways mutually. And that&rsquo;s the long and short of it," he said.
<h2>&lsquo;Disappointing&rsquo;</h2>
Iyer didn&rsquo;t mince his words to admit that he expected KKR to act quickly and not take until one week before the retention date to discuss the future. The star India batter said he had to take a call, and what happened afterwards was perhaps written in the stars.
"Yes, obviously disappointed because when you don&rsquo;t have a certain line of communication and if you get to know things one week prior to the retention date, then obviously something is lacking over there. So I had to take a call. Whatever is written is supposed to happen," he added.
Meanwhile, Iyer reunites with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting at the PBKS, who joined their backroom staff as the new coach.&nbsp;
The 18th edition of the IPL begins on March 21 weekend.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) win their third IPL title, beating SunRisers Hyderabad in the finale.

Amid rumours of Shreyas Iyer leading KKR’s retention race ahead of the IPL 2025 auction late last year, the India international and the IPL 2024 champions parted ways, with KKR opting to retain six players but Iyer. The middle-order batter helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their third IPL title, beating SunRisers Hyderabad in the finale. Fast-forward to January 2025, Iyer is named the new captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), with the IPL franchise splurging $3.09mn (INR 26.75 crore) – a record price in the auction history. Although he held the record of the most expensive player ever (for a few minutes), LSG bagging Rishabh Pant for a whopping $3.11m (INR 27 crore) surpassed his figures. Also read | Upbeat India captain Rohit vows to bring Champions Trophy title home Meanwhile, for the first time since parting ways with KKR, for whom he played two seasons (2022-2204), missing the 2023 edition with an injury, Iyer broke his silence on what happened behind the scenes. Dismissing reports of him seeking more money being the reason behind KKR’s call, Iyer said ‘lack of communication’ led to the fallout between them. "Certainly, I had a fantastic time winning the championship at KKR,” Iyer said in a chat with the Indian Express. “The fan following was outstanding; they were electrifying in the stadium and I loved every moment I spent there. So, obviously, we had a conversation straight after the IPL championship. But for a few months, there was a layover and no concrete effort in having a retention talk. “I was perplexed about what was happening. So, because of a lack of communication, we came to a situation where we parted ways mutually. And that’s the long and short of it," he said. ‘Disappointing’ Iyer didn’t mince his words to admit that he expected KKR to act quickly and not take until one week before the retention date to discuss the future. The star India batter said he had to take a call, and what happened afterwards was perhaps written in the stars. "Yes, obviously disappointed because when you don’t have a certain line of communication and if you get to know things one week prior to the retention date, then obviously something is lacking over there. So I had to take a call. Whatever is written is supposed to happen," he added. Meanwhile, Iyer reunites with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting at the PBKS, who joined their backroom staff as the new coach. The 18th edition of the IPL begins on March 21 weekend. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Disappointed and perplexed’: Shreyas Iyer breaks silence on KKR exit

Cricket has seen some mightiest upsets, but none like Nigeria beating New Zealand. On Monday (Jan 20), the African nation registered their first win in the ongoing Women&rsquo;s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025, beating heavyweight New Zealand by a whisker.
Batting first after losing the toss in the rain-affected match in Kuching, Malaysia, Nigeria scored a gritty 65 for six in 13 overs, with their captain Lucky Piety and batter Lillian Udeh top-scoring, hitting 19* and 18, respectively.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rohit-sharma-vows-to-bring-champions-trophy-home-recalls-mumbais-victory-parade-during-wankhedes-50th-anniversary-8636854" rel="dofollow">Upbeat India captain Rohit vows to bring Champions Trophy title home</a>
For the White Ferns, five bowlers picked a wicket each, with Ayaan Lambat being the only exception.&nbsp;
New Zealand&rsquo;s chase went horribly wrong, with opener Kate Irwin getting run out on the first ball without facing a delivery. Her fellow opener, Emma McLeod, departed two overs later to the right-arm seamer Usen Peace.&nbsp;
NZ kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with their scorecard at the end of 11 overs reading 49 for five, needing 17 off two overs.&nbsp;
It is where the game got interesting.&nbsp;
<h2>Time for history!</h2>
Captain Tash Wakelin kept her side in the chase, hitting a four in the penultimate over, with New Zealand scoring eight off it, leaving nine for the final six balls.&nbsp;
They, however, managed just six off Udeh&rsquo;s third over as Nigeria scripted history, winning their maiden ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup event game.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/fit-again-shami-throws-rockets-with-strapped-knee-in-training-ahead-of-england-t20i-opener-watch-8636647" rel="dofollow">Fit-again Shami throws 'rockets' in training with strapped knee - Watch</a>
Udeh was her side&rsquo;s hero for the day, hitting 18 while batting and conceding just eight runs off three overs, including picking a wicket. She won the Player of the Match for her star performance.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Nigerian women&rsquo;s team will take on South Africa in their league match on Wednesday (Jan 22), with the New Zealand women&rsquo;s team taking on Samoa on the same day.&nbsp;
Besides, their positions on the points table are almost contrasting. While Nigeria sits in the second spot with one win and a no-result in two scheduled matches, the White Ferns are at the bottom of it, having lost both games played thus far.

Sports, Cricket: The Nigerian women’s team will take on South Africa in their league match on Wednesday (Jan 22), with the New Zealand women’s team taking on Samoa on the same day.

Cricket has seen some mightiest upsets, but none like Nigeria beating New Zealand. On Monday (Jan 20), the African nation registered their first win in the ongoing Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025, beating heavyweight New Zealand by a whisker. Batting first after losing the toss in the rain-affected match in Kuching, Malaysia, Nigeria scored a gritty 65 for six in 13 overs, with their captain Lucky Piety and batter Lillian Udeh top-scoring, hitting 19* and 18, respectively. Also read | Upbeat India captain Rohit vows to bring Champions Trophy title home For the White Ferns, five bowlers picked a wicket each, with Ayaan Lambat being the only exception. New Zealand’s chase went horribly wrong, with opener Kate Irwin getting run out on the first ball without facing a delivery. Her fellow opener, Emma McLeod, departed two overs later to the right-arm seamer Usen Peace. NZ kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with their scorecard at the end of 11 overs reading 49 for five, needing 17 off two overs. It is where the game got interesting. Time for history! Captain Tash Wakelin kept her side in the chase, hitting a four in the penultimate over, with New Zealand scoring eight off it, leaving nine for the final six balls. They, however, managed just six off Udeh’s third over as Nigeria scripted history, winning their maiden ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup event game. Also read | Fit-again Shami throws 'rockets' in training with strapped knee - Watch Udeh was her side’s hero for the day, hitting 18 while batting and conceding just eight runs off three overs, including picking a wicket. She won the Player of the Match for her star performance. Meanwhile, the Nigerian women’s team will take on South Africa in their league match on Wednesday (Jan 22), with the New Zealand women’s team taking on Samoa on the same day. Besides, their positions on the points table are almost contrasting. While Nigeria sits in the second spot with one win and a no-result in two scheduled matches, the White Ferns are at the bottom of it, having lost both games played thus far.

Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2025: Nigeria beat New Zealand in cricket’s greatest upset

Amid all the drama and talks around <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a>&rsquo;s form, captaincy and position in the team, especially in Tests, the Indian captain vows to bring the coveted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">ICC Champions Trophy</a> (CT) title home, he said during Wankhede&rsquo;s 50th anniversary celebratory event in Mumbai on Sunday (Jan 19). Recalling the victory parade in the city following India&rsquo;s T20 World Cup win in the Americas last year, Rohit said he wishes to relive that moment again this time.
Present alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ravi Shastri at a ceremony hosted by the Mumbai Cricket Association, Rohit posed with the CT trophy but at a distance despite Gavaskar and Shastri pushing him to come closer to it. In a heartfelt video doing rounds on social media, Rohit politely denied their request, urging the seniors to take centre stage instead.&nbsp;
<h3>Watch &ndash;</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m64pnd42-25li9964-cgax89q5">
Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri were asking Captain Rohit Sharma to stand near the Champions Trophy during photo shoot, but Rohit refused to stand near the trophy and stood in the corner.🥹❤️ Captain bring it home 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> 🐐 <a href="https://t.co/GeqWV2aoij">pic.twitter.com/GeqWV2aoij</a>
&mdash; 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) <a href="https://twitter.com/rushiii_12/status/1880986561313165599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, Rohit continues to lead India in the eight-team tournament in Dubai (Pakistan being the original host), with the BCCI selectors announcing a potent 15-man squad late last week.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/fit-again-shami-throws-rockets-with-strapped-knee-in-training-ahead-of-england-t20i-opener-watch-8636647" rel="dofollow">Fit-again Shami throws rockets in training with strapped knee - Watch</a>
Banking on the support from millions of cricket fans back home and his team&rsquo;s performance, Rohit wishes to bring the title home, celebrating again at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m64pr8ar-e5d8szqf-zwngiv9t">
𝗔 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲! 🤩 The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChampionsTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChampionsTrophy</a> was graced by the icons of Indian cricket at the historic Wankhede Stadium 🏆🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/vzkdHDgPLk">pic.twitter.com/vzkdHDgPLk</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1881005977241334225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
"We will embark on another tournament. I am sure when we reach Dubai, the wishes of 140 crore people will be behind us, we know that," Rohit said. "We will try and do everything we can to bring this trophy back here to the Wankhede," he added.
While the tournament begins (on February 19) in Pakistan, India will play all its matches in Dubai (the neutral venue) under the approved hybrid model, including the semis and the final, should they qualify.&nbsp;
India, placed in Group A, will open their campaign against Bangladesh (February 20) before facing the arch-rivals three days later. Rohit&rsquo;s side will take on New Zealand in their last league match a week later at the same venue.
<h2>Rohit recalls victory parade</h2>
After Team India ended their ICC trophy drought last year with their second T20 World Cup title, the fans gave a heroic welcome to Rohit&rsquo;s team upon their return to the country.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/no-personal-vehicles-for-indian-cricketers-as-cab-enforces-bccis-policy-ahead-of-england-t20is-8636495">IND vs ENG 2025: No personal vehicles for Indian cricketers as Bengal cricket body CAB enforces BCCI&rsquo;s policy</a>
A sea of cricket fans wearing blue jerseys surrounded Team India&rsquo;s open-roof bus parade along the Marine Drive culminating with a massive celebration at the Wankhede Stadium.
"I remember, we were still in Barbados after winning the World Cup, and we were stuck there due to a storm, but planning was in process as to what we would do once we were back in India.
"It was planned that we would go to Delhi, but what after that? No one knew what to do after that, but I wanted that World Cup (trophy) should come here to Wankhede. Each of the recent World Cups we have won in 2007 and 2011 has been celebrated at Wankhede, and bringing the trophy of 2024 was also very important for us," Rohit added.
Meanwhile, Rohit will return to action during the three-match ODI series against England starting February 6.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: After India ended their ICC trophy drought with their second T20 World Cup title, the fans gave a heroic welcome to them upon their return to the country.

Amid all the drama and talks around Rohit Sharma’s form, captaincy and position in the team, especially in Tests, the Indian captain vows to bring the coveted ICC Champions Trophy (CT) title home, he said during Wankhede’s 50th anniversary celebratory event in Mumbai on Sunday (Jan 19). Recalling the victory parade in the city following India’s T20 World Cup win in the Americas last year, Rohit said he wishes to relive that moment again this time. Present alongside Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Ravi Shastri at a ceremony hosted by the Mumbai Cricket Association, Rohit posed with the CT trophy but at a distance despite Gavaskar and Shastri pushing him to come closer to it. In a heartfelt video doing rounds on social media, Rohit politely denied their request, urging the seniors to take centre stage instead. Watch – Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri were asking Captain Rohit Sharma to stand near the Champions Trophy during photo shoot, but Rohit refused to stand near the trophy and stood in the corner.🥹❤️ Captain bring it home 🏆 @ImRo45 🐐 pic.twitter.com/GeqWV2aoij — 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) January 19, 2025 Meanwhile, Rohit continues to lead India in the eight-team tournament in Dubai (Pakistan being the original host), with the BCCI selectors announcing a potent 15-man squad late last week. Also read | Fit-again Shami throws rockets in training with strapped knee - Watch Banking on the support from millions of cricket fans back home and his team’s performance, Rohit wishes to bring the title home, celebrating again at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. 𝗔 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲! 🤩 The #ChampionsTrophy was graced by the icons of Indian cricket at the historic Wankhede Stadium 🏆🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/vzkdHDgPLk — ICC (@ICC) January 19, 2025 "We will embark on another tournament. I am sure when we reach Dubai, the wishes of 140 crore people will be behind us, we know that," Rohit said. "We will try and do everything we can to bring this trophy back here to the Wankhede," he added. While the tournament begins (on February 19) in Pakistan, India will play all its matches in Dubai (the neutral venue) under the approved hybrid model, including the semis and the final, should they qualify. India, placed in Group A, will open their campaign against Bangladesh (February 20) before facing the arch-rivals three days later. Rohit’s side will take on New Zealand in their last league match a week later at the same venue. Rohit recalls victory parade After Team India ended their ICC trophy drought last year with their second T20 World Cup title, the fans gave a heroic welcome to Rohit’s team upon their return to the country. Also read | IND vs ENG 2025: No personal vehicles for Indian cricketers as Bengal cricket body CAB enforces BCCI’s policy A sea of cricket fans wearing blue jerseys surrounded Team India’s open-roof bus parade along the Marine Drive culminating with a massive celebration at the Wankhede Stadium. "I remember, we were still in Barbados after winning the World Cup, and we were stuck there due to a storm, but planning was in process as to what we would do once we were back in India. "It was planned that we would go to Delhi, but what after that? No one knew what to do after that, but I wanted that World Cup (trophy) should come here to Wankhede. Each of the recent World Cups we have won in 2007 and 2011 has been celebrated at Wankhede, and bringing the trophy of 2024 was also very important for us," Rohit added. Meanwhile, Rohit will return to action during the three-match ODI series against England starting February 6. (With inputs from agencies)

Upbeat India captain Rohit vows to bring Champions Trophy title home

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shami">Mohammed Shami</a> has returned to the Indian Team, since ODI World Cup final (in November 2023), bowling full throttle in his first training session on Sunday in Kolkata. Ahead of the T20I series opener against England on Wednesday (Jan 22) at the Eden Gardens, Shami&rsquo;s bowling was the focus as he threw 'rockets' in the nets with the strapped knee.
The ace Indian quick looked in his element and bowled for over an hour in the nets, with the bowling coach Morne Morkel keeping a close tab on his progress. Upon returning to competitive cricket late last year, Shami played several Ranji Trophy matches (for Bengal) before plying his trade in the domestic white-ball competitions &ndash; Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/no-personal-vehicles-for-indian-cricketers-as-cab-enforces-bccis-policy-ahead-of-england-t20is-8636495" rel="dofollow">IND vs ENG 2025: No personal vehicles for Indian cricketers as CAB enforces BCCI&rsquo;s policy</a>
Although he recovered from the swelling on his knee, something India captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit">Rohit Sharma</a> pointed out as one of the reasons for Shami's delayed international comeback, the selectors decided against picking him for India&rsquo;s tour of Australia. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah shouldered the entire burden, even captaining India in two matches, while returning with 32 wickets across nine innings &ndash; the most by any bowler in BGT 2024/25.
Shami began training by marking a spot on a good-length area on the practice pitches, warming up by bowling with a half run-up for close to 20 minutes. He then bowled full run-ups to openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma before getting down to fielding drills with coach T Dilip and head coach Gambhir. Following the net session, Shami wrapped up the evening with a full-throttle ten-minute spell on the practice pitches.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m64noblp-dwgzwyqu-angc89pe">
He's BACK 💪🏻 Team India 🇮🇳 Mohd. Shami 😎 Eden Gardens 🏟️ Just perfect 👌🏻<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MdShami11</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> <a href="https://t.co/PwCuEOcaDA">pic.twitter.com/PwCuEOcaDA</a>
&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1881189914370293788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Ready for India comeback</h2>
Having missed all cricket action for India since suffering an ankle injury some 14 months ago, Shami will lead the pace attack against England in the five T20Is.&nbsp;
The selectors also picked the right-arm pacer for England ODIs and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">ICC Champions Trophy</a> starting February 19, with Jasprit Bumrah, recovering from a back injury, leading the three-bowler seam attack in the showpiece event.&nbsp;
While Pakistan, the tournament host, will stage all matches, India will play all its games in Dubai, the chosen neutral venue, including the marquee clash against arch-rivals on (February 23). Besides the three league games (against Bangladesh on Feb 20 and New Zealand on Mar 2), Dubai will host India&rsquo;s knockout games, should they qualify.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Having missed all cricket action for India since suffering an ankle injury some 14 months ago, Shami will lead the pace attack against England in the five T20Is. 


Mohammed Shami has returned to the Indian Team, since ODI World Cup final (in November 2023), bowling full throttle in his first training session on Sunday in Kolkata. Ahead of the T20I series opener against England on Wednesday (Jan 22) at the Eden Gardens, Shami’s bowling was the focus as he threw 'rockets' in the nets with the strapped knee. The ace Indian quick looked in his element and bowled for over an hour in the nets, with the bowling coach Morne Morkel keeping a close tab on his progress. Upon returning to competitive cricket late last year, Shami played several Ranji Trophy matches (for Bengal) before plying his trade in the domestic white-ball competitions – Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Also read | IND vs ENG 2025: No personal vehicles for Indian cricketers as CAB enforces BCCI’s policy Although he recovered from the swelling on his knee, something India captain Rohit Sharma pointed out as one of the reasons for Shami's delayed international comeback, the selectors decided against picking him for India’s tour of Australia. In his absence, Jasprit Bumrah shouldered the entire burden, even captaining India in two matches, while returning with 32 wickets across nine innings – the most by any bowler in BGT 2024/25. Shami began training by marking a spot on a good-length area on the practice pitches, warming up by bowling with a half run-up for close to 20 minutes. He then bowled full run-ups to openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma before getting down to fielding drills with coach T Dilip and head coach Gambhir. Following the net session, Shami wrapped up the evening with a full-throttle ten-minute spell on the practice pitches. He's BACK 💪🏻 Team India 🇮🇳 Mohd. Shami 😎 Eden Gardens 🏟️ Just perfect 👌🏻#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @MdShami11 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/PwCuEOcaDA — BCCI (@BCCI) January 20, 2025 Ready for India comeback Having missed all cricket action for India since suffering an ankle injury some 14 months ago, Shami will lead the pace attack against England in the five T20Is. The selectors also picked the right-arm pacer for England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy starting February 19, with Jasprit Bumrah, recovering from a back injury, leading the three-bowler seam attack in the showpiece event. While Pakistan, the tournament host, will stage all matches, India will play all its games in Dubai, the chosen neutral venue, including the marquee clash against arch-rivals on (February 23). Besides the three league games (against Bangladesh on Feb 20 and New Zealand on Mar 2), Dubai will host India’s knockout games, should they qualify. (With inputs from agencies)

Fit-again Shami throws 'rockets' in training with strapped knee - Watch

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