In what comes as a shocking piece of news ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Chennai Super Kings and India U-19 star Rajvardhan Hangargekar has been accused of age fraud. The commissioner of the Sports and Youth Department, Maharashtra, Omprakash Bakoria has accused Hangargekar of age fudging.

As per reports, In a letter written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bakoria has alleged&nbsp;Hangargekar real age is 21 at present and that the youngster fudged his age to become eligible for the recently concluded ICC U-19 World Cup 2022.

As per a report in local Marathi publication Saamana, Hangargekar, who hails from a village in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra, was a student of the Terna Public School in the area. His birth date was changed from January 10, 2001 to November 10, 2002 during his readmission in the 8th grade in the school.

The change in his birth date made Hangargekar eligible to play for the India U-19 team in the U-19 World Cup 2022 which the country went on to win after beating England in the final. In his letter to the BCCI, Bakoria has reportedly stated that IAS officer Rahul Gupta has investigated the age fraud case and it was revealed that Hangargekar's birth date was listed as January 10, 2001 in the school records before being changed to November 10, 2002 at the time of his admission in the 8th grade.

“Dharashiv CEO Rahul Gupta investigated Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s birth date. It was found that he was admitted to a public school in Dharashiv where his birthdate was listed as 10 January 2001. However, that was changed to 10th November 2002 before eighth grade,” Bakoria wrote in his letter to the BCCI, as per InsideSport.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/my-father-really-loved-ms-dhoni-i-wish-he-could-watch-me-play-for-csk-rajvardhan-hangargekar-453561">My father really loved MS Dhoni, I wish he could watch me play for CSK: Rajvardhan Hangargekar&nbsp;</a>

Rajvardhan Hangargekar's IPL dream hangs in a balance:

Hangargekar, a pace all-rounder, who is known for his great speed and ability to strike the ball well, was picked up by Chennai Super Kings at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction. CSK bought him for a sum of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) at the mega auction.

However, the all-rounder can be banned from cricket and not allowed to take part in the upcoming IPL 2022 in case he is found guilty of age fudging. A BCCI official has confirmed that the board has received the letter from Maharashtra’s Commissioner of Sports and Youth Department, and will investigate the case.

"Yes, we have received a letter from the Maharashtra DYS. It is a serious allegation and we are looking into it. But at the moment he is free to play. We fully trust the system in place," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/deepak-chahar-to-liam-livingstone-5-players-who-earned-biggest-pay-rise-at-ipl-mega-auction-453828">Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction</a>

BCCI has a strict policy against age fudging and several cricketers have been banned in the past for age fraud. Earlier, Manjot Kalra, India U-19 batter, who struck a century in the final of the U-19 World Cup in 2018 was also accused of age fraud and was suspended for one year from Ranji Trophy after being found guilty.

In what comes as a shocking piece of news ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Chennai Super Kings and India U-19 star Rajvardhan Hangargekar has been accused of age fraud.

In what comes as a shocking piece of news ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Chennai Super Kings and India U-19 star Rajvardhan Hangargekar has been accused of age fraud. The commissioner of the Sports and Youth Department, Maharashtra, Omprakash Bakoria has accused Hangargekar of age fudging. As per reports, In a letter written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bakoria has alleged Hangargekar real age is 21 at present and that the youngster fudged his age to become eligible for the recently concluded ICC U-19 World Cup 2022. As per a report in local Marathi publication Saamana, Hangargekar, who hails from a village in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra, was a student of the Terna Public School in the area. His birth date was changed from January 10, 2001 to November 10, 2002 during his readmission in the 8th grade in the school. The change in his birth date made Hangargekar eligible to play for the India U-19 team in the U-19 World Cup 2022 which the country went on to win after beating England in the final. In his letter to the BCCI, Bakoria has reportedly stated that IAS officer Rahul Gupta has investigated the age fraud case and it was revealed that Hangargekar's birth date was listed as January 10, 2001 in the school records before being changed to November 10, 2002 at the time of his admission in the 8th grade. “Dharashiv CEO Rahul Gupta investigated Rajvardhan Hangargekar’s birth date. It was found that he was admitted to a public school in Dharashiv where his birthdate was listed as 10 January 2001. However, that was changed to 10th November 2002 before eighth grade,” Bakoria wrote in his letter to the BCCI, as per InsideSport. Also Read: My father really loved MS Dhoni, I wish he could watch me play for CSK: Rajvardhan Hangargekar Rajvardhan Hangargekar's IPL dream hangs in a balance: Hangargekar, a pace all-rounder, who is known for his great speed and ability to strike the ball well, was picked up by Chennai Super Kings at the recently-concluded IPL 2022 mega auction. CSK bought him for a sum of Rs 1.5 crore (INR 15 million) at the mega auction. However, the all-rounder can be banned from cricket and not allowed to take part in the upcoming IPL 2022 in case he is found guilty of age fudging. A BCCI official has confirmed that the board has received the letter from Maharashtra’s Commissioner of Sports and Youth Department, and will investigate the case. "Yes, we have received a letter from the Maharashtra DYS. It is a serious allegation and we are looking into it. But at the moment he is free to play. We fully trust the system in place," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport. Also Read: Deepak Chahar to Liam Livingstone: 5 players who earned biggest pay rise at IPL mega auction BCCI has a strict policy against age fudging and several cricketers have been banned in the past for age fraud. Earlier, Manjot Kalra, India U-19 batter, who struck a century in the final of the U-19 World Cup in 2018 was also accused of age fraud and was suspended for one year from Ranji Trophy after being found guilty.

Rajvardhan Hangargekar's IPL dream hangs in balance as CSK youngster accused of age fraud

Cricket will make a comeback at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year but India, the game's financial engine, is unlikely to field teams owing to existing commitments.

Few expected India's men's team to compete in the September Games risking injury to the players ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia from Oct. 16.

Participation of the women's team, who will compete in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July-August, now also looks unlikely.

ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/want-to-see-your-century-in-pakistan-fans-message-for-virat-kohli-goes-viral-during-psl-2022-454359">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/want-to-see-your-century-in-pakistan-fans-message-for-virat-kohli-goes-viral-during-psl-2022-454359">'Want to see your century in Pakistan': Fan's message for Virat Kohli goes viral during PSL 2022</a>

"As far as the Asian Games in Hangzhou is concerned, a final decision on whether to send both men's and women's teams will be taken later and based on our existing commitments," BCCI secretary Jay Shah told Reuters.

The Games coincides with the women team's limited-overs tour of England where they are scheduled to play three one-dayers and an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals.

Hosting India is a lucrative proposition for any board and Shah said honouring bilateral commitment was particularly important in a post-coronavirus world. 
"The BCCI has always stood by member boards and helped them in these difficult times," Shah said.

"The board firmly believes in honouring its bilateral commitments.

"We are committed to our fans here in India and it is absolutely important that we safeguard our home season.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-just-ran-towards-virat-kohli-and-hugged-him-rcb-pacer-md-siraj-recalls-best-surprise-of-life-454323">I just ran towards Virat Kohli and hugged him: RCB pacer Md Siraj recalls 'best surprise of life'</a>

"The FTP that has been created needs to be adhered to," he said referring to the game`s Future Tours Programme calendar.

The reluctance of the BCCI, the world's richest cricket board, was seen as a major impediment to the game`s Olympic inclusion.

But a change in BCCI's stance has emboldened the governing International Cricket Council's push for cricket`s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

"The BCCI and ICC are on the same page on this and agree that the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics is good for the growth of the game," added Shah.

Cricket will make a comeback at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year but India, the game's financial engine, is unlikely to field teams owing to existing commitments.

Cricket will make a comeback at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year but India, the game's financial engine, is unlikely to field teams owing to existing commitments. Few expected India's men's team to compete in the September Games risking injury to the players ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia from Oct. 16. Participation of the women's team, who will compete in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July-August, now also looks unlikely. ALSO READ: 'Want to see your century in Pakistan': Fan's message for Virat Kohli goes viral during PSL 2022 "As far as the Asian Games in Hangzhou is concerned, a final decision on whether to send both men's and women's teams will be taken later and based on our existing commitments," BCCI secretary Jay Shah told Reuters. The Games coincides with the women team's limited-overs tour of England where they are scheduled to play three one-dayers and an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals. Hosting India is a lucrative proposition for any board and Shah said honouring bilateral commitment was particularly important in a post-coronavirus world. "The BCCI has always stood by member boards and helped them in these difficult times," Shah said. "The board firmly believes in honouring its bilateral commitments. "We are committed to our fans here in India and it is absolutely important that we safeguard our home season. ALSO READ: I just ran towards Virat Kohli and hugged him: RCB pacer Md Siraj recalls 'best surprise of life' "The FTP that has been created needs to be adhered to," he said referring to the game`s Future Tours Programme calendar. The reluctance of the BCCI, the world's richest cricket board, was seen as a major impediment to the game`s Olympic inclusion. But a change in BCCI's stance has emboldened the governing International Cricket Council's push for cricket`s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. "The BCCI and ICC are on the same page on this and agree that the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics is good for the growth of the game," added Shah.

India unlikely to send cricket teams in Hangzhou Asian Games owing to existing commitments

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Thursday lavished praise on Delhi batter Yash Dhull for his incredible first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group H match.

Yash Dhull scored a ton against Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Elite Group H contest here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

"100 on his first-class debut ... Yash Dhull is a player we will be seeing lots of over the next few years," Vaughan tweeted.

Sent out to open, Dhull brought up his century off just 133 balls with the help of 16 boundaries. In the ongoing match, Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bowl first.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ranji-trophy-u19-wc-winning-captain-yash-dhull-stars-on-first-class-debut-smashes-century-against-tamil-nadu-453989">Ranji Trophy: U19 WC-winning captain Yash Dhull stars on first-class debut, smashes century against Tamil Nadu</a>

When on 97, Dhull was dismissed by M Mohammed but the ball turned out to be a no-ball, and the young Delhi batter got a reprieve.

Earlier this month, Dhull had led India to a record fifth U19 World Cup triumph after the boys in blue defeated England in the summit clash.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Thursday lavished praise on Delhi batter Yash Dhull for his incredible first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group H match.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Thursday lavished praise on Delhi batter Yash Dhull for his incredible first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group H match. Yash Dhull scored a ton against Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Elite Group H contest here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Thursday. "100 on his first-class debut ... Yash Dhull is a player we will be seeing lots of over the next few years," Vaughan tweeted. Sent out to open, Dhull brought up his century off just 133 balls with the help of 16 boundaries. In the ongoing match, Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bowl first. ALSO READ: Ranji Trophy: U19 WC-winning captain Yash Dhull stars on first-class debut, smashes century against Tamil Nadu When on 97, Dhull was dismissed by M Mohammed but the ball turned out to be a no-ball, and the young Delhi batter got a reprieve. Earlier this month, Dhull had led India to a record fifth U19 World Cup triumph after the boys in blue defeated England in the summit clash.

Ranji Trophy: Michael Vaughan praises Yash Dhull for scoring record ton on first-class debut

India batter Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday smashed a ton in the ongoing match between Mumbai and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2022.

Rahane, playing for Mumbai, hit 100 in 212 balls to help his side recover from a precarious position. Mumbai were 22/2 when Rahane (100), who was going through a lean patch came into bat.

He lost his partner Sachin Yadav in the 12th over but Sarfaraz Khan (85) stitched an important stand with Rahane to revive Mumbai innings (219/3).

Earlier in the day, Delhi batter Yash Dhull on registered a century on his first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group H contest.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ranji-trophy-u19-wc-winning-captain-yash-dhull-stars-on-first-class-debut-smashes-century-against-tamil-nadu-453989">Ranji Trophy: U19 WC-winning captain Yash Dhull stars on first-class debut, smashes century against Tamil Nadu</a>

Dhull scored a ton against Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Elite Group H contest here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.

Sent out to open, Dhull brought up his century off just 133 balls with the help of 16 boundaries.

In the ongoing match, Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bowl first. When on 97, Dhull was dismissed by M Mohammed but the ball turned out to be a no-ball, and the young Delhi batter got a reprieve.

Dhull had led India to a record fifth U19 World Cup triumph after the boys in blue defeated England in the summit clash.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-look-to-seal-series-against-west-indies-in-2nd-t20i-amid-talks-on-virat-kohlis-dip-in-form-453998">India look to seal series against West Indies in 2nd T20I amid talks on Virat Kohli's dip in form</a>

The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15. The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26.

The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.

India batter Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday smashed a ton in the ongoing match between Mumbai and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2022. Rahane, playing for Mumbai, hit 100 in 212 balls to help his side recover from a precarious position.

India batter Ajinkya Rahane on Thursday smashed a ton in the ongoing match between Mumbai and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2022. Rahane, playing for Mumbai, hit 100 in 212 balls to help his side recover from a precarious position. Mumbai were 22/2 when Rahane (100), who was going through a lean patch came into bat. He lost his partner Sachin Yadav in the 12th over but Sarfaraz Khan (85) stitched an important stand with Rahane to revive Mumbai innings (219/3). Earlier in the day, Delhi batter Yash Dhull on registered a century on his first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy Elite Group H contest. ALSO READ: Ranji Trophy: U19 WC-winning captain Yash Dhull stars on first-class debut, smashes century against Tamil Nadu Dhull scored a ton against Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Elite Group H contest here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Sent out to open, Dhull brought up his century off just 133 balls with the help of 16 boundaries. In the ongoing match, Tamil Nadu won the toss and opted to bowl first. When on 97, Dhull was dismissed by M Mohammed but the ball turned out to be a no-ball, and the young Delhi batter got a reprieve. Dhull had led India to a record fifth U19 World Cup triumph after the boys in blue defeated England in the summit clash. ALSO READ: India look to seal series against West Indies in 2nd T20I amid talks on Virat Kohli's dip in form The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15. The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.

Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane regains lost form, smashes century against Saurashtra

After having won the first T20I against West Indies, Rohit Sharma-led India would look to seal the ongoing series when both teams lock horns in the second T20I.

India and West Indies will lock horns in the second T20I of the three-match series on Friday at the Eden Gardens. Ravi Bishnoi's two-wicket haul was backed up by quality knocks by Rohit Sharma (40) and Suryakumar Yadav (34*) as India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I.

The hosts would look to continue with their momentum, and ensure that the T20I is sealed on Friday itself.

Virat Kohli managed to score just 17 runs in the first game, and the management would hope that the right-handed batter manages to score big.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/1st-t20i-we-are-not-even-talking-about-him-aakash-chopra-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-string-of-low-scores-453996">'We're not even talking about him'- Chopra reacts to string of low scores from Kohli after 1st T20I vs WI</a>

Virat had lost scored a century in 2019 against Bangladesh and since then the three-figure has kept on eluding him.

Virat, who is the second-highest run-scorer in men's T20Is, would hope that he finds form soon and the century drought is broken.

In the first T20I, Rohit scored a whirlwind 40 and it was his innings that kept India ahead in the chase. However, a few quick wickets meant that India was in a spot of bother chasing 158, but in the end, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer showed calm heads and India registered a victory.

Ravi Bishnoi impressed one and all on his debut as he registered figures of 2-17, and he would look to go on with his form.

Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled well in patches, but the management would hope for more consistency. Harshal Patel also returned with two wickets and he seemed like a value addition to the team.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-wi-1st-t20i-im-saying-it-how-virat-kohli-convinced-skipper-rohit-sharma-to-take-drs-watch-453958">India vs WI, 1st T20I: 'I’m saying it' - How Virat Kohli convinced skipper Rohit Sharma to take DRS - Watch</a>

Talking about West Indies, Nicholas Pooran impressed with his 61-run knock, but the rest of the batters once again disappointed just like the ODI series.

The visitors would hope for their top-order to come good in the second T20I if they want to level the series.

Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Roseton Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Romario Shephard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.

After having won the first T20I against West Indies, Rohit Sharma-led India would look to seal the ongoing series when both teams lock horns in the second T20I. India and West Indies will lock horns in the second T20I of the three-match series on Friday at the Eden Gardens.

After having won the first T20I against West Indies, Rohit Sharma-led India would look to seal the ongoing series when both teams lock horns in the second T20I. India and West Indies will lock horns in the second T20I of the three-match series on Friday at the Eden Gardens. Ravi Bishnoi's two-wicket haul was backed up by quality knocks by Rohit Sharma (40) and Suryakumar Yadav (34*) as India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20I. The hosts would look to continue with their momentum, and ensure that the T20I is sealed on Friday itself. Virat Kohli managed to score just 17 runs in the first game, and the management would hope that the right-handed batter manages to score big. ALSO READ: 'We're not even talking about him'- Chopra reacts to string of low scores from Kohli after 1st T20I vs WI Virat had lost scored a century in 2019 against Bangladesh and since then the three-figure has kept on eluding him. Virat, who is the second-highest run-scorer in men's T20Is, would hope that he finds form soon and the century drought is broken. In the first T20I, Rohit scored a whirlwind 40 and it was his innings that kept India ahead in the chase. However, a few quick wickets meant that India was in a spot of bother chasing 158, but in the end, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer showed calm heads and India registered a victory. Ravi Bishnoi impressed one and all on his debut as he registered figures of 2-17, and he would look to go on with his form. Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled well in patches, but the management would hope for more consistency. Harshal Patel also returned with two wickets and he seemed like a value addition to the team. ALSO READ: India vs WI, 1st T20I: 'I’m saying it' - How Virat Kohli convinced skipper Rohit Sharma to take DRS - Watch Talking about West Indies, Nicholas Pooran impressed with his 61-run knock, but the rest of the batters once again disappointed just like the ODI series. The visitors would hope for their top-order to come good in the second T20I if they want to level the series. Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda. West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Roseton Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Romario Shephard, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.

India look to seal series against West Indies in 2nd T20I amid talks on Virat Kohli's dip in form

Team India put on a clinical display in the three-match ODI series versus West Indies, at home, to inflict a whitewash. Ahead of the three T20Is, starting on February 16, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have been dealt with injury concerns with limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel being ruled out.

In Rahul's absence, who suffered a&nbsp;hamstring injury and wasn't part of the third and final ODI, BCCI have named a new vice-captain for the T20I leg. Rishabh Pant has been promoted as Rohit's deputy for the T20I series. This is the first time that Pant has been named as Team India's vice-captain for a series as the left-hander continues to grow in stature.&nbsp;

Pant is being looked upon as a future leader for Team India, especially after the rapid changes that have taken place in the senior men's team post the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. For the unversed, the 24-year-old is also a contender to become the Test captain (or vice-captain) with Virat Kohli's resignation early this year.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/avesh-khan-reveals-rishabh-pants-reaction-when-he-was-sold-to-lucknow-super-giants-during-ipl-2022-auction-453303">Avesh Khan reveals Rishabh Pant's reaction when he was sold to Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2022 auction</a>

The announcement came as BCCI confirmed Kuldeep Yadav to have replaced an injured Sundar for the upcoming T20Is. On the other hand, Deepak Hooda and Ruturaj Gaikwad are now also a part of the squad, with Rahul and Axar being ruled out.

After Pant's elevation as vice-captain, his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals (DC) also congratulated him. He will be leading the Delhi Capitals (DC) once again during the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition. Here's what DC's official Twitter handle wrote:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You're looking at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>'s T20I vice-captain for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> series 🤩 
 
Proud of you, <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> 💙<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YehHaiNayiDilli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YehHaiNayiDilli</a> <a href="https://t.co/iPZZZZEtDC">pic.twitter.com/iPZZZZEtDC</a>
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) <a href="https://twitter.com/DelhiCapitals/status/1493272115457687552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suresh-raina-mentions-why-team-india-struggled-in-2021-t20-wc-and-tasted-success-between-2007-13-453238">Suresh Raina explains why India struggled in 2021 T20 WC, opines on team's success between 2007-13</a>

India’s T20I squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain) (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav

Team India put on a clinical display in the three-match ODI series versus West Indies, at home, to inflict a whitewash. Ahead of the three T20Is, starting on February 16, Rohit Sharma & Co.

Team India put on a clinical display in the three-match ODI series versus West Indies, at home, to inflict a whitewash. Ahead of the three T20Is, starting on February 16, Rohit Sharma & Co. have been dealt with injury concerns with limited-overs vice-captain KL Rahul, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel being ruled out. In Rahul's absence, who suffered a hamstring injury and wasn't part of the third and final ODI, BCCI have named a new vice-captain for the T20I leg. Rishabh Pant has been promoted as Rohit's deputy for the T20I series. This is the first time that Pant has been named as Team India's vice-captain for a series as the left-hander continues to grow in stature. Pant is being looked upon as a future leader for Team India, especially after the rapid changes that have taken place in the senior men's team post the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. For the unversed, the 24-year-old is also a contender to become the Test captain (or vice-captain) with Virat Kohli's resignation early this year. ALSO READ | Avesh Khan reveals Rishabh Pant's reaction when he was sold to Lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2022 auction The announcement came as BCCI confirmed Kuldeep Yadav to have replaced an injured Sundar for the upcoming T20Is. On the other hand, Deepak Hooda and Ruturaj Gaikwad are now also a part of the squad, with Rahul and Axar being ruled out. After Pant's elevation as vice-captain, his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals (DC) also congratulated him. He will be leading the Delhi Capitals (DC) once again during the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition. Here's what DC's official Twitter handle wrote: You're looking at #TeamIndia's T20I vice-captain for the #INDvWI series 🤩 Proud of you, @RishabhPant17 💙#YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/iPZZZZEtDC — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) February 14, 2022 × ALSO READ | Suresh Raina explains why India struggled in 2021 T20 WC, opines on team's success between 2007-13 India’s T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain) (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav

India vs WI, T20Is: BCCI name Rishabh Pant as Rohit Sharma's deputy in KL Rahul's absence

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a change in schedule for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour of India.

Sri Lanka will first play the T20I series comprising three matches, starting from February 24, followed by a two-match Test series, which will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship, 2021-23.

"Lucknow will now host the first T20I while the next two will be played in Dharamsala," BCCI said in a statement.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-kl-rahul-harbhajan-singh-picks-young-batter-who-should-open-with-rohit-sharma-for-india-in-t20is-453501">No KL Rahul! Harbhajan Singh picks young batter who should open with Rohit Sharma for India in T20Is</a>

"The first Test will now be held in Mohali from March 4th to 8th and the second Test will be played from March 12th to 16th in Bengaluru," it added.

Earlier, Sri Lanka was slated to lock horns with India from February 25 in the first Test of the series in Bengaluru. On the other hand, the T20Is were scheduled to start from March 13 before the revised schedule was announced on Tuesday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a change in schedule for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour of India. Sri Lanka will first play the T20I series comprising three matches, starting from February 24, followed by a two-match Test series, which will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship, 2021-23.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a change in schedule for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour of India. Sri Lanka will first play the T20I series comprising three matches, starting from February 24, followed by a two-match Test series, which will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship, 2021-23. "Lucknow will now host the first T20I while the next two will be played in Dharamsala," BCCI said in a statement. ALSO READ: No KL Rahul! Harbhajan Singh picks young batter who should open with Rohit Sharma for India in T20Is "The first Test will now be held in Mohali from March 4th to 8th and the second Test will be played from March 12th to 16th in Bengaluru," it added. Earlier, Sri Lanka was slated to lock horns with India from February 25 in the first Test of the series in Bengaluru. On the other hand, the T20Is were scheduled to start from March 13 before the revised schedule was announced on Tuesday.

India-SL T20Is to begin on Feb 24, Virat Kohli to play 100th Test in series opener at Mohali

Team India had a forgettable run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Under Virat Kohli, India endured a disastrous campaign, being eliminated in the Super 12 round. India have failed to end their ICC-title drought since 2013, when they lifted the Champions Trophy under former captain MS Dhoni.

During 2007-2013, India had a lot of success in ICC tournaments, winning the inaugural T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy, nine years back. Since then, the Men in Blue have done well in many ICC tournaments -- sans the last edition of the T20 WC -- but failed to lift the coveted title.&nbsp;

Suresh Raina, who went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction, recently opened up on India's struggles to win a major trophy and explained why the national side did so well between 2007-13. He cited&nbsp;the availability of multiple players, who could bat and as well roll their arms, as one of the main reasons for team's past success whereas feels the lack of more bowling options is now hurting the Men in Blue.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-ms-dhoni-showed-his-simplicity-by-travelling-with-jharkhand-players-in-train-see-pic-453218">THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni showed his simplicity by travelling with Jharkhand players in train - See pic</a>

"I think this is why we won the 2007 World T20, the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. When I started in Ranji, I remember our coach Gyanu bhai (Gyanendra Pandey) would always tell us, ‘you should bowl.’ It gives a captain the ability to get in eight-ten overs if he has a sixth or seventh bowling option, when he is playing only five bowlers. That is good planning," Raina told&nbsp;The Indian Express&nbsp;at&nbsp;Idea Exchange.

“So you see Viru paa (Sehwag), Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and me, including in the 2011 World Cup, all would bowl,” said the veteran cricketer. He added, "When we lost in the Champions Trophy (2017), or even recently in Dubai (in the T20 World Cup), we did not have a sixth bowling option. Now Shreyas Iyer is working on his bowling, I think he should keep working hard. Rohit will have a good option then.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dont-think-hes-going-through-a-lean-phase-vikram-rathour-expects-virat-kohli-to-regain-form-in-wi-t20is-453207">Don't think he's going through a lean phase: Vikram Rathour expects Virat Kohli to regain form in WI T20Is</a>

He further asseerted, “In the South Africa series, recently, Aiden Markram was bowling six-eight overs upfront, and the main bowlers were coming in later. This is a big factor for the Indian team. Suryakumar Yadav can bowl as well. Even Rohit would bowl before his injury. So someone will have to step in, and bowl at least six-eight overs regularly in nets."&nbsp;

“Batsmen should definitely work on their batting but they need to come in early or stay back for half an hour for the nation (to bowl a bit in the nets). They will have to like that process. Once you start liking it, you will not go away without bowling five-six overs,” added the ex-Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter.

Raina, who had a base price of INR 20 million, went unsold at IPL auction this year. He remains one of the most successful batters in IPL history, being the fourth-highest run-getter (5,528), and was a vital all-rounder for Team India from 2005-2020.

He was a part of India's title win in 2011 ODI WC and Champions Trophy success in 2013.

Team India had a forgettable run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Under Virat Kohli, India endured a disastrous campaign, being eliminated in the Super 12 round.

Team India had a forgettable run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, held in the UAE. Under Virat Kohli, India endured a disastrous campaign, being eliminated in the Super 12 round. India have failed to end their ICC-title drought since 2013, when they lifted the Champions Trophy under former captain MS Dhoni. During 2007-2013, India had a lot of success in ICC tournaments, winning the inaugural T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy, nine years back. Since then, the Men in Blue have done well in many ICC tournaments -- sans the last edition of the T20 WC -- but failed to lift the coveted title. Suresh Raina, who went unsold at the IPL 2022 mega auction, recently opened up on India's struggles to win a major trophy and explained why the national side did so well between 2007-13. He cited the availability of multiple players, who could bat and as well roll their arms, as one of the main reasons for team's past success whereas feels the lack of more bowling options is now hurting the Men in Blue. ALSO READ | THROWBACK: When MS Dhoni showed his simplicity by travelling with Jharkhand players in train - See pic "I think this is why we won the 2007 World T20, the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. When I started in Ranji, I remember our coach Gyanu bhai (Gyanendra Pandey) would always tell us, ‘you should bowl.’ It gives a captain the ability to get in eight-ten overs if he has a sixth or seventh bowling option, when he is playing only five bowlers. That is good planning," Raina told The Indian Express at Idea Exchange. “So you see Viru paa (Sehwag), Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and me, including in the 2011 World Cup, all would bowl,” said the veteran cricketer. He added, "When we lost in the Champions Trophy (2017), or even recently in Dubai (in the T20 World Cup), we did not have a sixth bowling option. Now Shreyas Iyer is working on his bowling, I think he should keep working hard. Rohit will have a good option then.” ALSO READ | Don't think he's going through a lean phase: Vikram Rathour expects Virat Kohli to regain form in WI T20Is He further asseerted, “In the South Africa series, recently, Aiden Markram was bowling six-eight overs upfront, and the main bowlers were coming in later. This is a big factor for the Indian team. Suryakumar Yadav can bowl as well. Even Rohit would bowl before his injury. So someone will have to step in, and bowl at least six-eight overs regularly in nets." “Batsmen should definitely work on their batting but they need to come in early or stay back for half an hour for the nation (to bowl a bit in the nets). They will have to like that process. Once you start liking it, you will not go away without bowling five-six overs,” added the ex-Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter. Raina, who had a base price of INR 20 million, went unsold at IPL auction this year. He remains one of the most successful batters in IPL history, being the fourth-highest run-getter (5,528), and was a vital all-rounder for Team India from 2005-2020. He was a part of India's title win in 2011 ODI WC and Champions Trophy success in 2013.

Suresh Raina explains why India struggled in 2021 T20 WC, opines on team's success between 2007-13

Virat Kohli's batting form has been a topic of discussion of late. While it is well-known by now that the 33-year-old's last international ton came in late 2019, in the pre-Covid era, the former Indian skipper has been among runs -- especially in the white-ball formats -- but had a forgettable three-match ODI series versus West Indies.&nbsp;

Kohli, who has been succeeded by Rohit Sharma as Team India's white-ball captain, ended with only 26 runs in the three ODIs versus the Men in Maroon, crossing the double-digit mark only once. Ahead of the three-match T20I series between both the teams, in India, batting coach Vikram Rathour played down Kohli's form struggles.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/royal-challengers-bangalore-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-faf-du-plessis-to-captain-pace-heavy-line-up-453152">Royal Challengers Bangalore complete squad for IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis to captain pace-heavy line-up?</a>

"I don't think he's going through a lean phase. I understand he had a poor series against the West Indies (in ODIs) but no conversation as such," Rathour said in a media interaction ahead of the 1st T20I between India and the West Indies.

"He's batting really well in the nets and the kind of preparation he's putting in. We are waiting for... I'm certain that in one of these innings he will be back among runs," batting coach Rathour added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-needs-confidence-rohit-sharma-reacts-to-questions-over-kohlis-continued-lean-patch-452522">'Virat needs confidence?' Rohit Sharma reacts to questions over Kohli's continued lean patch</a>

For the unversed, Kohli endured his worst ODI&nbsp;series in 9 years, during Rohit-led India's 3-0 whitewash over West Indies. Thus, he will be eager to turn the tide in the forthcoming three T20Is. He has been in good form in the shortest format, with five fifty-plus scores in last ten innings, and will be desperate to get a big score under his belt.

The three T20Is commence on February 16, in Kolkata.

Virat Kohli's batting form has been a topic of discussion of late. While it is well-known by now that the 33-year-old's last international ton came in late 2019, in the pre-Covid era, the former Indian skipper has been among runs -- especially in the white-ball formats -- but had a forgettable three-match ODI series versus West Indies.

Virat Kohli's batting form has been a topic of discussion of late. While it is well-known by now that the 33-year-old's last international ton came in late 2019, in the pre-Covid era, the former Indian skipper has been among runs -- especially in the white-ball formats -- but had a forgettable three-match ODI series versus West Indies. Kohli, who has been succeeded by Rohit Sharma as Team India's white-ball captain, ended with only 26 runs in the three ODIs versus the Men in Maroon, crossing the double-digit mark only once. Ahead of the three-match T20I series between both the teams, in India, batting coach Vikram Rathour played down Kohli's form struggles. ALSO READ | Royal Challengers Bangalore complete squad for IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis to captain pace-heavy line-up? "I don't think he's going through a lean phase. I understand he had a poor series against the West Indies (in ODIs) but no conversation as such," Rathour said in a media interaction ahead of the 1st T20I between India and the West Indies. "He's batting really well in the nets and the kind of preparation he's putting in. We are waiting for... I'm certain that in one of these innings he will be back among runs," batting coach Rathour added. ALSO READ | 'Virat needs confidence?' Rohit Sharma reacts to questions over Kohli's continued lean patch For the unversed, Kohli endured his worst ODI series in 9 years, during Rohit-led India's 3-0 whitewash over West Indies. Thus, he will be eager to turn the tide in the forthcoming three T20Is. He has been in good form in the shortest format, with five fifty-plus scores in last ten innings, and will be desperate to get a big score under his belt. The three T20Is commence on February 16, in Kolkata.

Don't think he's going through a lean phase: Vikram Rathour expects Virat Kohli to regain form in WI T20Is

On Saturday (February 12), a freakish incident took place during Day 1 of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Auctioneer&nbsp;Hugh Edmeades&nbsp;collapsed on the stage mid-way through the bidding for Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, who eventually went to Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore).

Later, the IPL confirmed that Edmeades “had an unfortunate fall due to Postural Hypotension,” and confirmed that he remains stable. Thus, he was replaced by broadcaster Charu Sharma, who continues to remain the auctioneer for the remainder of the two-day mega auction as Edmeades remains on recovery mode.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/livingstone-surpasses-hasarangas-price-tag-to-become-costliest-overseas-buy-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-452873">Livingstone surpasses Hasaranga's price tag to become costliest overseas buy at IPL 2022 mega auction</a>

For the unversed, Charu Sharma lives near the hotel where the IPL mega auction is taking place in Bengaluru. He recently revealed the call from the IPL chairman on how he was offered&nbsp;to quickly turn up and replace Edmeades.&nbsp;“I don’t live too far from the hotel. So Brijesh called me and said, ‘just put on some clothes and run’… I was there in just 15-20 minutes. They briefed me for a bit and then we were on,” Sharma told&nbsp;Sportstar.

“I am also a regular auctioneer and have held a lot of auctions for several other leagues, except for the IPL. I was only doing what I did in the past..”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-auction-harbhajan-feels-it-was-sad-sight-of-ipl-when-regular-indian-pacer-went-unsold-452863">IPL 2022 mega auction: Harbhajan feels it was 'sad sight of IPL' when regular Indian pacer went unsold</a>

He further added, “I still do a fair amount of cricket and other leagues. I am 62 and if the phone rings, I still work. If it doesn’t ring, then I play golf, tennis, and stay at home. Even at times, friends tell me, ‘Hey Charu, we miss you in cricket.’ I joke and say, ‘even I miss myself.’ But that being said, I have done a lot of leagues and other assignments, the recent being the Tata Open Maharashtra."

The likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer, Nicholas Pooran, Liam Livingstone, Jason Holder, Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, etc. have been sold for a whopping price in the mega auction so far. Some unknown faces, or relatively inexperienced campaigners, have also made heads turn with them going for a big sum. The two-day affair will conclude later on Sunday (February 13).

On Saturday (February 12), a freakish incident took place during Day 1 of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed on the stage mid-way through the bidding for Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, who eventually went to Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for INR 107.

On Saturday (February 12), a freakish incident took place during Day 1 of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed on the stage mid-way through the bidding for Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, who eventually went to Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for INR 107.5 million (INR 10.75 crore). Later, the IPL confirmed that Edmeades “had an unfortunate fall due to Postural Hypotension,” and confirmed that he remains stable. Thus, he was replaced by broadcaster Charu Sharma, who continues to remain the auctioneer for the remainder of the two-day mega auction as Edmeades remains on recovery mode. ALSO READ | Livingstone surpasses Hasaranga's price tag to become costliest overseas buy at IPL 2022 mega auction For the unversed, Charu Sharma lives near the hotel where the IPL mega auction is taking place in Bengaluru. He recently revealed the call from the IPL chairman on how he was offered to quickly turn up and replace Edmeades. “I don’t live too far from the hotel. So Brijesh called me and said, ‘just put on some clothes and run’… I was there in just 15-20 minutes. They briefed me for a bit and then we were on,” Sharma told Sportstar. “I am also a regular auctioneer and have held a lot of auctions for several other leagues, except for the IPL. I was only doing what I did in the past..” ALSO READ | IPL 2022 mega auction: Harbhajan feels it was 'sad sight of IPL' when regular Indian pacer went unsold He further added, “I still do a fair amount of cricket and other leagues. I am 62 and if the phone rings, I still work. If it doesn’t ring, then I play golf, tennis, and stay at home. Even at times, friends tell me, ‘Hey Charu, we miss you in cricket.’ I joke and say, ‘even I miss myself.’ But that being said, I have done a lot of leagues and other assignments, the recent being the Tata Open Maharashtra." The likes of Ishan Kishan, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer, Nicholas Pooran, Liam Livingstone, Jason Holder, Kagiso Rabada, Shikhar Dhawan, etc. have been sold for a whopping price in the mega auction so far. Some unknown faces, or relatively inexperienced campaigners, have also made heads turn with them going for a big sum. The two-day affair will conclude later on Sunday (February 13).

‘Put on some clothes and run' - Charu Sharma shares chat with IPL chairman after replacing Hugh Edmeades

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner&nbsp;Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans. It remains one of the two new additions (along with Lucknow -- named Lucknow Super Giants) to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2022 edition, in India.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the Ahmedabad franchise had named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the captain and also roped in Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their three picks. Gary Kirsten, who guided the MS Dhoni-led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title, will serve as the batting coach whereas former pacer Ashish Nehra has been named as the head coach.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/an-emotional-call-aakash-chopra-on-csk-shelling-out-inr-120-million-to-retain-ms-dhoni-ahead-of-ipl-auction-451508">'An emotional call': Aakash Chopra on CSK shelling out INR 120 million to retain MS Dhoni ahead of IPL auction</a>

For the unversed, the franchise from Ahmedabad is the second team from Gujarat to feature in the IPL. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Gujarat Lions were the first-ever side from the state to be included in the IPL. It was led by Suresh Raina, who took them to the playoffs in their inaugural season.&nbsp;

Hardik's services have been roped in for INR 150 million whereas the CVC Capital Partners also bought Rashid for the same price. Shubman, on the other hand, was picked at INR 80 million. He has earlier represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since the 2018 season.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mandatory-rules-laid-down-by-bcci-for-all-10-franchises-at-mega-auction-451445">IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction</a>

It will be interesting to see who all are picked by the Ahmedabad franchise in the forthcoming auction. As per reports, the newly-formed team have INR 520 million in their purse heading into the auction proceedings. The mega auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans.

After a long wait, the Ahmedabad franchise's owner Siddharth Patel of CVC Capital Partners has revealed the official name of the Hardik Pandya-led unit. The Ahmedabad franchise is set to be named Gujarat Titans. It remains one of the two new additions (along with Lucknow -- named Lucknow Super Giants) to the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the 2022 edition, in India. Ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, the Ahmedabad franchise had named all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the captain and also roped in Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill as their three picks. Gary Kirsten, who guided the MS Dhoni-led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup title, will serve as the batting coach whereas former pacer Ashish Nehra has been named as the head coach. ALSO READ | 'An emotional call': Aakash Chopra on CSK shelling out INR 120 million to retain MS Dhoni ahead of IPL auction For the unversed, the franchise from Ahmedabad is the second team from Gujarat to feature in the IPL. In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Gujarat Lions were the first-ever side from the state to be included in the IPL. It was led by Suresh Raina, who took them to the playoffs in their inaugural season. Hardik's services have been roped in for INR 150 million whereas the CVC Capital Partners also bought Rashid for the same price. Shubman, on the other hand, was picked at INR 80 million. He has earlier represented the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since the 2018 season. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction It will be interesting to see who all are picked by the Ahmedabad franchise in the forthcoming auction. As per reports, the newly-formed team have INR 520 million in their purse heading into the auction proceedings. The mega auction will be held in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.

IPL 2022: Hardik Pandya's Ahmedabad franchise named Gujarat Titans, reveals team owner

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads. The mega auction returns after four years, last held in early 2018, and will also see the members of the two new IPL teams -- in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad (official name not announced yet).

Ahead of the mega auction proceedings, here's a detailed list of mandatory rules laid down by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be strictly followed by all the ten IPL franchises:

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/richard-madley-recalls-bidding-war-for-ms-dhoni-during-inaugural-ipl-auction-in-2008-451423">Richard Madley recalls bidding war for MS Dhoni during inaugural IPL auction in 2008</a>

1) The forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction will be held in a bio-bubble environment. 
2) The officials representing the ten franchises will have to undergo&nbsp;COVID-19 tests and return with negative RT-PCR report on February 9, 10&nbsp; as well as on the 11th.&nbsp; 
3) Unlike the IPL 2018 mega auction, no&nbsp;Right to Match (RTM) option will be&nbsp;available&nbsp;in the upcoming&nbsp;auction proceedings. 
4) The IPL 2022 purse has seen an increase,&nbsp;from Rs 80 crore&nbsp;to 90 crore (INR 800 to 900 million) to accommodate more players. This has been done to rope in more players by focusing primarily&nbsp;on India's&nbsp;domestic circuit. 
5) The Indian board will also keep a tab&nbsp;on those arriving at the team hotel on February 11. They will be closely monitored for COVID-19 symptoms. 
6) The testing will take place&nbsp;between 12 am to 7 am for the smooth conduct of the mega&nbsp;auction. Till their test reports do not come negative,&nbsp;the members will stay put in their respective hotel rooms. 
7) All&nbsp;attendees are also expected to share full details including COVID vaccination results (if any) with the BCCI's&nbsp;medical team. 
8) The participants entering the auction proceedings&nbsp;will have to wear masks in the auditorium at all times.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/drive-auto-with-your-father-rcbs-md-siraj-recalls-criticism-for-bowling-two-beamers-vs-kkr-in-ipl-2019-451404">'Drive auto with your father' - RCB's Md Siraj recalls criticism for bowling two beamers vs KKR in IPL 2019</a>

Where to watch the live streaming, telecast of mega auction?

The ardent IPL fans will be able to watch the live streaming of the IPL 2022 mega&nbsp;auction on Disney+ Hotstar. On the other hand,&nbsp;the mega event will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads.

The D-day is upon us. The IPL 2022 mega auction is set to take place on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru as all the ten franchises are eager to rope in some marquee and promising talents in their respective squads. The mega auction returns after four years, last held in early 2018, and will also see the members of the two new IPL teams -- in the form of Lucknow Super Giants and Team Ahmedabad (official name not announced yet). Ahead of the mega auction proceedings, here's a detailed list of mandatory rules laid down by the Sourav Ganguly-led Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be strictly followed by all the ten IPL franchises: ALSO READ | Richard Madley recalls bidding war for MS Dhoni during inaugural IPL auction in 2008 1) The forthcoming IPL 2022 mega auction will be held in a bio-bubble environment. 2) The officials representing the ten franchises will have to undergo COVID-19 tests and return with negative RT-PCR report on February 9, 10 as well as on the 11th. 3) Unlike the IPL 2018 mega auction, no Right to Match (RTM) option will be available in the upcoming auction proceedings. 4) The IPL 2022 purse has seen an increase, from Rs 80 crore to 90 crore (INR 800 to 900 million) to accommodate more players. This has been done to rope in more players by focusing primarily on India's domestic circuit. 5) The Indian board will also keep a tab on those arriving at the team hotel on February 11. They will be closely monitored for COVID-19 symptoms. 6) The testing will take place between 12 am to 7 am for the smooth conduct of the mega auction. Till their test reports do not come negative, the members will stay put in their respective hotel rooms. 7) All attendees are also expected to share full details including COVID vaccination results (if any) with the BCCI's medical team. 8) The participants entering the auction proceedings will have to wear masks in the auditorium at all times. ALSO READ | 'Drive auto with your father' - RCB's Md Siraj recalls criticism for bowling two beamers vs KKR in IPL 2019 Where to watch the live streaming, telecast of mega auction? The ardent IPL fans will be able to watch the live streaming of the IPL 2022 mega auction on Disney+ Hotstar. On the other hand, the mega event will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.

IPL 2022: Mandatory rules laid down by BCCI for all 10 franchises at mega auction

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Jay Shah has responded to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja's proposal of a four-nation 'T20 Super Series' involving both India and Pakistan. Shah has played down the chances of the series getting materialised anytime soon stating that the BCCI's focus is on helping cricket expand globally which is a huge challenge for all major cricket boards.

PCB chief Raja had come up with a unique proposal earlier this year. He batted for a T20 Super Series involving India, Pakistan, Australia and England and said the profits from the tournament can be shared with all ICC members on a percentage basis. India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral cricket since the 2012-13 season due to the ongoing political tension between the two nations.

India and Pakistan have since continued to meet only in major ICC events. Any meeting between the arch-rivals is highly anticipated by cricket fans across the globe and the game between the two sides becomes a mega affair in any major ICC tournament. While the PCB is making all the efforts to resume bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan, BCCI has so far maintained a strict stand.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-cricket-team-creates-history-becomes-first-side-to-complete-the-milestone-of-1000-odis-450912">Indian cricket team creates history, becomes first side to complete the milestone of 1,000 ODIs</a>

BCCI secretary Shah labelled Raja's proposal a 'short-term commercial initiative'&nbsp;while speaking to Reuters. The BCCI secretary asserted that the board will prioritise the expansion of cricket across the globe over such short-term initiatives.

"With the IPL window expanding and the ICC (global) events every year in the cycle, our primary responsibility is to safeguard bilateral cricket at home, with emphasis on test cricket," Shah told Reuters.

"I am also looking forward to seeing cricket at the Olympics, as that will help the game grow. Expansion of the sport is a challenge that our game faces and we must prioritise it over any short-term commercial initiative," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/virat-kohli-to-yash-dhull-indian-captains-who-have-lifted-the-u-19-world-cup-trophy-451068">Virat Kohli to Yash Dhull: Indian captains who have lifted the U-19 World Cup trophy</a>

"Hello fans.Will propose to the ICC a Four Nations T20i Super Series involving Pak Ind Aus Eng to be played every year,to be hosted on rotation basis by these four. A separate revenue model with profits to be shared on percentage basis with all ICC members, think we have a winner," PCB chief Raja had said in a tweet in January this year.

India and Pakistan last met in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE last year where the Babar Azam-led Men in Green defeated Virat Kohli &amp; Co. comprehensively by ten wickets to get off to a winning start in the tournament. With the win, Pakistan had also brought an end to their losing streak against India in World Cup matches.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Jay Shah has responded to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja's proposal of a four-nation 'T20 Super Series' involving both India and Pakistan.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Jay Shah has responded to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja's proposal of a four-nation 'T20 Super Series' involving both India and Pakistan. Shah has played down the chances of the series getting materialised anytime soon stating that the BCCI's focus is on helping cricket expand globally which is a huge challenge for all major cricket boards. PCB chief Raja had come up with a unique proposal earlier this year. He batted for a T20 Super Series involving India, Pakistan, Australia and England and said the profits from the tournament can be shared with all ICC members on a percentage basis. India and Pakistan have not played any bilateral cricket since the 2012-13 season due to the ongoing political tension between the two nations. India and Pakistan have since continued to meet only in major ICC events. Any meeting between the arch-rivals is highly anticipated by cricket fans across the globe and the game between the two sides becomes a mega affair in any major ICC tournament. While the PCB is making all the efforts to resume bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan, BCCI has so far maintained a strict stand. Also Read: Indian cricket team creates history, becomes first side to complete the milestone of 1,000 ODIs BCCI secretary Shah labelled Raja's proposal a 'short-term commercial initiative' while speaking to Reuters. The BCCI secretary asserted that the board will prioritise the expansion of cricket across the globe over such short-term initiatives. "With the IPL window expanding and the ICC (global) events every year in the cycle, our primary responsibility is to safeguard bilateral cricket at home, with emphasis on test cricket," Shah told Reuters. "I am also looking forward to seeing cricket at the Olympics, as that will help the game grow. Expansion of the sport is a challenge that our game faces and we must prioritise it over any short-term commercial initiative," he added. Also Read: Virat Kohli to Yash Dhull: Indian captains who have lifted the U-19 World Cup trophy "Hello fans.Will propose to the ICC a Four Nations T20i Super Series involving Pak Ind Aus Eng to be played every year,to be hosted on rotation basis by these four. A separate revenue model with profits to be shared on percentage basis with all ICC members, think we have a winner," PCB chief Raja had said in a tweet in January this year. India and Pakistan last met in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE last year where the Babar Azam-led Men in Green defeated Virat Kohli & Co. comprehensively by ten wickets to get off to a winning start in the tournament. With the win, Pakistan had also brought an end to their losing streak against India in World Cup matches.

'Short-term commercial initiative': Jay Shah on Ramiz Raja's proposal of 4-nation series involving India, Pak

Anil Kumble's sacking as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in 2017 remains one of the most controversial sagas in Indian cricket. Kumble was removed as the head coach of the team following India's defeat in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Pakistan. Kumble was asked to leave just one year after being appointed as the head coach of the team.

At the time several reports had cited differences between Kohli and Kumble as the major reason behind his sacking as head coach. The captain and head coach were reportedly not on the same page which led to the controversial sacking. A former BCCI official has now lifted the lid on the entire saga.

Former BCCI administrator Ratnakar Shetty, who was working with the board in 2017, has opened up on the Kohli-Kumble episode in his new book 'On Board: Test.Trial.Triumph. My years in BCCI'. Shetty revealed Kohli and Kumble were not on the same wavelength and the captain had an upper hand which led to the legendary spinner's sacking from the head coach post.

“The events leading up to the resignation of Anil Kumble as coach of the men’s team after the ICC Champions Trophy final in June 2017 showcased the murkiness that had steadily crept into the corridors of the Cricket Centre," Shetty has written in his book, as per the Indian Express.

“It was obvious that some people did not want Anil to continue as coach. The captain and coach did not appear to be on the same wavelength and it seemed that the captain had the upper hand," the former BCCI administrator further elaborated.

Opening up on the reason behind Kumble's sacking and his differences with Kohli, Shetty revealed Kohli felt Kumble was 'not standing up for the players' in the team and was 'creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room. Kumble was replaced by Ravi Shastri as the head coach after India's loss in the Champions Trophy 2017 final.

"I learnt later about a meeting that took place in London before the final of the Champions Trophy, which we lost to Pakistan. This meeting was attended by Virat, Anil, Johri, Amitabh Choudhary and Dr Sridhar. Apparently, Virat was not happy with Anil ‘for not standing up for the players and creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room’, among other things," revealed Shetty in his book.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/skipper-yash-dhull-reveals-what-virat-kohli-told-the-indian-team-ahead-of-u-19-wc-final-against-england-450639">Skipper Yash Dhull reveals what Virat Kohli told the Indian team ahead of U-19 WC final against England</a>

Kohli and Shastri enjoyed a formidable partnership as coach and captain and took India to unprecedented success in Test cricket. India registered a memorable maiden series win in Australia and dominated at home and overseas in the longest format. However, the team failed to win a major ICC trophy under Shastri.

While Shastri left the India head coach post after the end of his contract last year, Kohli is also no more the captain of the Indian team in any format of the game at present.

Anil Kumble's sacking as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in 2017 remains one of the most controversial sagas in Indian cricket. Kumble was removed as the head coach of the team following India's defeat in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Pakistan.

Anil Kumble's sacking as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in 2017 remains one of the most controversial sagas in Indian cricket. Kumble was removed as the head coach of the team following India's defeat in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against Pakistan. Kumble was asked to leave just one year after being appointed as the head coach of the team. At the time several reports had cited differences between Kohli and Kumble as the major reason behind his sacking as head coach. The captain and head coach were reportedly not on the same page which led to the controversial sacking. A former BCCI official has now lifted the lid on the entire saga. Former BCCI administrator Ratnakar Shetty, who was working with the board in 2017, has opened up on the Kohli-Kumble episode in his new book 'On Board: Test.Trial.Triumph. My years in BCCI'. Shetty revealed Kohli and Kumble were not on the same wavelength and the captain had an upper hand which led to the legendary spinner's sacking from the head coach post. “The events leading up to the resignation of Anil Kumble as coach of the men’s team after the ICC Champions Trophy final in June 2017 showcased the murkiness that had steadily crept into the corridors of the Cricket Centre," Shetty has written in his book, as per the Indian Express. “It was obvious that some people did not want Anil to continue as coach. The captain and coach did not appear to be on the same wavelength and it seemed that the captain had the upper hand," the former BCCI administrator further elaborated. Opening up on the reason behind Kumble's sacking and his differences with Kohli, Shetty revealed Kohli felt Kumble was 'not standing up for the players' in the team and was 'creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room. Kumble was replaced by Ravi Shastri as the head coach after India's loss in the Champions Trophy 2017 final. "I learnt later about a meeting that took place in London before the final of the Champions Trophy, which we lost to Pakistan. This meeting was attended by Virat, Anil, Johri, Amitabh Choudhary and Dr Sridhar. Apparently, Virat was not happy with Anil ‘for not standing up for the players and creating a tense atmosphere in the dressing room’, among other things," revealed Shetty in his book. Also Read: Skipper Yash Dhull reveals what Virat Kohli told the Indian team ahead of U-19 WC final against England Kohli and Shastri enjoyed a formidable partnership as coach and captain and took India to unprecedented success in Test cricket. India registered a memorable maiden series win in Australia and dominated at home and overseas in the longest format. However, the team failed to win a major ICC trophy under Shastri. While Shastri left the India head coach post after the end of his contract last year, Kohli is also no more the captain of the Indian team in any format of the game at present.

Virat Kohli was unhappy with Anil Kumble for 'not standing up for players', claims former BCCI official

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023. The BCCI currently hosts the men's version of the IPL which is one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world and will now consist of a total of ten teams from the 2022 season onwards.

The BCCI also organises the Women's T20 Challenge with three teams featuring in the tournament. The Women's T20 Challenge is not a full-fledged tournament and consists of a handful of matches between the three sides. It was not conducted by the BCCI last year despite the board hosting the IPL in two phases in India and the UAE.

With calls growing stronger over the start of a full-fledged women's IPL, BCCI president Ganguly has said the board is in the process of planning to start the tournament from 2023. Ganguly believes the women's IPL will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL.

"We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year i.e. 2023 will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women's IPL which will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL," Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI.

Cricket Australia organises the Women's Big Bash League along with the men's edition of the tournament while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had organised the Women's Hundred competition along with the Men's Hundred edition last year. A number of Indian women's team stars were part of both the tournaments in Australia and England.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ive-played-424-internationals-sourav-ganguly-slams-accusations-of-him-interfering-in-selections-450455">I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections</a>

The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and the other members of the Indian women's team have often spoken about the importance of having a women's IPL for the growth of the women's game in India. Ganguly said the board will also organise the Women's T20 Challenge this year which will be held during the IPL 2022 playoffs.

“The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said the BCCI president, as quoted by Sportstar.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has said the board is planning to launch a full-fledged women's Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2023. The BCCI currently hosts the men's version of the IPL which is one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world and will now consist of a total of ten teams from the 2022 season onwards. The BCCI also organises the Women's T20 Challenge with three teams featuring in the tournament. The Women's T20 Challenge is not a full-fledged tournament and consists of a handful of matches between the three sides. It was not conducted by the BCCI last year despite the board hosting the IPL in two phases in India and the UAE. With calls growing stronger over the start of a full-fledged women's IPL, BCCI president Ganguly has said the board is in the process of planning to start the tournament from 2023. Ganguly believes the women's IPL will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL. "We are at the level of formulation to have a full-fledged WIPL. It is certainly going to happen. I strongly believe that next year i.e. 2023 will be a very good time to start a full-fledged women's IPL which will be as big and grand a success as the men's IPL," Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI. Cricket Australia organises the Women's Big Bash League along with the men's edition of the tournament while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had organised the Women's Hundred competition along with the Men's Hundred edition last year. A number of Indian women's team stars were part of both the tournaments in Australia and England. Also Read: I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and the other members of the Indian women's team have often spoken about the importance of having a women's IPL for the growth of the women's game in India. Ganguly said the board will also organise the Women's T20 Challenge this year which will be held during the IPL 2022 playoffs. “The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said the BCCI president, as quoted by Sportstar.

BCCI planning to start full-fledged women's IPL by 2023, confirms Sourav Ganguly

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain the biggest two names in Indian cricket at present. While the captaincy baton has been passed&nbsp;from Kohli to Rohit in the white-ball formats, Indian cricket is set to enter a new era under Hitman in the forthcoming three-match ODI series versus West Indies at home.

Prior to the start of the India-WI series, in Ahmedabad, Rohit-Kohli are on the verge of joining former batting stars Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in an elite list.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ive-played-424-internationals-sourav-ganguly-slams-accusations-of-him-interfering-in-selections-450455">I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections</a>

Kohli and Rohit&nbsp;are&nbsp;just 94&nbsp;away from completing 5,000 runs in the ODI format, where both the superstars have excelled over the years. Currently, the duo have accumulated 4,906 runs, from 81 innings at 64.55 comprising 18-century stands. Thus, they can become only the third Indian batting pair to complete the milestone and join the two stalwarts -- Ganguly and Tendulkar -- who compiled a total of&nbsp;8,227 runs in 176 innings. Rohit&nbsp;features in the list&nbsp;along with opening partner&nbsp;Shikhar Dhawan. The two&nbsp;have amassed 5,023 runs in 112 innings after becoming a daunting opening pair since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Overall, the Rohit-Kohli&nbsp;will become the eighth batting pair to enter the 5,000-run milestone. In addition, the two have had a staggering run versus the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. They have piled up 982 runs versus the Caribbean team and, thus, are 78 away from becoming the first-ever Indian pair to reach the 1,000-run club versus the Men in Maroon.

By virtue of this, they will once again join Tendulkar-Ganguly in becoming the second batting pair from Team India to have two or more partnership tallies of 1,000 runs, or, more, against a more than one opponent. Kohli-Rohit have over 1,000 runs as a pair versus Australia.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-wi-odis-everything-to-know-about-squads-schedule-telecast-streaming-details-450441">India vs WI, ODIs: Everything to know about squads, schedule, telecast, streaming details</a>

The India-WI ODIs get underway on February 6, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. It will&nbsp;be followed by the three T20Is in Kolkata. Given India were whitewashed in the South Africa ODIs, in January, they will be eager to return to winning ways.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain the biggest two names in Indian cricket at present. While the captaincy baton has been passed from Kohli to Rohit in the white-ball formats, Indian cricket is set to enter a new era under Hitman in the forthcoming three-match ODI series versus West Indies at home.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain the biggest two names in Indian cricket at present. While the captaincy baton has been passed from Kohli to Rohit in the white-ball formats, Indian cricket is set to enter a new era under Hitman in the forthcoming three-match ODI series versus West Indies at home. Prior to the start of the India-WI series, in Ahmedabad, Rohit-Kohli are on the verge of joining former batting stars Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in an elite list. ALSO READ | I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections Kohli and Rohit are just 94 away from completing 5,000 runs in the ODI format, where both the superstars have excelled over the years. Currently, the duo have accumulated 4,906 runs, from 81 innings at 64.55 comprising 18-century stands. Thus, they can become only the third Indian batting pair to complete the milestone and join the two stalwarts -- Ganguly and Tendulkar -- who compiled a total of 8,227 runs in 176 innings. Rohit features in the list along with opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. The two have amassed 5,023 runs in 112 innings after becoming a daunting opening pair since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Overall, the Rohit-Kohli will become the eighth batting pair to enter the 5,000-run milestone. In addition, the two have had a staggering run versus the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies. They have piled up 982 runs versus the Caribbean team and, thus, are 78 away from becoming the first-ever Indian pair to reach the 1,000-run club versus the Men in Maroon. By virtue of this, they will once again join Tendulkar-Ganguly in becoming the second batting pair from Team India to have two or more partnership tallies of 1,000 runs, or, more, against a more than one opponent. Kohli-Rohit have over 1,000 runs as a pair versus Australia. ALSO READ | India vs WI, ODIs: Everything to know about squads, schedule, telecast, streaming details The India-WI ODIs get underway on February 6, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. It will be followed by the three T20Is in Kolkata. Given India were whitewashed in the South Africa ODIs, in January, they will be eager to return to winning ways.

India vs WI, ODIs: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma on cusp of joining Sourav Ganguly-Tendulkar in elite list

Sourav Ganguly was appointed as the BCCI President in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, he will complete three years as the BCCI chief. Under his tenure, BCCI have had a lot to deal with.

With the Covid-19 pandemic leading to various obstacles for hosting the last two IPL seasons, the Virat Kohli captaincy saga, pressure building up&nbsp;to start Women's IPL, etc., the Ganguly-led board has had a lot on their plate. In recent times, the image of the board&nbsp;officials and selectors have also taken a toll following the Kohli captaincy saga. Moreover, many have accused the BCCI chief Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah of interfering in selection meetings.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/womens-ipl-should-be-top-priority-michael-vaughan-tells-bcci-chief-sourav-ganguly-450433">Women's IPL should be top priority: Michael Vaughan tells BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly</a>

In an interview with news agency&nbsp;PTI,&nbsp;Ganguly opened up on all such claims and said,&nbsp;"I don't think I need to answer anybody anything (on this) and dignify any of these baseless accusations. I am the president of BCCI and I do the job of what the president of BCCI should be doing."&nbsp;

"Also just to let you know, I see a picture doing the rounds (of social media) showing me sitting in a selection committee meeting. I want to make it clear, that picture (where Ganguly can be seen sitting with secretary Jay Shah, skipper Virat Kohli and joint secretary Jayesh George) wasn't from a selection committee meeting.&nbsp;Jayesh George isn't a part of selection committee meetings. (I have played) 424 international matches for India. Not a bad idea at times to remind people about it, isn't it? (laughs)," added Ganguly.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/upto-you-all-to-judge-my-legacy-sourav-ganguly-on-his-tenure-as-bcci-president-450365">'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President</a>

In addition, Ganguly dwelled on the&nbsp;fantastic relationship with Secretary Jay Shah as well as the other office bearers of the BCCI. "I share a fantastic relationship with Jay. He is a very dear friend and a trusted colleague. Me, Jay, Arun (Dhumal) and Jayesh (George), we have all been working together to get the board going in these difficult times especially with COVID-19 in these two years. To make sure that cricket happens. I would say it has been a fantastic two years. We have all done it as a team," further asserted the&nbsp;BCCI chief.&nbsp;

Sourav Ganguly was appointed as the BCCI President in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, he will complete three years as the BCCI chief.

Sourav Ganguly was appointed as the BCCI President in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, he will complete three years as the BCCI chief. Under his tenure, BCCI have had a lot to deal with. With the Covid-19 pandemic leading to various obstacles for hosting the last two IPL seasons, the Virat Kohli captaincy saga, pressure building up to start Women's IPL, etc., the Ganguly-led board has had a lot on their plate. In recent times, the image of the board officials and selectors have also taken a toll following the Kohli captaincy saga. Moreover, many have accused the BCCI chief Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah of interfering in selection meetings. ALSO READ | Women's IPL should be top priority: Michael Vaughan tells BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly In an interview with news agency PTI, Ganguly opened up on all such claims and said, "I don't think I need to answer anybody anything (on this) and dignify any of these baseless accusations. I am the president of BCCI and I do the job of what the president of BCCI should be doing." "Also just to let you know, I see a picture doing the rounds (of social media) showing me sitting in a selection committee meeting. I want to make it clear, that picture (where Ganguly can be seen sitting with secretary Jay Shah, skipper Virat Kohli and joint secretary Jayesh George) wasn't from a selection committee meeting. Jayesh George isn't a part of selection committee meetings. (I have played) 424 international matches for India. Not a bad idea at times to remind people about it, isn't it? (laughs)," added Ganguly. ALSO READ | 'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President In addition, Ganguly dwelled on the fantastic relationship with Secretary Jay Shah as well as the other office bearers of the BCCI. "I share a fantastic relationship with Jay. He is a very dear friend and a trusted colleague. Me, Jay, Arun (Dhumal) and Jayesh (George), we have all been working together to get the board going in these difficult times especially with COVID-19 in these two years. To make sure that cricket happens. I would say it has been a fantastic two years. We have all done it as a team," further asserted the BCCI chief.

I've played 424 internationals: Sourav Ganguly slams accusations of him interfering in selections

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6. Being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs in South Africa, India will be eager to return to winning ways in the 50-over format.

Rohit Sharma will also officially start his tenure as the full-time white-ball captain of the Men in Blue during the series. In early December 2021, Rohit was appointed as the limited-overs skipper by the BCCI selectors. After missing the SA ODIs, due to a hamstring injury, Rohit will have a stern test to start his tenure with a win.

Ahead of the India-WI ODI series, the Covid-19 crisis has hit the Indian camp. Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan,&nbsp;Navdeep Saini,&nbsp;Ruturaj Gaikwad and a few other support staff members have tested positive. Thus, the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, etc. have been added to the squad before the series opener.

Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the ODI series

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-west-indies-covid-19-scares-rohit-sharma-led-indian-camp-before-windies-odis-450056">India vs West Indies: COVID-19 scares Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp before Windies ODIs</a>

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Agarwal

WI: Kieron Pollard (c), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh.

Schedule

India will host West Indies in the three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad before the action moves to the three T20Is (in Kolkata).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930">BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</a>

Telecast and live streaming

The three ODIs'&nbsp;live telecast will be on Star Sports 1/1HD/1 and Star Sports Hindi/1HD Hindi from 1:30 PM IST. In addition, the&nbsp;fixtures will be streamed live on the Disney+Hotstar app.

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6.

After the disastrous tour of South Africa, Team India return to familiar conditions as they get ready to host Kieron Pollard-led West Indies in the three-match ODI series, starting on February 6. Being whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs in South Africa, India will be eager to return to winning ways in the 50-over format. Rohit Sharma will also officially start his tenure as the full-time white-ball captain of the Men in Blue during the series. In early December 2021, Rohit was appointed as the limited-overs skipper by the BCCI selectors. After missing the SA ODIs, due to a hamstring injury, Rohit will have a stern test to start his tenure with a win. Ahead of the India-WI ODI series, the Covid-19 crisis has hit the Indian camp. Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Navdeep Saini, Ruturaj Gaikwad and a few other support staff members have tested positive. Thus, the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Ishan Kishan, etc. have been added to the squad before the series opener. Here's everything to know about the squads, streaming, schedule and telecast details before the ODI series ALSO READ | India vs West Indies: COVID-19 scares Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp before Windies ODIs Squads India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Mayank Agarwal WI: Kieron Pollard (c), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh. Schedule India will host West Indies in the three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad before the action moves to the three T20Is (in Kolkata). ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out Telecast and live streaming The three ODIs' live telecast will be on Star Sports 1/1HD/1 and Star Sports Hindi/1HD Hindi from 1:30 PM IST. In addition, the fixtures will be streamed live on the Disney+Hotstar app.

India vs WI, ODIs: Everything to know about squads, schedule, telecast, streaming details

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe. The likes of Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc. have started their own respective leagues in the shortest format.

Moreover, the likes of Australia and England have gone a step ahead in also running women's T20 leagues simultaneously, in the form of Women's Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred, respectively. Such leagues have also gained eyeballs and led to the overall popularity of women's cricket worldwide.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the&nbsp;BCCI have managed to consolidate IPL's growth over the years and also start the Women's T20 Challenge. However, the women's version remains limited to only a few games.&nbsp; Amid the growing pressure on the Indian cricket board to start a full-fledged Women's IPL, former England captain Michael Vaughan has joined the bandwagon&nbsp;and urged BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to make the Women's IPL top priority.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/upto-you-all-to-judge-my-legacy-sourav-ganguly-on-his-tenure-as-bcci-president-450365">'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President</a>

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vaughan wrote, "A Women's #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99&nbsp;!! Let’s get it sorted .."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A Womens <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL</a> should be top priority now <a href="https://twitter.com/SGanguly99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SGanguly99</a> !! Let’s get it sorted .. 👍👍
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1489280382998622217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-chief-sourav-ganguly-confirms-indias-pink-ball-test-vs-sri-lanka-to-be-held-in-bengaluru-450123">BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly confirms India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka to be held in Bengaluru</a>

India have quite a few popular women's cricketers, such as&nbsp;Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jhulan Goswami, etc. Harman, Smriti, Jemimah have also been a part of WBBL, The Hundred and made heads turn with their performances and overall presence. Thus, BCCI have&nbsp; a good base ready and a platform to cash in and make a sizeable T20 league focusing on women's cricket.

Recently, Ganguly spilled the beans on BCCI's plan regarding Women's IPL.&nbsp;"Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players [player pool] goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said Ganguly while talking to&nbsp;Sportstar.&nbsp;

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe.

The Indian Premier League (IPL)'s birth has been a gamechanger for cricket. In 2008, the IPL kicked off which led to the start of various T20 leagues across the globe. The likes of Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc. have started their own respective leagues in the shortest format. Moreover, the likes of Australia and England have gone a step ahead in also running women's T20 leagues simultaneously, in the form of Women's Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred, respectively. Such leagues have also gained eyeballs and led to the overall popularity of women's cricket worldwide. On the other hand, the BCCI have managed to consolidate IPL's growth over the years and also start the Women's T20 Challenge. However, the women's version remains limited to only a few games. Amid the growing pressure on the Indian cricket board to start a full-fledged Women's IPL, former England captain Michael Vaughan has joined the bandwagon and urged BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to make the Women's IPL top priority. ALSO READ | 'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President Taking to his official Twitter handle, Vaughan wrote, "A Women's #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99 !! Let’s get it sorted .." A Womens #IPL should be top priority now @SGanguly99 !! Let’s get it sorted .. 👍👍 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 3, 2022 × ALSO READ | BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly confirms India's pink-ball Test vs Sri Lanka to be held in Bengaluru India have quite a few popular women's cricketers, such as Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jhulan Goswami, etc. Harman, Smriti, Jemimah have also been a part of WBBL, The Hundred and made heads turn with their performances and overall presence. Thus, BCCI have a good base ready and a platform to cash in and make a sizeable T20 league focusing on women's cricket. Recently, Ganguly spilled the beans on BCCI's plan regarding Women's IPL. "Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players [player pool] goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs,” said Ganguly while talking to Sportstar.

Women's IPL should be top priority: Michael Vaughan tells BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly

On January 15, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb by announcing his resignation as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shock to the entire cricketing fraternity. Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation.

The 33-year-old tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now."

Under Kohli, India became a more confident and aggressive force in home Tests and started winning more regularly in away series as well. During his tenure as the Test captain, India won their maiden Test series in Australia, earned an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom in mid-2021, played the inaugural WTC final and ended as the No. 1 ranked side in the format for five successive years in the annual updates of the ICC Rankings. Following his resignation, all-rounder Shardul Thakur has now opened up on Kohli's decision.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/upto-you-all-to-judge-my-legacy-sourav-ganguly-on-his-tenure-as-bcci-president-450365">&nbsp;'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President</a>

“It was an emotional moment for everyone. No one expected that he would resign from Test captaincy," Thakur told Indian Express in a chat.&nbsp;

“We did well under his captaincy, especially overseas. Those series we lost overseas were close ones. The team was doing well under him and no one expected this. However, now that he has made his decision, everyone should respect it,” he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/didnt-know-anyone-in-bcci-harbhajan-singh-opines-on-not-being-considered-for-india-captaincy-450232">Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy</a>

After Kohli's sudden resignation as the Test captain, the BCCI selectors have a tough job to name his successor. The contenders are Rohit Sharma (already the Test vice-captain and limited-overs skipper), KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. The selectors will have to take a call and finalise the next captain before India's upcoming two-match Test series versus Sri Lanka, at home, in February-March.&nbsp;

On January 15, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb by announcing his resignation as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shock to the entire cricketing fraternity.

On January 15, Virat Kohli dropped a bomb by announcing his resignation as Team India's Test captain. This came as a huge shock to the entire cricketing fraternity. Kohli's decision came a day after India lost the three-match Test series versus Dean Elgar-led South Africa, in the rainbow nation. The 33-year-old tweeted saying, "Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test captain of India, it’s now. It’s been 7 years of hard work, toil and relentless perseverance every day to take the team in the right direction. I’ve done the job with absolute honesty and left nothing out there. Everything has to come to a halt at some stage and for me as Test Captain of India, it’s now." Under Kohli, India became a more confident and aggressive force in home Tests and started winning more regularly in away series as well. During his tenure as the Test captain, India won their maiden Test series in Australia, earned an unassailable 2-1 lead over England in the incomplete five Tests in the United Kingdom in mid-2021, played the inaugural WTC final and ended as the No. 1 ranked side in the format for five successive years in the annual updates of the ICC Rankings. Following his resignation, all-rounder Shardul Thakur has now opened up on Kohli's decision. ALSO READ | 'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President “It was an emotional moment for everyone. No one expected that he would resign from Test captaincy," Thakur told Indian Express in a chat. “We did well under his captaincy, especially overseas. Those series we lost overseas were close ones. The team was doing well under him and no one expected this. However, now that he has made his decision, everyone should respect it,” he added. ALSO READ | Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy After Kohli's sudden resignation as the Test captain, the BCCI selectors have a tough job to name his successor. The contenders are Rohit Sharma (already the Test vice-captain and limited-overs skipper), KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. The selectors will have to take a call and finalise the next captain before India's upcoming two-match Test series versus Sri Lanka, at home, in February-March.

No one expected Virat Kohli to resign as India's Test captain, reveals all-rounder Shardul Thakur

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure. During his rein as the BCCI chief, a lot of things have transpired&nbsp;in Indian cricket.

Ganguly's tenure has been hit by the Covid-19 virus wreaking havoc in the cricketing calendar worldwide. While BCCI have managed to host the last two IPL seasons despite various Covid challenges, questions over Women's IPL's implementation at a bigger level and his recent fall-out with Virat Kohli have dented his image as the BCCI President of&nbsp;late.

During a recent interaction with Sportstar, the 49-year-old opined on his legacy as BCCI chief. "I don't think it's more challenging. What's my legacy? Well, I won't be able to tell it now. Let's see what happens. It is up to you all to judge my legacy, it is what it is. But it has been under tough circumstances due to Covid-19 over the last two years. The pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world and we are fortunate that we could still manage to get a majority of cricket done," Ganguly told the portal in an interview.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-maharashtra-to-host-league-stage-call-on-playoffs-venues-not-taken-says-sourav-ganguly-450052">IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly</a>

For now, the Ganguly-led Indian cricket board is looking to smoothly&nbsp;host India's white-ball series versus West Indies, starting on February 6,&nbsp;following the various Covid cases cropping up in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp on Wednesday (February 2).

Recently, Ganguly also revealed that the group stage of IPL 2022 will be held in Maharashtra whereas a call on playoffs' venues will be taken later. Regarding Women's IPL, he told in the same portal, "The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs."

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure.

The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly took over as the BCCI chief in late 2019, after India's ODI World Cup campaign. In September 2022, Ganguly is set to complete three years of his tenure. During his rein as the BCCI chief, a lot of things have transpired in Indian cricket. Ganguly's tenure has been hit by the Covid-19 virus wreaking havoc in the cricketing calendar worldwide. While BCCI have managed to host the last two IPL seasons despite various Covid challenges, questions over Women's IPL's implementation at a bigger level and his recent fall-out with Virat Kohli have dented his image as the BCCI President of late. During a recent interaction with Sportstar, the 49-year-old opined on his legacy as BCCI chief. "I don't think it's more challenging. What's my legacy? Well, I won't be able to tell it now. Let's see what happens. It is up to you all to judge my legacy, it is what it is. But it has been under tough circumstances due to Covid-19 over the last two years. The pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world and we are fortunate that we could still manage to get a majority of cricket done," Ganguly told the portal in an interview. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly For now, the Ganguly-led Indian cricket board is looking to smoothly host India's white-ball series versus West Indies, starting on February 6, following the various Covid cases cropping up in the Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp on Wednesday (February 2). Recently, Ganguly also revealed that the group stage of IPL 2022 will be held in Maharashtra whereas a call on playoffs' venues will be taken later. Regarding Women's IPL, he told in the same portal, "The Women’s T20 Challenge will again be back this year in the month of May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women’s IPL once the number of women players goes up. But this year, the Women’s T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs."

'Upto you all to judge my legacy' - Sourav Ganguly on his tenure as BCCI President

The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15.

In a letter sent out by BCCI secretary Jay Shah to all state-affiliated units, the details have been specified on how Ranji Trophy would be conducted this season.

The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.

"I am pleased to share that we are now truly set to resume both international and domestic cricket with full thrust. The coming months are going to be replete with cricketing action. We have waited patiently for the grip of the pandemic to loosen and the time has come for our cricketers to take center-stage all over again," wrote Shah in his letter, which has been accessed by ANI."

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/didnt-know-anyone-in-bcci-harbhajan-singh-opines-on-not-being-considered-for-india-captaincy-450232">Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy</a>

We have spread out the Ranji Trophy to 9 different venues across the country to mitigate any cross-transmission risk while ensuring the bio-secure bubble is not overburdened," he added.

There are eight Elite Groups and one Plate Group. There would be four teams in Elite Groups and six teams would make up the Plate Group.

One team from each Elite Group will qualify for the quarterfinal stages. The lowest-ranked of the eight qualified teams will have to play a pre-quarterfinal with the top team from the Plate Group.

The Groups are as follows:

Elite Group A: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, and Meghalaya (Matches to be held in Rajkot)Elite Group B: Bengal, Baroda, Hyderabad, Chandigarh (Matches to be held in Cuttack)Elite Group C: Karnataka, Railways, Jammu and Kashmir, Pondicherry (Matches to be held in Chennai)Elite Group D: Saurashtra, Mumbai, Odisha, Goa (Matches to be held in Ahmedabad)Group E (Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Services, and Uttarakhand), Group F (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Tripura), Group G (Vidharbha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Assam), and Group H (Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Chattisgarh) will see their matches being played in Trivandrum, Delhi, Haryana, and Guwahati.While the Plate Group matches will be held in Kolkata and this group comprises Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15.

The Ranji Trophy would be held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15. In a letter sent out by BCCI secretary Jay Shah to all state-affiliated units, the details have been specified on how Ranji Trophy would be conducted this season. The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days. "I am pleased to share that we are now truly set to resume both international and domestic cricket with full thrust. The coming months are going to be replete with cricketing action. We have waited patiently for the grip of the pandemic to loosen and the time has come for our cricketers to take center-stage all over again," wrote Shah in his letter, which has been accessed by ANI." Read Also | Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy We have spread out the Ranji Trophy to 9 different venues across the country to mitigate any cross-transmission risk while ensuring the bio-secure bubble is not overburdened," he added. There are eight Elite Groups and one Plate Group. There would be four teams in Elite Groups and six teams would make up the Plate Group. One team from each Elite Group will qualify for the quarterfinal stages. The lowest-ranked of the eight qualified teams will have to play a pre-quarterfinal with the top team from the Plate Group. The Groups are as follows: Elite Group A: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, and Meghalaya (Matches to be held in Rajkot)Elite Group B: Bengal, Baroda, Hyderabad, Chandigarh (Matches to be held in Cuttack)Elite Group C: Karnataka, Railways, Jammu and Kashmir, Pondicherry (Matches to be held in Chennai)Elite Group D: Saurashtra, Mumbai, Odisha, Goa (Matches to be held in Ahmedabad)Group E (Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Services, and Uttarakhand), Group F (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Tripura), Group G (Vidharbha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Assam), and Group H (Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Chattisgarh) will see their matches being played in Trivandrum, Delhi, Haryana, and Guwahati.While the Plate Group matches will be held in Kolkata and this group comprises Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Ranji Trophy to be played in two phases from February 10 to June 26

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India). The veteran spinner made a big name in world cricket, ending with 711 wickets at the highest level.

During his glorious run for Team India, the 41-year-old played under various captains. He started under Mohammad Azharuddin and was led by the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli (along with also being captained by Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble for a brief period). In the IPL, Bhajji played under Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Eoin Morgan, Dhoni whereas he himself captained the Mumbai Indians (MI) -- where he played for 10 years -- and led them to the 2011 Champions League title.

Despite him being in the leadership group for Team India and the Mumbai-based IPL franchise, he was never considered for captaining India. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, he was being considered as one of the contenders for leading the Men in Blue in the showpiece event before Dhoni got the top post. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-i-was-scared-of-short-balls-i-wouldnt-have-scored-fifty-in-lords-test-vs-england-md-shami-slams-critics-450217">If I was scared of short balls, I wouldn’t have scored fifty in Lord's Test vs England: Md Shami slams critics</a>

As per the former India spinner, those who aren't favourites don't get the captaincy honour. "Oh yes! That is also an achievement that no one talks about - my captaincy. I didn’t know anyone in the BCCI; someone who could push my case because it is required (for national captaincy). If you are not among the favourites of someone (powerful), you don’t get such honours. But, let’s leave that topic. I know I was capable enough (to lead) as we used to guide a lot of captains. No big deal if I was an India captain or not. No regrets either if I didn’t become the captain for my country. I was always happy to serve the nation as a player," he told Cricketnext.com.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-married-to-him-harbhajan-singh-gives-cheeky-response-clears-air-on-rumoured-rift-with-ms-dhoni-449222">'I am not married to him': Harbhajan Singh gives cheeky response, clears air on rumoured rift with MS Dhoni</a>

Harbhajan's last international appearance came during the 2016 Asia Cup. He was part of India's victorious run in the 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI World Cup, Asia Cup win in 2010 and many other significant wins across the globe. He signed off being the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker in the purest format (417 scalps).&nbsp;

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India).

Harbhajan Singh dropped a bomb by announcing his international retirement before the end of 2021. Bhajji represented Team India for 18 years, with his career spanning from 1998-2016 (when he last represented India). The veteran spinner made a big name in world cricket, ending with 711 wickets at the highest level. During his glorious run for Team India, the 41-year-old played under various captains. He started under Mohammad Azharuddin and was led by the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli (along with also being captained by Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble for a brief period). In the IPL, Bhajji played under Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Eoin Morgan, Dhoni whereas he himself captained the Mumbai Indians (MI) -- where he played for 10 years -- and led them to the 2011 Champions League title. Despite him being in the leadership group for Team India and the Mumbai-based IPL franchise, he was never considered for captaining India. Before the 2007 T20 World Cup, he was being considered as one of the contenders for leading the Men in Blue in the showpiece event before Dhoni got the top post. ALSO READ | If I was scared of short balls, I wouldn’t have scored fifty in Lord's Test vs England: Md Shami slams critics As per the former India spinner, those who aren't favourites don't get the captaincy honour. "Oh yes! That is also an achievement that no one talks about - my captaincy. I didn’t know anyone in the BCCI; someone who could push my case because it is required (for national captaincy). If you are not among the favourites of someone (powerful), you don’t get such honours. But, let’s leave that topic. I know I was capable enough (to lead) as we used to guide a lot of captains. No big deal if I was an India captain or not. No regrets either if I didn’t become the captain for my country. I was always happy to serve the nation as a player," he told Cricketnext.com. ALSO READ | 'I am not married to him': Harbhajan Singh gives cheeky response, clears air on rumoured rift with MS Dhoni Harbhajan's last international appearance came during the 2016 Asia Cup. He was part of India's victorious run in the 2007 T20 WC, 2011 ODI World Cup, Asia Cup win in 2010 and many other significant wins across the globe. He signed off being the fourth-highest Test wicket-taker in the purest format (417 scalps).

Didn't know anyone in BCCI: Harbhajan Singh opines on not being considered for India captaincy

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition. While the auction strategies are being laid down by all the ten teams, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the IPL 2022 season will take place in India itself.

Ahead of the mega auction, to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, BCCI President Ganguly has stated that Maharastra will be conducting the league stage of the 15th edition whereas no final call has been made regarding the playoffs' venues.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-has-kept-whopping-amount-aside-for-shreyas-iyer-in-ipl-2022-mega-auction-reveals-aakash-chopra-449807">RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra</a>

"It will be held in India this year, until and unless COVID-19 hits the roof. As far as venues are concerned, we are looking at hosting the matches in Maharashtra – Mumbai, and Pune. We will take a call on the venues for the knockout stages later," Ganguly has told Sportstar.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-opens-up-on-delhi-franchises-decision-to-choose-pradeep-sangwan-over-him-in-maiden-ipl-auction-449482">Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction</a>

In the last two years, i.e. the Covid-era, BCCI have had their fair share of struggles in hosting the cash-rich league smoothly. After more a five-month delay, the IPL 2020 edition took place in the UAE amid the bio-bubble restrictions. While the IPL 2021 season started in India, only the first half of the marquee event (i.e. 29 games) was held in the country before the second wave of the Covid-19 virus led to its indefinite postponement. Finally, the season was completed with the remainder of the games being held in the Middle East.&nbsp;BCCI will, thus, have their task cut-out to host the 15th season smoothly, without any fuss.

At present, Covid crisis has hit Team India ahead of their white-ball series, at home, versus West Indies. The ODIs get underway on February 6.

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition.

The mega auction for the IPL 2022 edition is just a few days away. All eyes are on the ten teams and how they will form their respective sides heading into the 15th edition. While the auction strategies are being laid down by all the ten teams, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the IPL 2022 season will take place in India itself. Ahead of the mega auction, to be held in Bengaluru in mid-February, BCCI President Ganguly has stated that Maharastra will be conducting the league stage of the 15th edition whereas no final call has been made regarding the playoffs' venues. ALSO READ | RCB has kept whopping amount aside for Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022 mega auction, reveals Aakash Chopra "It will be held in India this year, until and unless COVID-19 hits the roof. As far as venues are concerned, we are looking at hosting the matches in Maharashtra – Mumbai, and Pune. We will take a call on the venues for the knockout stages later," Ganguly has told Sportstar. ALSO READ | Kohli opens up on Delhi franchise's decision to choose Pradeep Sangwan over him in maiden IPL auction In the last two years, i.e. the Covid-era, BCCI have had their fair share of struggles in hosting the cash-rich league smoothly. After more a five-month delay, the IPL 2020 edition took place in the UAE amid the bio-bubble restrictions. While the IPL 2021 season started in India, only the first half of the marquee event (i.e. 29 games) was held in the country before the second wave of the Covid-19 virus led to its indefinite postponement. Finally, the season was completed with the remainder of the games being held in the Middle East. BCCI will, thus, have their task cut-out to host the 15th season smoothly, without any fuss. At present, Covid crisis has hit Team India ahead of their white-ball series, at home, versus West Indies. The ODIs get underway on February 6.

IPL 2022: Maharashtra to host league stage, call on playoffs' venues not taken, says Sourav Ganguly

Ravi Shastri ended his four-year-long stint as Team India's head coach following the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Under Shastri, India achieved considerable success across formats.

Shastri took over from former Indian captain and spinner Anil Kumble, who occupied the head coach's position for a year. After the 2017 Champions Trophy, Shastri took over the reins and formed a lethal pair with former captain Virat Kohli. Under Kohli-Shastri, India developed into a ruthless unit in Tests, dominated bilateral series worldwide in ODIs and T20Is but failed to lead the national side to an ICC title.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/let-him-play-for-that-many-years-md-shami-on-babar-azams-comparison-with-virat-kohli-steve-smith-449269">'Let him play for that many years': Md. Shami on Babar Azam's comparison with Virat Kohli, Steve Smith</a>

During a recent interview with India.com, pace spearhead Mohammed Shami mentioned the stand-out quality of ex-head coach Shastri. “Everybody knows about Ravi Shastri’s pep talk and he speaks just like you see him in the commentary box. There is not an iota of negativity in Ravi Shastri. His positivity rubbed on to the team and that is something that stood out for me,” Shami opined.

Under Shastri's guidance, and the presence of ex-bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, Shami's fitness improved leaps and bounds. As a result, he took an ODI World Cup hat-trick, remained a regular in whites and sruck at regular intervals&nbsp;in the purest format.

Shami also praised Bharat Arun and said,&nbsp;"It was great working with Bharat Arun when he was the bowling coach of India. At the international level, there is not much to learn in terms of the basics. It was all about discussing bowling plans and he shared his views and it worked really well for us and the team."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/itll-do-him-a-world-of-good-ex-head-coach-ravi-shastri-suggests-how-virat-kohli-can-rejuvenate-his-form-448400">It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form</a>

Shami has been rested for the white-ball series between India and West Indies, which gets underway on February 6 in Ahmedabad. Shastri, meanwhile, has revealed that he will enjoy his break time before stepping onto any new role.&nbsp;

Shastri has been replaced by Rahul Dravid as India's head coach, till the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Ravi Shastri ended his four-year-long stint as Team India's head coach following the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE.

Ravi Shastri ended his four-year-long stint as Team India's head coach following the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue's disastrous run in the 2021 T20 World Cup, in the UAE. Under Shastri, India achieved considerable success across formats. Shastri took over from former Indian captain and spinner Anil Kumble, who occupied the head coach's position for a year. After the 2017 Champions Trophy, Shastri took over the reins and formed a lethal pair with former captain Virat Kohli. Under Kohli-Shastri, India developed into a ruthless unit in Tests, dominated bilateral series worldwide in ODIs and T20Is but failed to lead the national side to an ICC title. ALSO READ | 'Let him play for that many years': Md. Shami on Babar Azam's comparison with Virat Kohli, Steve Smith During a recent interview with India.com, pace spearhead Mohammed Shami mentioned the stand-out quality of ex-head coach Shastri. “Everybody knows about Ravi Shastri’s pep talk and he speaks just like you see him in the commentary box. There is not an iota of negativity in Ravi Shastri. His positivity rubbed on to the team and that is something that stood out for me,” Shami opined. Under Shastri's guidance, and the presence of ex-bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, Shami's fitness improved leaps and bounds. As a result, he took an ODI World Cup hat-trick, remained a regular in whites and sruck at regular intervals in the purest format. Shami also praised Bharat Arun and said, "It was great working with Bharat Arun when he was the bowling coach of India. At the international level, there is not much to learn in terms of the basics. It was all about discussing bowling plans and he shared his views and it worked really well for us and the team." ALSO READ | It'll do him a world of good: Ex-head coach Ravi Shastri suggests how Virat Kohli can rejuvenate his form Shami has been rested for the white-ball series between India and West Indies, which gets underway on February 6 in Ahmedabad. Shastri, meanwhile, has revealed that he will enjoy his break time before stepping onto any new role. Shastri has been replaced by Rahul Dravid as India's head coach, till the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

'There's not an iota of....': Md Shami mentions India's ex-head coach Ravi Shastri's stand-out quality

Four India players and three members of their support staff have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their limited-overs home series against West Indies, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Wednesday.

The tour is scheduled to get underway on Sunday with the first of the three one-dayers in Ahmedabad which will be followed by an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals in Kolkata.

"The BCCI Medical team is handling the positive cases and they will remain in isolation till complete recovery is attained," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/u19-world-cup-yash-dhull-shaik-rasheed-shine-as-india-thrash-australia-reach-4th-final-in-a-row-450019">U19 World Cup: Yash Dhull, Shaik Rasheed shine as India thrash Australia, reach 4th final in a row</a>

Opener Shikhar Dhawan and fellow batsmen Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have tested positive for COVID-19, along with standby bowler Navdeep Saini and three members of the support staff.

Opener Mayank Agarwal has been added to the squad.

The matches in Ahmedabad will be played behind closed doors, while the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata will operate with 75% capacity because of the pandemic.

Four India players and three members of their support staff have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their limited-overs home series against West Indies, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Wednesday.

Four India players and three members of their support staff have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their limited-overs home series against West Indies, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Wednesday. The tour is scheduled to get underway on Sunday with the first of the three one-dayers in Ahmedabad which will be followed by an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals in Kolkata. "The BCCI Medical team is handling the positive cases and they will remain in isolation till complete recovery is attained," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement. Read Also | U19 World Cup: Yash Dhull, Shaik Rasheed shine as India thrash Australia, reach 4th final in a row Opener Shikhar Dhawan and fellow batsmen Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer have tested positive for COVID-19, along with standby bowler Navdeep Saini and three members of the support staff. Opener Mayank Agarwal has been added to the squad. The matches in Ahmedabad will be played behind closed doors, while the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata will operate with 75% capacity because of the pandemic.

India vs West Indies: COVID-19 scares Rohit Sharma-led Indian camp before Windies ODIs

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five&nbsp;months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India.

The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishan-kishan-to-pat-cummins-final-list-of-players-with-highest-base-price-of-rs-2-crore-for-ipl-mega-auction-449664">Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction</a>

A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the&nbsp;Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru.

Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports&nbsp;suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages&nbsp;-- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-warner-or-dhawan-chopra-predicts-indian-youngster-as-most-expensive-opener-in-ipl-2022-auction-449533">Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction</a>

Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned'&nbsp;to host the entire forthcoming season in the country.

"I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East.

The BCCI has had a tough time to host the last two IPL seasons. IPL 2020 was held entirely in the UAE whereas the IPL 2021 season took place in two halves, in India and the Middle East. While the 2020 edition was delayed by over five months due to the Covid-19 virus, the previous edition was also severely affected when at mid-way the tournament was postponed indefinitely due to the second wave of Covid-19 in India. The second half of IPL 14 finally took place in late 2021 in the UAE. Hence, all eyes are on the BCCI as to where they will host the 15th edition. Amid the current Covid-19 wave slowing down in the country and restrictions being lifted nationwide, BCCI is all but set to host the upcoming season in India. ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan to Pat Cummins: Final list of players with highest base price of Rs 2 crore for IPL mega auction A BCCI official, on the matter, confirmed that the league will 100% be held in the country. The official told the Indian Express, "It will be in India,” on being asked the burning question. On the other hand, the ten franchises have urged the board to finalise the venue of the league ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. For the unversed, the auction will be held in mid-February in Bengaluru. Regarding the venus of IPL 2022, many reports suggested that BCCI have kept Maharashtra as an option for the league stages -- taking two or three venues into account -- along with Ahmedabad to host the playoffs. ALSO READ | Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction Earlier, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah had stated that the board will leave 'no stone unturned' to host the entire forthcoming season in the country. "I can tell you that we will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that IPL stays in India. The BCCI has not compromised on the health and safety of its stakeholders in the past and will concurrently work on Plan B since the COVID-19 situation with new variants remains fluid. The mega IPL Auction will take place on February 12-13th and we will lock in venues before that," BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed in a statement.

IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report

Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year.

During all this, Kohli's relations with the BCCI has downhill. With him contradicting&nbsp;BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims on his T20I captaincy resignation, Kohli's explosive presser in early December 2021 exposed the gap between him and the top board officials. Now, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the whole controversy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/remember-ms-dhoni-saying-very-clearly-dinesh-karthik-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-captaincy-saga-449603">'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga</a>

Gambhir, who doesn't mince his words, told Times Now, "I think this could've been sorted behind closed doors as well. It was an internal battle. It was a great TRP for a lot of new channels but that's fine. If you go to the depth of it, the matter can easily be solved. It's not that big of an issue."

"Honestly, I don't see any controversy which was created. Talking about captaincy, I think Virat should have continued as red-ball captain. But for white-ball captaincy, once he decided to let go of T20I captaincy, he had to let go of ODI captaincy as well. The BCCI and the selectors were right from the white-ball point of view. But it was Virat's personal decision to step down from Test captaincy, which he should have continued," he further added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/when-ms-dhoni-was-in-the-team-it-was-not-like-virat-kohli-on-giving-up-team-india-captaincy-449252">'When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like.....': Virat Kohli on giving up Team India captaincy</a>

Recently, Kohli had also opened up on his decision to give up Team India captaincy altogether by resigning as the Test skipper. He cited MS Dhoni's example&nbsp;and said on an episode of 'Fireside Chat with VK', "See, I think firstly you need to have a complete understanding of what you set out to achieve and whether you have achieved those targets or not. Everything has a tenure and time period, so you have to be aware of it. As a batter, you might be able to give more to the team, so take pride in that."&nbsp;

He further opined, "You do not need to be a captain to be the leader. When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like he was not the leader, he was still the guy from whom we wanted to have input. To win or not win is not in your hands, the striving for excellence and to be better every day, is not something you can do short term. When it comes to a culture, it will last beyond your playing years and your responsibility."

Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year.

Virat Kohli vs BCCI row has hogged the headlines for over a month now. After Kohli resigned as the T20I captain, following the T20 World Cup last year, he was sacked as the ODI skipper before he himself gave up Test captaincy, early this year. During all this, Kohli's relations with the BCCI has downhill. With him contradicting BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly's claims on his T20I captaincy resignation, Kohli's explosive presser in early December 2021 exposed the gap between him and the top board officials. Now, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has reacted to the whole controversy. ALSO READ | 'Remember MS Dhoni saying very clearly...' Dinesh Karthik reacts to Virat Kohli's captaincy saga Gambhir, who doesn't mince his words, told Times Now, "I think this could've been sorted behind closed doors as well. It was an internal battle. It was a great TRP for a lot of new channels but that's fine. If you go to the depth of it, the matter can easily be solved. It's not that big of an issue." "Honestly, I don't see any controversy which was created. Talking about captaincy, I think Virat should have continued as red-ball captain. But for white-ball captaincy, once he decided to let go of T20I captaincy, he had to let go of ODI captaincy as well. The BCCI and the selectors were right from the white-ball point of view. But it was Virat's personal decision to step down from Test captaincy, which he should have continued," he further added. ALSO READ | 'When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like.....': Virat Kohli on giving up Team India captaincy Recently, Kohli had also opened up on his decision to give up Team India captaincy altogether by resigning as the Test skipper. He cited MS Dhoni's example and said on an episode of 'Fireside Chat with VK', "See, I think firstly you need to have a complete understanding of what you set out to achieve and whether you have achieved those targets or not. Everything has a tenure and time period, so you have to be aware of it. As a batter, you might be able to give more to the team, so take pride in that." He further opined, "You do not need to be a captain to be the leader. When MS Dhoni was in the team, it was not like he was not the leader, he was still the guy from whom we wanted to have input. To win or not win is not in your hands, the striving for excellence and to be better every day, is not something you can do short term. When it comes to a culture, it will last beyond your playing years and your responsibility."

It was an internal battle: Gautam Gambhir doesn't mince his words on Virat Kohli vs BCCI row

Virat Kohli gave up Team India captaincy altogether when he resigned as the Test skipper early this year. The 33-year-old had already lost the limited-overs captaincy when he was sacked as the ODI captain, after having already stepped down from T20I skipper with India's end of campaign in the 2021 World Cup, in the UAE.

Having been released of additional responsibilities, Kohli will now look to rediscover his form with the bat, having not scored an international hundred in over two years. While Kohli isn't short of runs, with fifty-plus scores still coming off his blade across formats at regular intervals, a big knock has deprived the former Indian captain since late 2019. Hence, he will be eager to come at his usual best in the forthcoming home series, versus West Indies and Sri Lanka.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-warner-or-dhawan-chopra-predicts-indian-youngster-as-most-expensive-opener-in-ipl-2022-auction-449533">Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction</a>

Ahead of the India-WI ODIs, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reflected on the lack of big scores from Kohli's willow.

Talking on&nbsp;Star Sports, Chopra said, "From a personal and individual standpoint, you want to convert those 50s into 100s because you’ve got to save something for the rainy days as well. He’s not going through a bad patch of form, so to speak, in terms of runs, but when you see him bat, you don’t see the same Virat Kohli."

"He’s not imposing, he’s not dominating, he’s still scratching around, he’s scoring those runs and that’s what all great players do – we saw Sachin, Rahul – we’ve seen them&nbsp;accumulate runs, but he’s (Virat Kohli) not an accumulator, he’s an enforcer but he’s not there yet," added the ex-Indian opener.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/warner-iyer-rabada-and-7-others-part-of-marquee-set-at-ipl-2022-mega-auction-see-full-list-449521">Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list</a>

In addition, the cricketer-turned-commentator further emphasised on how Kohli will have to adapt to new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma's brand of cricket. The former Test opener&nbsp;feels&nbsp;that could work in favour of King Kohli and liberate him.

"But the one thing I actually want to see, is now Rohit Sharma will have his stamp of authority and the brand of cricket that he wants to play. Virat Kohli has to be apart of the same philosophy. And once you have a different philosophy in place, sometimes it just liberates you, because you are not really thinking about, ‘Ok, I need to score or I need to do this. This is what all of us have to do together.’

"And that is what I am waiting to see, whether it unleashes and liberates Virat Kohli, no matter you get out on 50 but score that 50 off 55 balls, don’t worry about scoring a century, finishing games off, as a captain, you’ve done it all this while. It’s no longer your only job, your job description has changed a little," Chopra&nbsp;concluded.

Virat Kohli gave up Team India captaincy altogether when he resigned as the Test skipper early this year. The 33-year-old had already lost the limited-overs captaincy when he was sacked as the ODI captain, after having already stepped down from T20I skipper with India's end of campaign in the 2021 World Cup, in the UAE.

Virat Kohli gave up Team India captaincy altogether when he resigned as the Test skipper early this year. The 33-year-old had already lost the limited-overs captaincy when he was sacked as the ODI captain, after having already stepped down from T20I skipper with India's end of campaign in the 2021 World Cup, in the UAE. Having been released of additional responsibilities, Kohli will now look to rediscover his form with the bat, having not scored an international hundred in over two years. While Kohli isn't short of runs, with fifty-plus scores still coming off his blade across formats at regular intervals, a big knock has deprived the former Indian captain since late 2019. Hence, he will be eager to come at his usual best in the forthcoming home series, versus West Indies and Sri Lanka. ALSO READ | Not Warner or Dhawan! Chopra predicts Indian youngster as 'most expensive opener' in IPL 2022 auction Ahead of the India-WI ODIs, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reflected on the lack of big scores from Kohli's willow. Talking on Star Sports, Chopra said, "From a personal and individual standpoint, you want to convert those 50s into 100s because you’ve got to save something for the rainy days as well. He’s not going through a bad patch of form, so to speak, in terms of runs, but when you see him bat, you don’t see the same Virat Kohli." "He’s not imposing, he’s not dominating, he’s still scratching around, he’s scoring those runs and that’s what all great players do – we saw Sachin, Rahul – we’ve seen them accumulate runs, but he’s (Virat Kohli) not an accumulator, he’s an enforcer but he’s not there yet," added the ex-Indian opener. ALSO READ | Warner, Iyer, Rabada and 7 others part of marquee set at IPL 2022 mega auction, see full list In addition, the cricketer-turned-commentator further emphasised on how Kohli will have to adapt to new white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma's brand of cricket. The former Test opener feels that could work in favour of King Kohli and liberate him. "But the one thing I actually want to see, is now Rohit Sharma will have his stamp of authority and the brand of cricket that he wants to play. Virat Kohli has to be apart of the same philosophy. And once you have a different philosophy in place, sometimes it just liberates you, because you are not really thinking about, ‘Ok, I need to score or I need to do this. This is what all of us have to do together.’ "And that is what I am waiting to see, whether it unleashes and liberates Virat Kohli, no matter you get out on 50 but score that 50 off 55 balls, don’t worry about scoring a century, finishing games off, as a captain, you’ve done it all this while. It’s no longer your only job, your job description has changed a little," Chopra concluded.

Don't see the same Virat Kohli: Former opener feels ex-captain 'not dominating' with the bat

Red ball domestic cricket in India will make a much-awaited return after two years when the league stage of the Ranji Trophy is held from February 16 to March 5, as per the revised scheduled prepared by the BCCI.

The BCCI was forced to postpone the premier domestic tournament due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. It was originally scheduled to start from January 13. The tournament couldn't be conducted last year due to the pandemic.

BCCI sources told PTI that the likely venues for the 38-team event are Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Cuttack, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Baroda and Rajkot, which means nine separate bio-bubbles will be created.

The format has been tweaked and there will be eight groups of four teams each with the plate group comprising six teams. 
Teams which fail to advance to the next stage will end up playing only three games compared to five in the original format, effectively impacting the players' match fee.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-is-just-a-honour-gautam-gambhir-feels-nothing-changes-for-virat-kohli-post-captaincy-tenure-449283">It is just a honour: Gautam Gambhir feels nothing changes for Virat Kohli post captaincy tenure</a>

No red ball domestic cricket has taken place in India since the Ranji Trophy final in March 2020. Domestic cricketers, who were compensated for cancellation of Ranji Trophy last season, had expressed elation when BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced last week that the red ball event will be held in two phases. The knockouts will be held in June.

The Ranji Trophy, which was cancelled for the first time ever in its rich history, is crucial not only for the financial security of the players, match officials and groundsmen, but it is also the backbone of Indian cricket. 
The lack of red ball cricket was making the players desperate with some of them using the uncertain period to play club cricket in the UK.

"Every domestic cricketer in the country is not thinking about the league phase or knockouts, no one is thinking about bubble or COVID, they just want to play.

Read Also |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/talking-about-it-since-kapil-dev-gautam-gambhir-urges-india-to-move-on-from-search-of-a-pace-all-rounder-449287">Talking about it since Kapil Dev: Gautam Gambhir urges India to move on from search of a pace all-rounder</a>

"Playing is everything right now and rest will follow," star Saurashtra batter Sheldon Jackson told PTI last week following the announcement.

The competition also poses a big logistical challenge for the BCCI amid the pandemic. The bio-security bubbles during the white ball competitions earlier in the season were not strict enough and more vigilance will be needed for a smooth conduct of the tournament.&nbsp;

Red ball domestic cricket in India will make a much-awaited return after two years when the league stage of the Ranji Trophy is held from February 16 to March 5, as per the revised scheduled prepared by the BCCI.

Red ball domestic cricket in India will make a much-awaited return after two years when the league stage of the Ranji Trophy is held from February 16 to March 5, as per the revised scheduled prepared by the BCCI. The BCCI was forced to postpone the premier domestic tournament due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. It was originally scheduled to start from January 13. The tournament couldn't be conducted last year due to the pandemic. BCCI sources told PTI that the likely venues for the 38-team event are Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Trivandrum, Cuttack, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Baroda and Rajkot, which means nine separate bio-bubbles will be created. The format has been tweaked and there will be eight groups of four teams each with the plate group comprising six teams. Teams which fail to advance to the next stage will end up playing only three games compared to five in the original format, effectively impacting the players' match fee. Read Also | It is just a honour: Gautam Gambhir feels nothing changes for Virat Kohli post captaincy tenure No red ball domestic cricket has taken place in India since the Ranji Trophy final in March 2020. Domestic cricketers, who were compensated for cancellation of Ranji Trophy last season, had expressed elation when BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced last week that the red ball event will be held in two phases. The knockouts will be held in June. The Ranji Trophy, which was cancelled for the first time ever in its rich history, is crucial not only for the financial security of the players, match officials and groundsmen, but it is also the backbone of Indian cricket. The lack of red ball cricket was making the players desperate with some of them using the uncertain period to play club cricket in the UK. "Every domestic cricketer in the country is not thinking about the league phase or knockouts, no one is thinking about bubble or COVID, they just want to play. Read Also | Talking about it since Kapil Dev: Gautam Gambhir urges India to move on from search of a pace all-rounder "Playing is everything right now and rest will follow," star Saurashtra batter Sheldon Jackson told PTI last week following the announcement. The competition also poses a big logistical challenge for the BCCI amid the pandemic. The bio-security bubbles during the white ball competitions earlier in the season were not strict enough and more vigilance will be needed for a smooth conduct of the tournament.

Ranji Trophy league phase to take place from February 16 to March 5

Team India is now gearing up for the white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. The national side ended a disastrous tour of South Africa, where the senior team lost the three Tests 2-1 but were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs.

During the ODIs, the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KL Rahul (who was the stand-in captain) and the middle and lower-order failed to do anything extra ordinary. After the flop show in South Africa, the Men in Blue will now look to return back to winning ways versus the West Indies team.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-has-won-like-ms-dhoni-former-wi-skipper-heaps-praise-on-indias-white-ball-captain-448538">Rohit Sharma has won like MS Dhoni: Former WI skipper heaps praise on India's white-ball captain</a>

Prior to the series, former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel has issued warning to key bowler Yuzi Chahal to be among wickets after the flop show in SA. "You expect Chahal to take wickets in the middle overs but he wasn't as successful. As a captain, I would expect this from Chahal because he's playing for so many years. These are wickets where there is spin and bounce (talking about the ODI series in South Africa),” Parthiv said on&nbsp;Cricbuzz.

“Chahal will be under pressure. If he doesn't take wickets, there are players like Rahul Chahar who was picked ahead of him in the T20 World Cup, and Ravi Bishnoi as well, who has been producing consistent performances. I believe both, India and Chahal will have to think about this because his main role in the team is to take wickets in the middle overs. If he doesn't even bowl 10 overs on a wicket that assists spin (Cape Town ODI), it shows that he didn't meet the expectations," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-announces-rohit-led-india-squad-for-wi-series-jasprit-bumrah-md-shami-rested-jadeja-misses-out-447930">BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out</a>

Chahal returned with only 2 wickets at a disappointing average of 73.50 during the forgettable ODI series in the African nation. With the likes of Chahar, Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar in the mix for the WI white-ball series, Yuzi Chahal will certainly feel the pressure to deliver. Will he regain his form? Only time will tell...

Squads for WI series:

ODI squad:&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan

T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

Team India is now gearing up for the white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. The national side ended a disastrous tour of South Africa, where the senior team lost the three Tests 2-1 but were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs.

Team India is now gearing up for the white-ball series versus Kieron Pollard-led West Indies at home. The national side ended a disastrous tour of South Africa, where the senior team lost the three Tests 2-1 but were whitewashed in the preceding three ODIs. During the ODIs, the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KL Rahul (who was the stand-in captain) and the middle and lower-order failed to do anything extra ordinary. After the flop show in South Africa, the Men in Blue will now look to return back to winning ways versus the West Indies team. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma has won like MS Dhoni: Former WI skipper heaps praise on India's white-ball captain Prior to the series, former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel has issued warning to key bowler Yuzi Chahal to be among wickets after the flop show in SA. "You expect Chahal to take wickets in the middle overs but he wasn't as successful. As a captain, I would expect this from Chahal because he's playing for so many years. These are wickets where there is spin and bounce (talking about the ODI series in South Africa),” Parthiv said on Cricbuzz. “Chahal will be under pressure. If he doesn't take wickets, there are players like Rahul Chahar who was picked ahead of him in the T20 World Cup, and Ravi Bishnoi as well, who has been producing consistent performances. I believe both, India and Chahal will have to think about this because his main role in the team is to take wickets in the middle overs. If he doesn't even bowl 10 overs on a wicket that assists spin (Cape Town ODI), it shows that he didn't meet the expectations," he added. ALSO READ | BCCI announces Rohit-led India squad for WI series; Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami rested, Jadeja misses out Chahal returned with only 2 wickets at a disappointing average of 73.50 during the forgettable ODI series in the African nation. With the likes of Chahar, Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar in the mix for the WI white-ball series, Yuzi Chahal will certainly feel the pressure to deliver. Will he regain his form? Only time will tell... Squads for WI series: ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), KL Rahul (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), D Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Y Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan T20I squad: Rohit Sharma(Capt),KL Rahul (vc),Ishan Kishan,Virat Kohli,Shreyas Iyer,Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk),Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel

'Would expect him to be among wickets': Parthiv Patel issues warning to key bowler after flop show vs SA

bcci

Bcci, News on Bcci, stories on Bcci, articles on Bcci, Bcci stories at Wion, Bcci news, Bcci latest news