<p>Dean Elgar, South Africa's former opener who recently retired from international cricket, had a stellar career in Test cricket. Ending as one of the greats of South African cricket, Elgar made a mark for his resilient approach with the bat and amassed&nbsp;5,347 runs in Tests, including 14 centuries. During his Test career, he had a fierce rivalry with many, including Indian star Virat Kohli.</p>

<p>During a recent interaction, Elgar spoke at length on how Kohli sledged him during his first tour of India. Speaking of the altercation, Elgar said on Banter with The Boys podcast, "I came in to bat and, I was actually like holding my own against Ashwin and what’s his name Jeja, Jeja, Jeja (Ravindra Jadeja) and Kohli spat at me. I said to him if you do that, I’ll **** you with this bat."</p>

<p>On being asked if Kohli understood&nbsp;the local slang, Elgar was quick to point out that he did&nbsp;because he had AB de Villiers as his teammate at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Elgar stated, "Yes, he did because de Villiers was his teammate at RCB, so he understood. And I said if you do that, I’ll **** on this field, I’ll absolutely knock you out. And then [he said] ‘Hey **** you, **** you’ (mimicking Kohli), barking up the wrong tree. Anyways, we are in India so you got to be a little bit cautious."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-jadeja-rahul-out-of-vizag-test-with-injury-concerns-sarfaraz-khan-amongst-replacements-684801">Ind vs Eng: Jadeja, Rahul out of Vizag Test with injury concerns, Sarfaraz Khan named amongst replacements</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>De Villiers asked Kohli 'why are you spitting at my teammate?'</strong></h2>

<p>The former SA batter added, "De Villiers found out what he did, and went up to him and asked 'why are you spitting at my teammate?' Two years later in South Africa, he called me and asked&nbsp;if he could go with me for a drink after the series. He said he wanted to apologise for his action." He concluded by saying, "We drank till 3 and ya, that was my first encounter with Kohli."</p>

<p>During Elgar's farewell Test, which was the second and final Test between SA and India in Cape Town&nbsp;early this year, Kohli was seen embracing&nbsp;the Proteas opener. The two were seen&nbsp;spending time on the ground at the end of the Test match with the Indian acknowledging Elgar's run in Tests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, Kohli is not part of India's squad for the ongoing England Tests at home till the second Test. He is out of action due to personal reasons.</p>


Dean Elgar, South Africa's former opener who recently retired from international cricket, had a stellar career in Test cricket. Ending as one of the greats of South African cricket, Elgar made a mark for his resilient approach with the bat and amassed 5,347 runs in Tests, including 14 centuries.

Dean Elgar, South Africa's former opener who recently retired from international cricket, had a stellar career in Test cricket. Ending as one of the greats of South African cricket, Elgar made a mark for his resilient approach with the bat and amassed 5,347 runs in Tests, including 14 centuries. During his Test career, he had a fierce rivalry with many, including Indian star Virat Kohli. During a recent interaction, Elgar spoke at length on how Kohli sledged him during his first tour of India. Speaking of the altercation, Elgar said on Banter with The Boys podcast, "I came in to bat and, I was actually like holding my own against Ashwin and what’s his name Jeja, Jeja, Jeja (Ravindra Jadeja) and Kohli spat at me. I said to him if you do that, I’ll **** you with this bat." On being asked if Kohli understood the local slang, Elgar was quick to point out that he did because he had AB de Villiers as his teammate at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Elgar stated, "Yes, he did because de Villiers was his teammate at RCB, so he understood. And I said if you do that, I’ll **** on this field, I’ll absolutely knock you out. And then [he said] ‘Hey **** you, **** you’ (mimicking Kohli), barking up the wrong tree. Anyways, we are in India so you got to be a little bit cautious." Also read: Ind vs Eng: Jadeja, Rahul out of Vizag Test with injury concerns, Sarfaraz Khan named amongst replacements De Villiers asked Kohli 'why are you spitting at my teammate?' The former SA batter added, "De Villiers found out what he did, and went up to him and asked 'why are you spitting at my teammate?' Two years later in South Africa, he called me and asked if he could go with me for a drink after the series. He said he wanted to apologise for his action." He concluded by saying, "We drank till 3 and ya, that was my first encounter with Kohli." During Elgar's farewell Test, which was the second and final Test between SA and India in Cape Town early this year, Kohli was seen embracing the Proteas opener. The two were seen spending time on the ground at the end of the Test match with the Indian acknowledging Elgar's run in Tests. At present, Kohli is not part of India's squad for the ongoing England Tests at home till the second Test. He is out of action due to personal reasons.

Virat Kohli spat at me: Dean Elgar recalls heated exchange with Indian star and how AB de Villiers intervened

<p>The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the annual awards for 2023 as Australian skipper Pat Cummins received the top honour for Cricketer of the Year. Cummins, who led Australia to the ICC ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC) triumph, saw off challenges from close mates Travis Head and Virat Kohli. However, Virat’s consolation came in the form of ICC ODI Player of the Year where he had a special year, helping India to the runners-up crown in the World Cup held in his own backyard.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A terrific year that ended with winning the ICC Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cricketworldcup</a> 2023 🏆<br />
<br />
The Australia bowler and captain has claimed the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 🙌<a href="https://t.co/cv5T71ji25">https://t.co/cv5T71ji25</a></p>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1750489773133775059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Cummins named Player of the Year</strong></h2>

<p>After staging some monumental performances throughout 2023, Cummins was announced as the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men's Cricketer on Thursday (Jan 25). Winning the WTC and ODI World Cup final were the highlight reels of the year for Cummins, who also defended the Ashes for Australia despite facing a resolute England team renowned for the Bazball. The achievement was made impressive after holding out for a 2-2 draw in England's own backyard during the Ashes.</p>

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<p>In 24 matches throughout the year, he scalped 59 wickets and scored 422 runs and played an important role during Australia’s important win against England in the Birmingham Test during the Ashes. He signed off the year with a 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-defending-champion-aryna-sabalenka-enter-womens-singles-final-with-win-over-coco-gauff-683523">Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters women's singles final with win over Coco Gauff</a></p>

<h2><strong>Virat Kohli wins ODI Player of the Year</strong></h2>

<p>One of the best players of his generation, Virat scored 763 runs during the 11 matches at the ODI World Cup. He was awarded Player of the Tournament as he&nbsp;helped&nbsp;India reach the final of the prestigious tournament. However, he failed to lead India to the title despite having a home advantage. On nine occasions during the World Cup, he scored fifty-plus scores and broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds.</p>

<p>India’s Suryakumar Yadav was named ICC T20 Player of the Year for his memorable performance with the bat. The Mumbai Indians player won the prize for the second consecutive year having also won the top honour in 2022 when India were knocked out in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup.</p>


The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the annual awards for 2023 as Australian skipper Pat Cummins received the top honour for Cricketer of the Year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the annual awards for 2023 as Australian skipper Pat Cummins received the top honour for Cricketer of the Year. Cummins, who led Australia to the ICC ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC) triumph, saw off challenges from close mates Travis Head and Virat Kohli. However, Virat’s consolation came in the form of ICC ODI Player of the Year where he had a special year, helping India to the runners-up crown in the World Cup held in his own backyard. A terrific year that ended with winning the ICC Men’s @cricketworldcup 2023 🏆 The Australia bowler and captain has claimed the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 🙌https://t.co/cv5T71ji25 — ICC (@ICC) January 25, 2024 × Cummins named Player of the Year After staging some monumental performances throughout 2023, Cummins was announced as the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men's Cricketer on Thursday (Jan 25). Winning the WTC and ODI World Cup final were the highlight reels of the year for Cummins, who also defended the Ashes for Australia despite facing a resolute England team renowned for the Bazball. The achievement was made impressive after holding out for a 2-2 draw in England's own backyard during the Ashes. × In 24 matches throughout the year, he scalped 59 wickets and scored 422 runs and played an important role during Australia’s important win against England in the Birmingham Test during the Ashes. He signed off the year with a 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test. ALSO READ | Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters women's singles final with win over Coco Gauff Virat Kohli wins ODI Player of the Year One of the best players of his generation, Virat scored 763 runs during the 11 matches at the ODI World Cup. He was awarded Player of the Tournament as he helped India reach the final of the prestigious tournament. However, he failed to lead India to the title despite having a home advantage. On nine occasions during the World Cup, he scored fifty-plus scores and broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds. India’s Suryakumar Yadav was named ICC T20 Player of the Year for his memorable performance with the bat. The Mumbai Indians player won the prize for the second consecutive year having also won the top honour in 2022 when India were knocked out in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup.

Pat Cummins named Cricketer of the Year for 2023, Virat Kohli earns ODI Player of the Year accolade

<p>The Indian team made a brilliant start on the opening day of the Hyderabad Test after they established an iron grip with a good start in the first innings. Restricting England to 246, India at Stumps were 119/1 with Yashasvi Jaiswal firing on all cylinders. Amid the batting and bowling display, a&nbsp;cricket fan became the center of attraction after he was seen invading the pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Thursday (Jan 25).</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lucky Fan Meeted Rohit 🥲🥹<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RohitSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RohitSharma</a> <a href="https://t.co/7IN2yYsRmH">pic.twitter.com/7IN2yYsRmH</a></p>
— Kiran (@KIRANPSPK45) <a href="https://twitter.com/KIRANPSPK45/status/1750453769605984560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Fan touches Rohit’s feet</strong></h2>

<p>In the closing session of Day 1 of the Hyderabad Test, a fan wearing Virat Kohli&nbsp;jersey was seen storming onto the pitch. He made his way to the center where he was seen touching Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's&nbsp;feet. Rohit was left stunned but did not react before the security came and took the invader off the filed. While the Indian skipper was left stunned by the gesture, the fans welcomed the love shown towards Rohit.</p>

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<p>It is worth noting that, Rohit played for the now defunct&nbsp;Deccan Chargers during his early Indian Premier League (IPL) years. Deccan Chargers played their home matches in Hyderabad and won the IPL 2009 with Rohit being a key member of the squad.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-open-defending-champion-aryna-sabalenka-enter-womens-singles-final-with-win-over-coco-gauff-683523">Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters women's singles final with win over Coco Gauff</a></p>

<h2><strong>What happened on Day 1?</strong></h2>

<p>Having decided to bat first, England were bowled out&nbsp;for 246 with skipper Ben Stokes top-scoring with 70 runs. Despite a good start to their innings through Ben Duckett (35) and Zak Crawley (20), England lost wickets at regular intervals.</p>

<p>Joe Root (29) and Jonny Bairstow (37) steadied the ship for England but Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were in top form after they scalped three wickets each to break the backbone of England’s middle-order batting. Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah also ended with two wickets each before the visitors were bowled out.</p>

<p>In response, India closed the day at 119/1 with Jasiwal unbeaten on 76 and Shubman Gill on 14. Rohit was dismissed for 24 in the 13th over by&nbsp;Jack Leach.</p>


The Indian team made a brilliant start on the opening day of the Hyderabad Test after they established an iron grip with a good start in the first innings. Restricting England to 246, India at Stumps were 119/1 with Yashasvi Jaiswal firing on all cylinders.

The Indian team made a brilliant start on the opening day of the Hyderabad Test after they established an iron grip with a good start in the first innings. Restricting England to 246, India at Stumps were 119/1 with Yashasvi Jaiswal firing on all cylinders. Amid the batting and bowling display, a cricket fan became the center of attraction after he was seen invading the pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Thursday (Jan 25). Lucky Fan Meeted Rohit 🥲🥹#INDvENG #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/7IN2yYsRmH — Kiran (@KIRANPSPK45) January 25, 2024 × Fan touches Rohit’s feet In the closing session of Day 1 of the Hyderabad Test, a fan wearing Virat Kohli jersey was seen storming onto the pitch. He made his way to the center where he was seen touching Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's feet. Rohit was left stunned but did not react before the security came and took the invader off the filed. While the Indian skipper was left stunned by the gesture, the fans welcomed the love shown towards Rohit. × It is worth noting that, Rohit played for the now defunct Deccan Chargers during his early Indian Premier League (IPL) years. Deccan Chargers played their home matches in Hyderabad and won the IPL 2009 with Rohit being a key member of the squad. ALSO READ | Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters women's singles final with win over Coco Gauff What happened on Day 1? Having decided to bat first, England were bowled out for 246 with skipper Ben Stokes top-scoring with 70 runs. Despite a good start to their innings through Ben Duckett (35) and Zak Crawley (20), England lost wickets at regular intervals. Joe Root (29) and Jonny Bairstow (37) steadied the ship for England but Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were in top form after they scalped three wickets each to break the backbone of England’s middle-order batting. Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah also ended with two wickets each before the visitors were bowled out. In response, India closed the day at 119/1 with Jasiwal unbeaten on 76 and Shubman Gill on 14. Rohit was dismissed for 24 in the 13th over by Jack Leach.

IND vs ENG: Pitch invader wearing Virat Kohli jersey touches Rohit's feet on Day 1 of first Test - WATCH

<p>On Monday (Jan 22), Virat Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests between India and England, which gets underway on Jan 25 (Thursday). The former Indian captain opted out due to personal reasons and will supposedly be back in the Indian squad for the final three games. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named Rajat Patidar, Kohli's IPL teammate, as the star batter's replacement.</p>

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<p>Patidar, who plays for Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has been in sublime&nbsp;form of late. He scored&nbsp;151 in the unofficial Test against England Lions, in Ahmedabad, last week and&nbsp;also ended with an impressive 111 in the two-day warm-up fixture versus the Lions. During India's tour of South Africa in December 2023, he made his ODI debut as well. While he opened the innings on his ODI debut, he will bat in the middle-order if he gets a chance in the England Tests.</p>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-odi-team-of-the-year-revealed-6-indians-make-the-cut-despite-world-cup-loss-682882">ICC ODI Team of the Year revealed: 6 Indians make the cut despite World Cup loss</a></strong></p>

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<p>Patidar's selection further solidifies the fact that the BCCI selection committee has moved past senior pros Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan's wait to make it to the national team continues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first Test between India and England will kick off on Thursday at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Ben Stokes-led England have a herculean task to stop the Rohit Sharma-led hosts, who have not lost a home Test series since their 2-1 loss to the English side in 2012/13.&nbsp;</p>


On Monday (Jan 22), Virat Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests between India and England, which gets underway on Jan 25 (Thursday). The former Indian captain opted out due to personal reasons and will supposedly be back in the Indian squad for the final three games.

On Monday (Jan 22), Virat Kohli withdrew from the first two Tests between India and England, which gets underway on Jan 25 (Thursday). The former Indian captain opted out due to personal reasons and will supposedly be back in the Indian squad for the final three games. Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has named Rajat Patidar, Kohli's IPL teammate, as the star batter's replacement. Patidar, who plays for Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has been in sublime form of late. He scored 151 in the unofficial Test against England Lions, in Ahmedabad, last week and also ended with an impressive 111 in the two-day warm-up fixture versus the Lions. During India's tour of South Africa in December 2023, he made his ODI debut as well. While he opened the innings on his ODI debut, he will bat in the middle-order if he gets a chance in the England Tests. Also read: ICC ODI Team of the Year revealed: 6 Indians make the cut despite World Cup loss × Patidar's selection further solidifies the fact that the BCCI selection committee has moved past senior pros Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan's wait to make it to the national team continues. The first Test between India and England will kick off on Thursday at the iconic Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Ben Stokes-led England have a herculean task to stop the Rohit Sharma-led hosts, who have not lost a home Test series since their 2-1 loss to the English side in 2012/13.

India vs England: Virat Kohli's RCB teammate Rajat Patidar replaces him for first two Tests

<p>The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday (Jan 23) released the ODI Team of the Year, which features six Indian players despite the team losing the World Cup against Australia a few months back. The team is captained by Rohit Sharma and features Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill as well as the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav.</p>

<p>Sharma amassed 1255 runs at an average of 52 in 2023 and led India brilliantly to the final of the ultimate tournament. His opening partner, Gill, finished the year sa the highest run-getter, smashing 1584 runs that included a double hundred against New Zealand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli, India's mainstay in the format for several years, had another consistent run, scoring 1377 runs which included the Player of the Tournament award in the World Cup.</p>

<p>As for the bowlers, Shami was the standout, performing strongly in the quadrennial tournament and nearly pushing India over the victory shores.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from the Indian players, the list gives space to World Cup winners with Australia - Travis Head and Adam Zampa. Both players were pivotal in helping Australia win its sixth World Cup title.</p>

<p>While Head joined the team midway into the tournament, he smashed a half-century and claimed two wickets in a Player of the Match performance in the World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa and then exceeded that effort when he scored an unbelievable 137 against India in the decider to help Australia lift the trophy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Zampa, the lone specialist spinner in the Australian team managed to exploit the subcontinent conditions to full effect and finished the World Cup as the second-highest wicket-taker.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/icc-t20i-of-year-2023-four-indians-make-cut-with-suryakumar-as-skipper-no-players-from-australia-pakistan-682557"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;ICC T20I Team of Year 2023: Four Indians in squad with Suryakumar as skipper; no players from Aus, Pak</strong></a></p>

<p>Other notable names include New Zealand middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell, wicketkeeper batter Heinrich Klassen and Marco Jansen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mitchell was the standout for New Zealand throughout the year, accumulating&nbsp;five centuries and 1204 runs at an imposing average of 52.34 and an even more eye-catching strike rate just north of 100.</p>

<h2><strong>Men’s ODI Team of the Year:</strong></h2>

<p>Rohit Sharma (Capt, Ind), Shubman Gill (Ind), Travis Head (Aus), Virat Kohli (Ind), Daryl Mitchell (NZ), Heinrich Klaasen (WK, SA), Marco Jansen (SA), Adam Zampa (Aus), Mohammed Siraj (Ind), Kuldeep Yadav (Ind), Mohammed Shami (Ind)</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday (Jan 23) released the ODI Team of the Year, which features six Indian players despite the team losing the World Cup against Australia a few months back.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday (Jan 23) released the ODI Team of the Year, which features six Indian players despite the team losing the World Cup against Australia a few months back. The team is captained by Rohit Sharma and features Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill as well as the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav. Sharma amassed 1255 runs at an average of 52 in 2023 and led India brilliantly to the final of the ultimate tournament. His opening partner, Gill, finished the year sa the highest run-getter, smashing 1584 runs that included a double hundred against New Zealand. Kohli, India's mainstay in the format for several years, had another consistent run, scoring 1377 runs which included the Player of the Tournament award in the World Cup. As for the bowlers, Shami was the standout, performing strongly in the quadrennial tournament and nearly pushing India over the victory shores. Apart from the Indian players, the list gives space to World Cup winners with Australia - Travis Head and Adam Zampa. Both players were pivotal in helping Australia win its sixth World Cup title. While Head joined the team midway into the tournament, he smashed a half-century and claimed two wickets in a Player of the Match performance in the World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa and then exceeded that effort when he scored an unbelievable 137 against India in the decider to help Australia lift the trophy. Meanwhile, Zampa, the lone specialist spinner in the Australian team managed to exploit the subcontinent conditions to full effect and finished the World Cup as the second-highest wicket-taker. Also read | ICC T20I Team of Year 2023: Four Indians in squad with Suryakumar as skipper; no players from Aus, Pak Other notable names include New Zealand middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell, wicketkeeper batter Heinrich Klassen and Marco Jansen. Mitchell was the standout for New Zealand throughout the year, accumulating five centuries and 1204 runs at an imposing average of 52.34 and an even more eye-catching strike rate just north of 100. Men’s ODI Team of the Year: Rohit Sharma (Capt, Ind), Shubman Gill (Ind), Travis Head (Aus), Virat Kohli (Ind), Daryl Mitchell (NZ), Heinrich Klaasen (WK, SA), Marco Jansen (SA), Adam Zampa (Aus), Mohammed Siraj (Ind), Kuldeep Yadav (Ind), Mohammed Shami (Ind) (With inputs from agencies)

ICC ODI Team of the Year revealed: 6 Indians make the cut despite World Cup loss

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<p>Indian men's cricket team superstar Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were extended the invitation to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday (Jan 22). While some reports claimed that Kohli did not attend the event, some viral videos and images on social media suggested that Kohli had indeed made the trip to the holy city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A picture showing Kohli in a black kurta, wearing glasses was widely shared with claims that the former Indian captain was present at the Ram Janambhoomi Mandir. However, the picture being shared is not from the occasion.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fake <a href="https://t.co/1UTA2LXVpC">https://t.co/1UTA2LXVpC</a></p>
— Akash Yadav (@Akash_Yadav_18) <a href="https://twitter.com/Akash_Yadav_18/status/1749676928544710768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Kohli visited his friend Rahul Kanal for Ganesh Chaturthi a few months ago and a picture clicked there is now being circulated, mostly by Kohli fan clubs. A few popular cricket aggregators on X (formerly known as Twitter) also shared videos claiming that Kohli's car convoy had reached Ayodhya.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Virat Kohli's convoy in Ayodhya.<br />
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- The 🐐 has reached Ram Janmabhoomi. <a href="https://t.co/HwkmAA2388">pic.twitter.com/HwkmAA2388</a></p>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1749109955821703575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Apart from the fake media content, a Kohli impersonator was also spotted taking photos with unsuspecting people during the event. The video of the incident also spread like wildfire all over social media.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Virat Kohli's doppelganger in Ayodhya.<a href="https://t.co/DoQteQhoS7">pic.twitter.com/DoQteQhoS7</a></p>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1749456254093918258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Kohli missed the event other cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Ravindra Jadeja and Venkatesh Prasad among others attended the ceremony.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Kohli to miss first two Tests&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Kohli, who is often spotted visiting temples and gurus missed the event, possibly due to personal reasons that also prompted him to pull out of the first two Tests against England.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BCCI in a release on Monday informed about Kohli's withdrawal from the series. The first Test of the five-match series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25</p>

<p>"Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming Test series against England, citing personal reasons," BCCI said in the official statement.</p>

<p>"Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention," it added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-batter-virat-kohli-withdraws-from-first-two-tests-against-england-682452" target="_blank"><strong>Also read | India batter Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England</strong></a></p>

<p>The board also advised against speculating on the reasons behind Kohli's withdrawal. A replacement will be named in due course, confirmed the BCCI.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian men's cricket team superstar Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were extended the invitation to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday (Jan 22).

Indian men's cricket team superstar Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were extended the invitation to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday (Jan 22). While some reports claimed that Kohli did not attend the event, some viral videos and images on social media suggested that Kohli had indeed made the trip to the holy city. A picture showing Kohli in a black kurta, wearing glasses was widely shared with claims that the former Indian captain was present at the Ram Janambhoomi Mandir. However, the picture being shared is not from the occasion. Fake https://t.co/1UTA2LXVpC — Akash Yadav (@Akash_Yadav_18) January 23, 2024 × Kohli visited his friend Rahul Kanal for Ganesh Chaturthi a few months ago and a picture clicked there is now being circulated, mostly by Kohli fan clubs. A few popular cricket aggregators on X (formerly known as Twitter) also shared videos claiming that Kohli's car convoy had reached Ayodhya. Virat Kohli's convoy in Ayodhya. - The 🐐 has reached Ram Janmabhoomi. pic.twitter.com/HwkmAA2388 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 21, 2024 × Apart from the fake media content, a Kohli impersonator was also spotted taking photos with unsuspecting people during the event. The video of the incident also spread like wildfire all over social media. Virat Kohli's doppelganger in Ayodhya.pic.twitter.com/DoQteQhoS7 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 22, 2024 × While Kohli missed the event other cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Ravindra Jadeja and Venkatesh Prasad among others attended the ceremony. Kohli to miss first two Tests Kohli, who is often spotted visiting temples and gurus missed the event, possibly due to personal reasons that also prompted him to pull out of the first two Tests against England. BCCI in a release on Monday informed about Kohli's withdrawal from the series. The first Test of the five-match series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25 "Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming Test series against England, citing personal reasons," BCCI said in the official statement. "Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention," it added. Also read | India batter Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England The board also advised against speculating on the reasons behind Kohli's withdrawal. A replacement will be named in due course, confirmed the BCCI. (With inputs from agencies)

Fact check: Did Virat Kohli attend Ram Mandir consecration ceremony?

<p>India batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests of upcoming home series against England, announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a release on Monday (Jan 22). The board has cited personal reasons for Kohli's withdrawal from the series. The first Test of the five-Test series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25 and Kohli, who was named in the squad for the first two Tests, will not be playing in the first two.</p>

<p>"Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons," read the statement by board.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/inzamam-ul-haq-blasts-former-pcb-chief-zaka-ashraf-for-pakistans-2023-odi-world-cup-debacle-682442">Inzamam-ul-Haq blasts former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf for Pakistan's 2023 ODI World Cup debacle</a></p>

<p>"Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention."</p>

<p>"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management extended support to the star batter. We are confident of&nbsp;the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series," it added.</p>

<p>The board also advised against speculating the reasons behind Kohli's withdrawal and said: "The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series."</p>

<p>A replacement will be named in due course, confirmed the BCCI.</p>

<p>On January 21, England batter Harry Brook had also pulled out of the tour due to personal reasons. The England Cricket Board (ECB) named Dan Lawrence as his replacement in the side.</p>


India batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests of upcoming home series against England, announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a release on Monday (Jan 22).

India batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests of upcoming home series against England, announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a release on Monday (Jan 22). The board has cited personal reasons for Kohli's withdrawal from the series. The first Test of the five-Test series will be played in Hyderabad from January 25 and Kohli, who was named in the squad for the first two Tests, will not be playing in the first two. "Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons," read the statement by board. Also Read: Inzamam-ul-Haq blasts former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf for Pakistan's 2023 ODI World Cup debacle "Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention." "The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management extended support to the star batter. We are confident of the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series," it added. The board also advised against speculating the reasons behind Kohli's withdrawal and said: "The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series." A replacement will be named in due course, confirmed the BCCI. On January 21, England batter Harry Brook had also pulled out of the tour due to personal reasons. The England Cricket Board (ECB) named Dan Lawrence as his replacement in the side.

India batter Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests against England

<p>In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities&nbsp;have descended upon Ayodhya&nbsp;in large numbers&nbsp;to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22). The star-studded guest list includes various sporting icons from the country such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli,Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad and Neeraj Chopra.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">VIDEO | Former cricketer <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> arrives in Ayodhya to attend <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RamMandirPranPratishtha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RamMandirPranPratishtha</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhyaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhyaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://t.co/tsCzVABlmU">pic.twitter.com/tsCzVABlmU</a></p>
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1749283601441497267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sachin Tendulkar has reached Ayodhya🧡<br />
Those who are saying that Virat has arrived, I know this but no proper video has come so there is doubt<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SachinTendulkar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SachinTendulkar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/viratkohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#viratkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/hMim71e9ew">pic.twitter.com/hMim71e9ew</a></p>
— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) <a href="https://twitter.com/wrogn_edits/status/1749287069506273455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Virat Kohli has reached Ayodhya after the Practice Session 😍❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/viratkohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#viratkohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AyodhaRamMandir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AyodhaRamMandir</a> <a href="https://t.co/adQQyhtfy5">pic.twitter.com/adQQyhtfy5</a></p>
— 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) <a href="https://twitter.com/wrogn_edits/status/1749113687250731336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mithali Raj at the Ram Temple ahead of the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Rama. <a href="https://t.co/YJtFs5vfww">pic.twitter.com/YJtFs5vfww</a></p>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1749297333496664544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Say it , Sing it , Roar it<br />
Jai Shree Ram 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/jY75bVyQT2">pic.twitter.com/jY75bVyQT2</a></p>
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1749287317884584128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/ram-mandir-consecration-ceremony-ranbir-kapoor-alia-bhatt-and-rohit-shetty-jet-off-to-ayodhya-682198">Ram Mandir Consecration ceremony: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan &amp; more celebs arrive in Ayodhya</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says, "It is a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this. It's very historic. Looking forward to seeking blessings from Ram Lalla..." <a href="https://t.co/zKodiqk1bG">pic.twitter.com/zKodiqk1bG</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1749297818052038888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Other sports personalities such as Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Harmanpreet Kaur, Saina Nehwal, PT Usha, PV Sindhu, Pullela Gopichand, Viswanathan Anand, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, etc. have also been invited and expected to be part of the event.</p>

<p>The Ram Mandir&nbsp;consecration ceremony&nbsp;has been a huge talking point nationwide. It&nbsp;is not only being attended by famous sports personalities but by many big names from various fields. The likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Ayushman Khurana have also arrived in Ayodhya.</p>

<p>It is to be noted that Ram temple&nbsp;consecration ceremony on Monday&nbsp;in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya will take place&nbsp;exactly four years after the landmark judgement from the Supreme Court of India. The mega event will comprise the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla (idol of infant Lord Ram), with the rituals led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (who has already arrived at the venue).</p>

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<p>The Ram temple has been designed in the traditional Nagara style. The dimensions of the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet wide and 161 feet tall. Chandrakant Sompura and his son Ashish designed&nbsp;the new structure ahead of the ceremony.</p>


In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities have descended upon Ayodhya in large numbers to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22).

In a display of unity and devotion, India's top sporting personalities have descended upon Ayodhya in large numbers to take part in the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir on Monday (Jan 22). The star-studded guest list includes various sporting icons from the country such as Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli,Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad and Neeraj Chopra. VIDEO | Former cricketer @sachin_rt arrives in Ayodhya to attend #RamMandirPranPratishtha.#AyodhyaRamMandir pic.twitter.com/tsCzVABlmU — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2024 × Sachin Tendulkar has reached Ayodhya🧡 Those who are saying that Virat has arrived, I know this but no proper video has come so there is doubt#SachinTendulkar #AyodhaRamMandir #viratkohli pic.twitter.com/hMim71e9ew — 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) January 22, 2024 × Virat Kohli has reached Ayodhya after the Practice Session 😍❤️#viratkohli #AyodhaRamMandir pic.twitter.com/adQQyhtfy5 — 𝙒𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙣🥂 (@wrogn_edits) January 21, 2024 × Mithali Raj at the Ram Temple ahead of the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Rama. pic.twitter.com/YJtFs5vfww — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 22, 2024 × Say it , Sing it , Roar it Jai Shree Ram 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/jY75bVyQT2 — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 22, 2024 × Also read: Ram Mandir Consecration ceremony: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan & more celebs arrive in Ayodhya #WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says, "It is a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this. It's very historic. Looking forward to seeking blessings from Ram Lalla..." pic.twitter.com/zKodiqk1bG — ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2024 × Other sports personalities such as Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Harmanpreet Kaur, Saina Nehwal, PT Usha, PV Sindhu, Pullela Gopichand, Viswanathan Anand, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Baichung Bhutia, etc. have also been invited and expected to be part of the event. The Ram Mandir consecration ceremony has been a huge talking point nationwide. It is not only being attended by famous sports personalities but by many big names from various fields. The likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Ayushman Khurana have also arrived in Ayodhya. It is to be noted that Ram temple consecration ceremony on Monday in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya will take place exactly four years after the landmark judgement from the Supreme Court of India. The mega event will comprise the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla (idol of infant Lord Ram), with the rituals led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (who has already arrived at the venue). × The Ram temple has been designed in the traditional Nagara style. The dimensions of the temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet wide and 161 feet tall. Chandrakant Sompura and his son Ashish designed the new structure ahead of the ceremony.

Ram Mandir ceremony: Tendulkar, Kumble and other sports personalities attend consecration

<p>Australia's retired Test and ODI opener David Warner is set to achieve a rare feat when he plays in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. The left-hand opener, once named in playing XI during the West Indies T20Is, will become only the third cricketer to play 100 or more games in all three formats (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) for his country. The other two players to achieve the feat are India's Virat Kohli and New Zealand's Ross Taylor.</p>

<p>Warner has played 99 T20Is and is one short of making it 100. He retired after 112 Tests and 161 ODIs, scoring 8,786 and 6,932 runs&nbsp;respectively. The southpaw has 2,894 runs in T20Is so far. Among the other two players, Kohli still plays all the formats and has 131 Tests, 292 ODIs and 117 T20Is under his belt.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-england-skipper-kevin-pietersen-shares-advice-on-playing-indian-spinner-in-the-upcoming-test-series-681819">Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shares advice on playing Indian spinners in the upcoming Test series</a></p>

<p>Taylor, however, has retired from international cricket in 2022 after playing 112 Tests, 236 ODIs and 102 T20Is for his country.</p>

<p>Warner hung up his boots in ODIs after the 2023 ODI World Cup and earlier this month in Tests after the home Test series against Pakistan. He, however, expressed the desire to play and win 'another World Cup' with Australia at the time of Test retirement.</p>

<p>Australia coach Andrew McDonald has also said that Warner will be named in the squad for the upcoming T20Is against West Indies which starts February 9 and probably against New Zealand after that as well. His selection would definitely be a seal on his spot for the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be played in June this year in the USA and West Indies.</p>

<p>After his retirement from Tests, Warner has played two games in Australia's domestic T20 tournament Big Bash League (BBL) for Sydney Thunder. He currently is in the UAE to take part in the ILT20 for Dubai Capitals.</p>


Australia's retired Test and ODI opener David Warner is set to achieve a rare feat when he plays in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. The left-hand opener, once named in playing XI during the West Indies T20Is, will become only the third cricketer to play 100 or more games in all three formats (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) for his country.

Australia's retired Test and ODI opener David Warner is set to achieve a rare feat when he plays in the upcoming T20I series against West Indies. The left-hand opener, once named in playing XI during the West Indies T20Is, will become only the third cricketer to play 100 or more games in all three formats (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) for his country. The other two players to achieve the feat are India's Virat Kohli and New Zealand's Ross Taylor. Warner has played 99 T20Is and is one short of making it 100. He retired after 112 Tests and 161 ODIs, scoring 8,786 and 6,932 runs respectively. The southpaw has 2,894 runs in T20Is so far. Among the other two players, Kohli still plays all the formats and has 131 Tests, 292 ODIs and 117 T20Is under his belt. Also Read: Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen shares advice on playing Indian spinners in the upcoming Test series Taylor, however, has retired from international cricket in 2022 after playing 112 Tests, 236 ODIs and 102 T20Is for his country. Warner hung up his boots in ODIs after the 2023 ODI World Cup and earlier this month in Tests after the home Test series against Pakistan. He, however, expressed the desire to play and win 'another World Cup' with Australia at the time of Test retirement. Australia coach Andrew McDonald has also said that Warner will be named in the squad for the upcoming T20Is against West Indies which starts February 9 and probably against New Zealand after that as well. His selection would definitely be a seal on his spot for the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be played in June this year in the USA and West Indies. After his retirement from Tests, Warner has played two games in Australia's domestic T20 tournament Big Bash League (BBL) for Sydney Thunder. He currently is in the UAE to take part in the ILT20 for Dubai Capitals.

Australia T20I batter David Warner set to join Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor in unique list

<p>Rohit Sharma became the joint-most successful T20I captain, along with Afghanistan's Asghar Afghan and Indian legend MS Dhoni, after India won the third and final match versus the Afghans on Wednesday (Jan 17) in Bengaluru. Rohit now has 42 wins as T20I captain after starring in India's thrilling double Super Over win, where he slammed&nbsp;a majestic 121*.</p>

<p>After the Afghanistan T20Is, former cricketer Rohan Gavaskar hailed Rohit. Rohan stated,&nbsp; while speaking on Cricbuzz, that "if Rohit&nbsp;has a higher winning percentage than MS and Virat, that tells you what a good captain he is".</p>

<p>He said, "This is the format where your captaincy skills are really tested."</p>

<p>Rohit has a 75.92 win percentage in T20Is, compared to Dhoni's&nbsp;56.94 and Kohli's 60.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dravid-rues-lack-of-international-cricket-before-t20-wc-as-problem-of-plenty-for-keepers-hogs-limelight-681456">Dravid rues lack of international cricket before T20 WC as ‘problem of plenty’ for keepers hogs limelight</a></strong></p>

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<p>Rohan further&nbsp;stated on Hitman's knock, "What I really liked about this innings is that, generally you say in a T20I game now - the template is to go bang bang bang from the word go. And that is the template that is set. But both Rohit and Rinku used their cricketing intelligence at 22-4 and said no. We can get runs later on but let's just give ourselves a little bit of time<i>.</i>"</p>

<p>"If we lose a wicket or two here, we'll be 70 all out. We're 90 all out. So let's give ourselves a little bit of time, we have the ability to make up for it as the innings progresses. And they did, last five overs - 100. But this is a one-off. Normally, you want your teams to play in a different template. But to have that cricketing intelligence and the skillset to adapt and adjust and change your game, to what needs to be done, that is key,"&nbsp;Gavaskar junior added.</p>

<p>Talking about the final T20I, India opted to bat first and were tottering at 22-4 before an impressive 190-run fifth-wicket stand between Rohit (121*) and Rinku Singh (unbeaten 69) took India to 212/4. In reply, Afghanistan rode on openers Rahmatullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran's 50 apiece before Gulbadin Naib's 55* and Mohammed Nabi's 16-ball 34* took them to 212/6. After even the first Super Over led to no result, the second Super Over saw India win to make Rohit the joint-most successful captain in the format.</p>

<p>Rohit-led India will play their next T20I during the forthcoming T20 World Cup&nbsp;in West Indies and USA&nbsp;in June.</p>


Rohit Sharma became the joint-most successful T20I captain, along with Afghanistan's Asghar Afghan and Indian legend MS Dhoni, after India won the third and final match versus the Afghans on Wednesday (Jan 17) in Bengaluru.

Rohit Sharma became the joint-most successful T20I captain, along with Afghanistan's Asghar Afghan and Indian legend MS Dhoni, after India won the third and final match versus the Afghans on Wednesday (Jan 17) in Bengaluru. Rohit now has 42 wins as T20I captain after starring in India's thrilling double Super Over win, where he slammed a majestic 121*. After the Afghanistan T20Is, former cricketer Rohan Gavaskar hailed Rohit. Rohan stated, while speaking on Cricbuzz, that "if Rohit has a higher winning percentage than MS and Virat, that tells you what a good captain he is". He said, "This is the format where your captaincy skills are really tested." Rohit has a 75.92 win percentage in T20Is, compared to Dhoni's 56.94 and Kohli's 60. Also read: Dravid rues lack of international cricket before T20 WC as ‘problem of plenty’ for keepers hogs limelight × Rohan further stated on Hitman's knock, "What I really liked about this innings is that, generally you say in a T20I game now - the template is to go bang bang bang from the word go. And that is the template that is set. But both Rohit and Rinku used their cricketing intelligence at 22-4 and said no. We can get runs later on but let's just give ourselves a little bit of time." "If we lose a wicket or two here, we'll be 70 all out. We're 90 all out. So let's give ourselves a little bit of time, we have the ability to make up for it as the innings progresses. And they did, last five overs - 100. But this is a one-off. Normally, you want your teams to play in a different template. But to have that cricketing intelligence and the skillset to adapt and adjust and change your game, to what needs to be done, that is key," Gavaskar junior added. Talking about the final T20I, India opted to bat first and were tottering at 22-4 before an impressive 190-run fifth-wicket stand between Rohit (121*) and Rinku Singh (unbeaten 69) took India to 212/4. In reply, Afghanistan rode on openers Rahmatullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran's 50 apiece before Gulbadin Naib's 55* and Mohammed Nabi's 16-ball 34* took them to 212/6. After even the first Super Over led to no result, the second Super Over saw India win to make Rohit the joint-most successful captain in the format. Rohit-led India will play their next T20I during the forthcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA in June.

Ind vs Afg: 'If he has higher win percentage than Dhoni & Kohli, then...' - Gavaskar hails captain Rohit

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma scored a record fifth hundred in the T20 internationals during the third T20I in Bengaluru on January 17 vs Afghanistan. This is Rohit's fifth hundred in T20Is - the most for any batter. Rohit reached his hundred in the 19th over and finished unbeaten on 121 as India scored 212/4 in 20 overs.</p>

<p>Earlier, Afghanistan stunned India with four quick wickets for four runs in inside the first five overs. The wickets involved star batter Virat Kohli, last two games' hero Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Among the four wickets, Kohli and Samson fell for first-ball ducks while Dube managed just one run and Jaiswal went back after scoring four runs. This was also Kohli's first golden duck in T20Is.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/pakistan-skipper-shaheen-afridi-praises-babar-azam-despite-losing-t20i-series-against-new-zealand-680903">Pakistan skipper Shaheen Afridi praises Babar Azam despite losing T20I series against New Zealand</a></p>

<p>For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmed was the destroyer-in-chief, accounting for three of four wickets. Ahmed first dismissed Jaiswal on the third ball of&nbsp;the third over before sending back Kohli on the very next ball. Azmatullah Omarzai then joined the party with the wicket of Dube on the last ball of the next over as India lost the third wicket with just 21 runs on the board.</p>

<p>Ahmed came back in the next over and sent back Samson on the third ball. The pacer's figures read 3/10 in three overs by the time he was taken out of the attack.</p>

<p>Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, continued to bat at the other end. Rinku Singh came to bat at number six and stemmed the fall of wickets. The duo took India past 50 in 8.4 overs to bring some stability to the innings which was falling apart quickly. Rohit and Rinku also brought up their fifty partnership in 41 balls and took India past 100 in the 14 over without the loss of anymore wickets.</p>

<p>In between, Rohit also reached his 30th T20I fifty with a four in the 13th over. The pair crossed the 100-run partnership in the 16th over with Rinku contributing 36 runs to it and finished unbeaten on 69 off just 39 balls. In the last two overs, India scored 58 runs as Afghanistan could not sustain the pressure.</p>


India skipper Rohit Sharma scored a record fifth hundred in the T20 internationals during the third T20I in Bengaluru on January 17 vs Afghanistan. This is Rohit's fifth hundred in T20Is - the most for any batter.

India skipper Rohit Sharma scored a record fifth hundred in the T20 internationals during the third T20I in Bengaluru on January 17 vs Afghanistan. This is Rohit's fifth hundred in T20Is - the most for any batter. Rohit reached his hundred in the 19th over and finished unbeaten on 121 as India scored 212/4 in 20 overs. Earlier, Afghanistan stunned India with four quick wickets for four runs in inside the first five overs. The wickets involved star batter Virat Kohli, last two games' hero Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Among the four wickets, Kohli and Samson fell for first-ball ducks while Dube managed just one run and Jaiswal went back after scoring four runs. This was also Kohli's first golden duck in T20Is. Also Read: Pakistan skipper Shaheen Afridi praises Babar Azam despite losing T20I series against New Zealand For Afghanistan, Fareed Ahmed was the destroyer-in-chief, accounting for three of four wickets. Ahmed first dismissed Jaiswal on the third ball of the third over before sending back Kohli on the very next ball. Azmatullah Omarzai then joined the party with the wicket of Dube on the last ball of the next over as India lost the third wicket with just 21 runs on the board. Ahmed came back in the next over and sent back Samson on the third ball. The pacer's figures read 3/10 in three overs by the time he was taken out of the attack. Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, continued to bat at the other end. Rinku Singh came to bat at number six and stemmed the fall of wickets. The duo took India past 50 in 8.4 overs to bring some stability to the innings which was falling apart quickly. Rohit and Rinku also brought up their fifty partnership in 41 balls and took India past 100 in the 14 over without the loss of anymore wickets. In between, Rohit also reached his 30th T20I fifty with a four in the 13th over. The pair crossed the 100-run partnership in the 16th over with Rinku contributing 36 runs to it and finished unbeaten on 69 off just 39 balls. In the last two overs, India scored 58 runs as Afghanistan could not sustain the pressure.

Rohit hits record fifth hundred after Afghanistan stun India with four wickets for four runs in third T20I

<p>Team India is set to assemble in Hyderabad on Jan 20 to&nbsp;undergo a four-day practice session before the five-match Test series opener versus England, which kicks off on Jan 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The series holds a lot of significance with regard to the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. At present, Rohit Sharma-led India occupy the second spot whereas England is in the eighth position.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per Cricbuzz, Virat Kohli is expected to take a day off after his net session on Jan 21. He has been given the nod by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to attend the Ram Temple Consecration in Ayodhya on Jan 22.&nbsp;Currently, the Rohit-led Indian team is involved in the three T20Is versus Afghanistan at home. They have locked horns with the Afghans in the third and inconsequential tie at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru with the series in their pocket after an unassailable 2-0 lead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Ben Stokes-England team will arrive in Hyderabad on Jan 21 following their preparations in Abu Dhabi. Their late arrival hasn't been well received back home, with former pacer Steve Harmison not mincing his words.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/who-will-say-no-to-t20-world-cup-shami-hopeful-of-being-part-of-mega-event-with-good-run-in-ipl-2024-680874">'Who will say no to T20 World Cup?': Shami hopeful of being part of mega event with good run in IPL 2024</a></strong></p>

<h2>'You'd never go to Australia three days before the Gabba. Why go three days before (to) Hyderabad?'</h2>

<p>Talking on radio station talkSport's Following On podcast, Harmison recently said,&nbsp;"I'm an old man and that's what they're going to say, the times have changed. But preparation hasn't changed. You cannot go into India underprepared, you cannot go into India over-prepared. You could be in India six weeks before and still not be prepared for that first Test and the emotion of that."</p>

<p>"I love the new approach with Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Rob Key, and everything the ECB has done. But I'm sorry, you'd never go to an Ashes series three days before. You'd never go to Australia three days before the Gabba. Why go three days before (to) Hyderabad? We've got five Test matches in India, you've got to prepare in the right way with overs under your belt, balls faced, and acclimatising," he added.</p>

<p>England's last Test series win in India came in 2012/13. Back then, the visitors reached India&nbsp;almost two weeks in advance. Meanwhile, the last Test series between both sides ended in a 2-2 stalemate, held in the United Kingdom from 2021-22.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Early this month, BCCI announced India's squad for the first two Tests.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>India’s squad for the first two Tests vs England:</strong> Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Avesh Khan</p>


Team India is set to assemble in Hyderabad on Jan 20 to undergo a four-day practice session before the five-match Test series opener versus England, which kicks off on Jan 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Team India is set to assemble in Hyderabad on Jan 20 to undergo a four-day practice session before the five-match Test series opener versus England, which kicks off on Jan 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The series holds a lot of significance with regard to the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. At present, Rohit Sharma-led India occupy the second spot whereas England is in the eighth position. As per Cricbuzz, Virat Kohli is expected to take a day off after his net session on Jan 21. He has been given the nod by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to attend the Ram Temple Consecration in Ayodhya on Jan 22. Currently, the Rohit-led Indian team is involved in the three T20Is versus Afghanistan at home. They have locked horns with the Afghans in the third and inconsequential tie at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru with the series in their pocket after an unassailable 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Ben Stokes-England team will arrive in Hyderabad on Jan 21 following their preparations in Abu Dhabi. Their late arrival hasn't been well received back home, with former pacer Steve Harmison not mincing his words. Also read: 'Who will say no to T20 World Cup?': Shami hopeful of being part of mega event with good run in IPL 2024 'You'd never go to Australia three days before the Gabba. Why go three days before (to) Hyderabad?' Talking on radio station talkSport's Following On podcast, Harmison recently said, "I'm an old man and that's what they're going to say, the times have changed. But preparation hasn't changed. You cannot go into India underprepared, you cannot go into India over-prepared. You could be in India six weeks before and still not be prepared for that first Test and the emotion of that." "I love the new approach with Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum and Rob Key, and everything the ECB has done. But I'm sorry, you'd never go to an Ashes series three days before. You'd never go to Australia three days before the Gabba. Why go three days before (to) Hyderabad? We've got five Test matches in India, you've got to prepare in the right way with overs under your belt, balls faced, and acclimatising," he added. England's last Test series win in India came in 2012/13. Back then, the visitors reached India almost two weeks in advance. Meanwhile, the last Test series between both sides ended in a 2-2 stalemate, held in the United Kingdom from 2021-22. Early this month, BCCI announced India's squad for the first two Tests. India’s squad for the first two Tests vs England: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Avesh Khan

Ind vs Eng: Team India to assemble in Hyderabad on Jan 20, five days ahead of Test series opener

<p>On Tuesday (Jan 16), former Indian&nbsp;captain MS Dhoni received an invitation to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which is set to take place on Jan 22. Senior RSS functionary Dhananjay&nbsp;Singh told news agency PTI, "We handed over the invitation card to him (Dhoni) on behalf of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the Pran Pratishtha&nbsp;ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22."</p>

<p>In addition, Singh confirmed that Dhoni and his family expressed happiness on receiving the invitation and, thus, the former Indian cricketer is expected to be in attendance. Dhoni became the third cricketer in the country to be invited to the landmark ceremony.&nbsp;It is to be noted that Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli also received invitations to be part of the&nbsp;Pran Pratishtha Ceremony in Ayodhya.</p>

<p>&nbsp;At present, Dhoni is gearing up for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will once again lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-pays-tribute-to-ms-dhoni-for-his-contribution-to-indian-cricket-retires-iconic-number-7-jersey-669839">BCCI pays tribute to MS Dhoni for his contribution to Indian cricket, retires iconic 'Number 7' jersey</a></strong></p>

<p>"As many as 16 distinguished personalities including senior BJP leader and Padma Bhusan Karia Munda, Padma Shri Mukund Nayak, Padma Shri archer Deepika Kumari, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto have been invited for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya," Singh further stated.</p>

<p>Notably, PM Narendra Modi will also grace the occasion of the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple on Jan 22. Apart from some top cricketers of the country, many other celebrities have been invited to the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Some of them include Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Rajinikanth, Manmohan Singh, Dhanush, Mohanlal, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Prabhas, Yash, Arun Govil and many others.</p>


On Tuesday (Jan 16), former Indian captain MS Dhoni received an invitation to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which is set to take place on Jan 22.

On Tuesday (Jan 16), former Indian captain MS Dhoni received an invitation to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which is set to take place on Jan 22. Senior RSS functionary Dhananjay Singh told news agency PTI, "We handed over the invitation card to him (Dhoni) on behalf of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22." In addition, Singh confirmed that Dhoni and his family expressed happiness on receiving the invitation and, thus, the former Indian cricketer is expected to be in attendance. Dhoni became the third cricketer in the country to be invited to the landmark ceremony. It is to be noted that Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli also received invitations to be part of the Pran Pratishtha Ceremony in Ayodhya. At present, Dhoni is gearing up for the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will once again lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise. Also read: BCCI pays tribute to MS Dhoni for his contribution to Indian cricket, retires iconic 'Number 7' jersey "As many as 16 distinguished personalities including senior BJP leader and Padma Bhusan Karia Munda, Padma Shri Mukund Nayak, Padma Shri archer Deepika Kumari, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto have been invited for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya," Singh further stated. Notably, PM Narendra Modi will also grace the occasion of the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple on Jan 22. Apart from some top cricketers of the country, many other celebrities have been invited to the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Some of them include Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Rajinikanth, Manmohan Singh, Dhanush, Mohanlal, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Prabhas, Yash, Arun Govil and many others.

Ram Mandir Ayodhya: MS Dhoni invited for 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony after Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli

<p>Former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina feels Virat Kohli will be 'very important' to India's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. The mega event will take place in West Indies and USA with the one-time winners India starting their run on June 5, versus Ireland. India are placed in Group&nbsp;A along with Pakistan, Ireland, USA, and Canada.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Raina's comments came after India beat Afghanistan by six wickets in the second and penultimate T20I at the Holkar Stadium, Indore on Sunday (Jan 14). Kohli marked his T20I return, after 14 months, and played a vital role in the Men in Blue's successful 173-run chase, slamming an impressive 16-ball 29 (striking at 181.25).</p>

<p>Speaking on Sports18, Raina said, "He will be very important (to India's World Cup plans). The biggest question now will be whether Virat Kohli would be willing to play at No. 3? Rohit Sharma wants him to play No. 3 for India, will he follow the template (in the IPL?). He is trying to improve his strike rate. But I feel it’s the job of the players around him. If I am the captain, I’d tell him to do the anchor’s role because he is the kind of player who can hit boundaries and sixes any time he wants."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;I<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-afg-rohit-sharma-becomes-batter-with-joint-second-most-ducks-in-t20is-after-flop-show-in-indore-680042">nd vs Afg: Rohit Sharma registers joint second-most ducks in T20Is after flop show in Indore</a></strong></p>

<p>“I think in this World Cup, we need Virat Kohli to stay in the middle for long. That is more important than his strike rate. We all saw he scored 765 runs in the ODI World Cup. We need him for those pitches (in West Indies and USA). The pitches are not going to be easy, it would be a little tricky with mystery spinners. You might have to find ways to get twos and quick singles if you are not able to get boundaries. One of the top 3 needs to play through 20 overs,” Raina added.</p>

<p>Kohli is the highest run-getter in T20 WC history -- with&nbsp;1,141 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;131.30 including 15 fifties. He has been part of the T20 WC since the 2012 edition, where he was India's top run-getter. In the next two editions, he ended with the Player-of-the Tournament awards. In 2022, he once again ended as the highest run-getter (296 runs with four half-centuries).&nbsp;</p>

<p>While there have been some talks regarding Kohli's strike rate and the fact that he takes some time to get going, it looks highly likely that he will be part of India's T20 WC 2024 squad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ahead of the T20 WC, India will play their last T20I which will be on Wednesday (Jan 17) when they take on Afghanistan in the third and inconsequential tie in Bengaluru. Having won the series, India will aim for a clean sweep whereas Kohli will hope to score big in the final encounter.</p>


Former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina feels Virat Kohli will be 'very important' to India's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. The mega event will take place in West Indies and USA with the one-time winners India starting their run on June 5, versus Ireland.

Former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina feels Virat Kohli will be 'very important' to India's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. The mega event will take place in West Indies and USA with the one-time winners India starting their run on June 5, versus Ireland. India are placed in Group A along with Pakistan, Ireland, USA, and Canada. Raina's comments came after India beat Afghanistan by six wickets in the second and penultimate T20I at the Holkar Stadium, Indore on Sunday (Jan 14). Kohli marked his T20I return, after 14 months, and played a vital role in the Men in Blue's successful 173-run chase, slamming an impressive 16-ball 29 (striking at 181.25). Speaking on Sports18, Raina said, "He will be very important (to India's World Cup plans). The biggest question now will be whether Virat Kohli would be willing to play at No. 3? Rohit Sharma wants him to play No. 3 for India, will he follow the template (in the IPL?). He is trying to improve his strike rate. But I feel it’s the job of the players around him. If I am the captain, I’d tell him to do the anchor’s role because he is the kind of player who can hit boundaries and sixes any time he wants." Also read: Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma registers joint second-most ducks in T20Is after flop show in Indore “I think in this World Cup, we need Virat Kohli to stay in the middle for long. That is more important than his strike rate. We all saw he scored 765 runs in the ODI World Cup. We need him for those pitches (in West Indies and USA). The pitches are not going to be easy, it would be a little tricky with mystery spinners. You might have to find ways to get twos and quick singles if you are not able to get boundaries. One of the top 3 needs to play through 20 overs,” Raina added. Kohli is the highest run-getter in T20 WC history -- with 1,141 runs at a strike rate of 131.30 including 15 fifties. He has been part of the T20 WC since the 2012 edition, where he was India's top run-getter. In the next two editions, he ended with the Player-of-the Tournament awards. In 2022, he once again ended as the highest run-getter (296 runs with four half-centuries). While there have been some talks regarding Kohli's strike rate and the fact that he takes some time to get going, it looks highly likely that he will be part of India's T20 WC 2024 squad. Ahead of the T20 WC, India will play their last T20I which will be on Wednesday (Jan 17) when they take on Afghanistan in the third and inconsequential tie in Bengaluru. Having won the series, India will aim for a clean sweep whereas Kohli will hope to score big in the final encounter.

Ind vs Afg: Virat Kohli will be very important for India in T20 World Cup - Former all-rounder Suresh Raina

<p>World number one Novak Djokovic responded to Indian star batter Virat Kohli's good wishes for the ongoing Australian Open 2024 edition. The first Grand Slam of the year kicked off in Melbourne on Jan 14 which saw Djokovic play his first-round game on Day One. Djokovic went past&nbsp;Croatia’s Dino Prizmic,&nbsp;6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, in the men's singles. Later, he reacted to Kohli's wishes on social media platform X.</p>

<p>Taking to his official account on X, formerly Twitter, Djokovic wrote, "Thank you for these kind words @imVkohli Looking forward to the day we play together". This was in response to&nbsp;the former Indian skipper Kohli's revelation&nbsp;on how the two superstar athletes have been in touch, on Instagram,&nbsp;for a few years.</p>

<h2><strong>'I hope you have a great tournament'</strong></h2>

<p>Ahead of Kohli's T20I return, on Sunday evening during India's second and penultimate T20I versus Afghanistan in Indore, the 35-year-old spoke about his interaction with Djokovic in a video on BCCI.tv.&nbsp;"I got in touch with Novak very organically, I think on I was I was just looking at his profile once on Instagram, and I just happened to press the message button and thought I would just say hello. And then I saw a message from him on my DM already. I had never opened it myself. I was like, let me just check if it's a fake account or something like that. But then I checked it again and it was legitimate. And then yeah, we got talking. We keep exchanging messages every now and then. I congratulated him for all his amazing achievements,” said Kohli.</p>

<p>“I would like to wish you all the very best for the Australian Open. I know how excited and prepared you are for these big events, and I have no doubt that we'll see the Novak Djokovic that we've seen over the years. I hope you have a great tournament,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-opens-up-on-chatting-with-tennis-legend-novak-djokovic-on-instagram-679892">Virat Kohli opens up on chatting with tennis legend Novak Djokovic on Instagram</a></strong></p>

<p>Later, Djokovic reacted to Kohli's message, shared by BCCI's account on X, after moving to the second round of the Australian Open.</p>

<p>The Serb also spoke&nbsp;about his tournament-opener in which he had&nbsp;a tough time against Prizmic in a game which lasted over four hours. Djokovic is eyeing his tenth title at the Australian Open in Melbourne.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kohli returned to India's T20I setup in the second and penultimate game of the India-Afghanistan series at home. In his side's successful 173-run chase, the batter played a vital part with an entertaining 16-ball 29. The third and final T20I will be played in Bengaluru on Wednesday (Jan 17) with India eyeing a clean sweep.</p>


World number one Novak Djokovic responded to Indian star batter Virat Kohli's good wishes for the ongoing Australian Open 2024 edition. The first Grand Slam of the year kicked off in Melbourne on Jan 14 which saw Djokovic play his first-round game on Day One.

World number one Novak Djokovic responded to Indian star batter Virat Kohli's good wishes for the ongoing Australian Open 2024 edition. The first Grand Slam of the year kicked off in Melbourne on Jan 14 which saw Djokovic play his first-round game on Day One. Djokovic went past Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, in the men's singles. Later, he reacted to Kohli's wishes on social media platform X. Taking to his official account on X, formerly Twitter, Djokovic wrote, "Thank you for these kind words @imVkohli Looking forward to the day we play together". This was in response to the former Indian skipper Kohli's revelation on how the two superstar athletes have been in touch, on Instagram, for a few years. 'I hope you have a great tournament' Ahead of Kohli's T20I return, on Sunday evening during India's second and penultimate T20I versus Afghanistan in Indore, the 35-year-old spoke about his interaction with Djokovic in a video on BCCI.tv. "I got in touch with Novak very organically, I think on I was I was just looking at his profile once on Instagram, and I just happened to press the message button and thought I would just say hello. And then I saw a message from him on my DM already. I had never opened it myself. I was like, let me just check if it's a fake account or something like that. But then I checked it again and it was legitimate. And then yeah, we got talking. We keep exchanging messages every now and then. I congratulated him for all his amazing achievements,” said Kohli. “I would like to wish you all the very best for the Australian Open. I know how excited and prepared you are for these big events, and I have no doubt that we'll see the Novak Djokovic that we've seen over the years. I hope you have a great tournament,” he added. Also read: Virat Kohli opens up on chatting with tennis legend Novak Djokovic on Instagram Later, Djokovic reacted to Kohli's message, shared by BCCI's account on X, after moving to the second round of the Australian Open. The Serb also spoke about his tournament-opener in which he had a tough time against Prizmic in a game which lasted over four hours. Djokovic is eyeing his tenth title at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Meanwhile, Kohli returned to India's T20I setup in the second and penultimate game of the India-Afghanistan series at home. In his side's successful 173-run chase, the batter played a vital part with an entertaining 16-ball 29. The third and final T20I will be played in Bengaluru on Wednesday (Jan 17) with India eyeing a clean sweep.

Djokovic acknowledges Kohli for Australian Open wishes, says 'looking forward to the day we play together'

<p>India great Virat Kohli recently revealed that he and tennis legend Novak Djokovic have been chatting on Instagram for some time, although they haven't met in person yet. Considered to be two all-time bests in their respective sports, Kohli and Djokovic follow each other on social media platform Instagram. Virat disclosed what happened when he once decided to text Novak.</p>

<p>Speaking on the BCCI.tv, Virat revealed when he clicked on the Messages Icon on Instagram to text Novak, he noticed that the Serbian star had already texted, something that he hadn’t checked earlier.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-india-all-rounder-yuvraj-singh-says-ravi-ashwin-doesnt-deserve-place-in-white-ball-team-679841">Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh says Ravi Ashwin 'doesn't deserve place in white-ball team'</a></strong></p>

<p>“I got in touch with Novak very organically,” Kohli told bcci.tv.</p>

<p>“When I saw his profile on Instagram, I pressed the message button, I thought I would just message him. Then I saw his message already on my DM.”</p>

<p>"I had never opened it. It was the first time I had opened my own messages. And he's messaged me himself. So, first, I thought, let me just check, maybe it's a fake account. Then I checked again, it was legitimate. Then we got talking,” the India great added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH VIDEO -</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Who else is waiting for this rendezvous 😉☕️<br />
<br />
📽️ WATCH the full video on <a href="https://t.co/Z3MPyeL1t7">https://t.co/Z3MPyeL1t7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> <a href="https://t.co/YAIg0DDfFX">pic.twitter.com/YAIg0DDfFX</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1746451964811182325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Virat said Novak had even put an Instagram story, congratulating the India batter for completing his 50th ODI ton during the home World Cup last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Virat added that they both admire each other's work and are proud of what they have achieved and that he follows Novak’s fitness mantra, which helped Kohli stay head and shoulders ahead of everyone in cricket.</p>

<p>"When I got 50th ODI century recently, Novak Djokovic put out a story and sent me a nice message as well, so there is mutual admiration and respect - really nice to connect with global athletes who are excelling at a high level. I have a lot of respect for him and his journey… his passion for fitness is something I dearly follow myself. So, there was a lot to connect on,” Kohli added.</p>

<h2>Djokovic praises Kohli</h2>

<p>Currently in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the Year – the Australian Open 2024, Novak also expressed his mutual admiration for Virat, saying despite not meeting in person, he connects well with Virat on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH -&nbsp;Nepal's star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane jailed for eight years for rape</strong></p>

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<p>"Virat Kohli and I have been texting a little bit for a few years. We never got the chance to meet in person, but it was an honour and privilege to listen to him speak nicely about me," Djokovic said on Sony Sports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I admire his career and his achievements. I started to play cricket. I'm not very good at it. I have a task to perfect my cricket skills before I get to India so that I don't embarrass myself when I am there,” Novak added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SomdevD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SomdevD</a> speaks with tennis legend <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a>, unravelling his bond with India &amp; his inspiring journey to greatness 🙌💙<br />
<br />
P.S. - Did you know Djokovic &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> were text buddies? 🤗<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SonySportsNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonySportsNetwork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SlamOfTheGreats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SlamOfTheGreats</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NovakDjokovic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NovakDjokovic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/J9E7xP2koF">pic.twitter.com/J9E7xP2koF</a></p>
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/1746128360240259443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, Virat will feature in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Indore on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>


India great Virat Kohli recently revealed that he and tennis legend Novak Djokovic have been chatting on Instagram for some time, although they haven't met in person yet.

India great Virat Kohli recently revealed that he and tennis legend Novak Djokovic have been chatting on Instagram for some time, although they haven't met in person yet. Considered to be two all-time bests in their respective sports, Kohli and Djokovic follow each other on social media platform Instagram. Virat disclosed what happened when he once decided to text Novak. Speaking on the BCCI.tv, Virat revealed when he clicked on the Messages Icon on Instagram to text Novak, he noticed that the Serbian star had already texted, something that he hadn’t checked earlier. ALSO READ: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh says Ravi Ashwin 'doesn't deserve place in white-ball team' “I got in touch with Novak very organically,” Kohli told bcci.tv. “When I saw his profile on Instagram, I pressed the message button, I thought I would just message him. Then I saw his message already on my DM.” "I had never opened it. It was the first time I had opened my own messages. And he's messaged me himself. So, first, I thought, let me just check, maybe it's a fake account. Then I checked again, it was legitimate. Then we got talking,” the India great added. WATCH VIDEO - Who else is waiting for this rendezvous 😉☕️ 📽️ WATCH the full video on https://t.co/Z3MPyeL1t7 #TeamIndia | @imVkohli | @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/YAIg0DDfFX — BCCI (@BCCI) January 14, 2024 × Virat said Novak had even put an Instagram story, congratulating the India batter for completing his 50th ODI ton during the home World Cup last year. Virat added that they both admire each other's work and are proud of what they have achieved and that he follows Novak’s fitness mantra, which helped Kohli stay head and shoulders ahead of everyone in cricket. "When I got 50th ODI century recently, Novak Djokovic put out a story and sent me a nice message as well, so there is mutual admiration and respect - really nice to connect with global athletes who are excelling at a high level. I have a lot of respect for him and his journey… his passion for fitness is something I dearly follow myself. So, there was a lot to connect on,” Kohli added. Djokovic praises Kohli Currently in Melbourne for the first Grand Slam of the Year – the Australian Open 2024, Novak also expressed his mutual admiration for Virat, saying despite not meeting in person, he connects well with Virat on social media. ALSO WATCH - Nepal's star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane jailed for eight years for rape × "Virat Kohli and I have been texting a little bit for a few years. We never got the chance to meet in person, but it was an honour and privilege to listen to him speak nicely about me," Djokovic said on Sony Sports. "I admire his career and his achievements. I started to play cricket. I'm not very good at it. I have a task to perfect my cricket skills before I get to India so that I don't embarrass myself when I am there,” Novak added. .@SomdevD speaks with tennis legend @DjokerNole, unravelling his bond with India & his inspiring journey to greatness 🙌💙 P.S. - Did you know Djokovic & @imVkohli were text buddies? 🤗#SonySportsNetwork #SlamOfTheGreats #NovakDjokovic #AO2024 #AusOpen | @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/J9E7xP2koF — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) January 13, 2024 × Meanwhile, Virat will feature in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Indore on Sunday.

Virat Kohli opens up on chatting with tennis legend Novak Djokovic on Instagram

<p>Virat Kohli has entertained the global stage of cricket with an illustrious career spanning over 15 years where he won every possible trophy at the international level. While the entire world knows his accomplishments on the cricket field, it is hard to find anyone who has not noticed him. With 265 million followers on Instagram, he is one of the most popular sports athletes on the planet.</p>

<p>However, one football legend did not know about Virat when he was quizzed recently.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Speed - Do you know Virat Kohli, he is the GOAT of cricket?!<br />
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Ronaldo Nazario- Yeah definitely. <a href="https://t.co/MbFYNCoRGf">pic.twitter.com/MbFYNCoRGf</a></p>
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra/status/1745096633153687582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>What was the incident?</strong></h2>

<p>Youtube influencer Darren Jason Watkins Jr, popularly known as Speed, recently caught up with Brazil football legend and 2002 FIFA World Cup winner Ronaldo Luís Nazári. In a video surfacing on the internet, Speed was seen asking Ronaldo about Virat Kohli to which he answered – “Who’s Virat Kohli?”</p>

<p>The answer left Speed stunned and he came up with Virat’s picture and showed it to Ronaldo upon which he recognised the Indian cricket legend.</p>

<p>Speed also had to mention about Virat’s accomplishments while comparing him to Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam, stating how better he is.</p>

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<p>Virat has left no stone unturned during his illustrious career on the cricketing field.</p>

<p>Like Ronaldo, he too is considered a living legend in their respective sports.</p>

<p>Ronaldo’s best year came in 2002 when he won the Ballon d’Or coupled with a World Cup, while Virat’s best year came in 2011 when he won the ODI World Cup.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-rohit-kohli-have-ordinary-ipl-gavaskar-on-indias-possible-t20-wc-squad-makes-bold-suggestion-678940">‘If Rohit, Kohli have ordinary IPL…’: Gavaskar on India's possible T20 WC squad, makes BOLD suggestion</a></p>

<p>He came close to repeating that success in 2023 when hosts India reached the final of the ODI World Cup.</p>

<p>However, India lost that final against Australia in a one-sided contest.</p>

<p>But Kohli made sure he forged his legacy with an eye-catching performance. He scored 763 runs in 11 matches with nine 50-plus scores while also breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds with 50.</p>

<p>He is currently second to Tendulkar (100) for most hundreds at the international level with 80.</p>

<p>Virat will be next in action on Sunday (Jan 14) when India take on Afghanistan in the second T20I in Indore. Virat will not play in the first T20I in Mohali due to personal reasons and will arrive directly in Indore for the second contest.</p>


Virat Kohli has entertained the global stage of cricket with an illustrious career spanning over 15 years where he won every possible trophy at the international level.

Virat Kohli has entertained the global stage of cricket with an illustrious career spanning over 15 years where he won every possible trophy at the international level. While the entire world knows his accomplishments on the cricket field, it is hard to find anyone who has not noticed him. With 265 million followers on Instagram, he is one of the most popular sports athletes on the planet. However, one football legend did not know about Virat when he was quizzed recently. Speed - Do you know Virat Kohli, he is the GOAT of cricket?! Ronaldo Nazario- Yeah definitely. pic.twitter.com/MbFYNCoRGf — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 10, 2024 × What was the incident? Youtube influencer Darren Jason Watkins Jr, popularly known as Speed, recently caught up with Brazil football legend and 2002 FIFA World Cup winner Ronaldo Luís Nazári. In a video surfacing on the internet, Speed was seen asking Ronaldo about Virat Kohli to which he answered – “Who’s Virat Kohli?” The answer left Speed stunned and he came up with Virat’s picture and showed it to Ronaldo upon which he recognised the Indian cricket legend. Speed also had to mention about Virat’s accomplishments while comparing him to Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam, stating how better he is. Virat has left no stone unturned during his illustrious career on the cricketing field. Like Ronaldo, he too is considered a living legend in their respective sports. Ronaldo’s best year came in 2002 when he won the Ballon d’Or coupled with a World Cup, while Virat’s best year came in 2011 when he won the ODI World Cup. ALSO READ | ‘If Rohit, Kohli have ordinary IPL…’: Gavaskar on India's possible T20 WC squad, makes BOLD suggestion He came close to repeating that success in 2023 when hosts India reached the final of the ODI World Cup. However, India lost that final against Australia in a one-sided contest. But Kohli made sure he forged his legacy with an eye-catching performance. He scored 763 runs in 11 matches with nine 50-plus scores while also breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds with 50. He is currently second to Tendulkar (100) for most hundreds at the international level with 80. Virat will be next in action on Sunday (Jan 14) when India take on Afghanistan in the second T20I in Indore. Virat will not play in the first T20I in Mohali due to personal reasons and will arrive directly in Indore for the second contest.

‘Who’s Virat Kohli?': Brazil's Ronaldo answers when quizzed over Indian cricket legend

<p>Virat Kohli went past Sachin Tendulkar's ODI tally (49) to become the batter with most tons in the shortest format during the 2023&nbsp;World Cup at home, in early November. At present, the 35-year-old has 80 international tons and is only 20 away from equalling Tendulkar's tally (100 -- most ever by any batter). While many believe Kohli has a chance to equal and eventually go past his idol's tally, former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd is fully confident of the Indian star batter bettering Tendulkar's record.</p>

<p>"I do not know about the period, but he is young enough, and I am sure that the way he is playing he can achieve anything he wants to achieve, and it would be something to be quite happy to achieve," Lloyd, who led West Indies to two successive ODI WC triumphs in 1975 and 1979,&nbsp;said during an event in Kolkata.</p>

<p><strong>MOST INTERNATIONAL TONS IN MEN's CRICKET</strong></p>

<p>Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 100</p>

<p><strong>Virat Kohli (India) - 80*</strong></p>

<p>Ricky Ponting (Australia/ICC) - 71</p>

<p>Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka/ICC/Asia) - 63</p>

<p>Jacques Kallis (South Africa/ICC/Africa) - 62</p>

<p>Hashim Amla (South Africa/World) - 55</p>

<p>At 35, Kohli remains one of the fittest cricketers in world cricket. He is an active player for India across all formats, having returned to the T20I setup in early January&nbsp;after 14 months, and has plenty of big assignments coming up where he can rake in a plethora of runs.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-afg-rohit-sharma-creates-history-becomes-1st-man-to-be-part-of-100-t20i-wins-after-mohali-tie-679226">Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma creates history, becomes 1st man to be part of 100 T20I wins after Mohali tie</a></strong></p>

<p>During the home ODI WC, Kohli ended with the most runs (765 -- most by a batter in a single edition). He was also among the runs in the India-South Africa Test series&nbsp;in the African nation, scoring vital knocks, including 76 in Centurion and an impressive&nbsp;46 in the final encounter in Cape Town.</p>

<p>Kohli is currently part of India's three T20Is versus Afghanistan at home, where he missed the series opener&nbsp;in Mohali on Thursday (Jan 11), due to personal reasons. He is expected to play the final two games, with the second and penultimate tie to be held on Sunday (Jan 14) in Indore.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli went past Sachin Tendulkar's ODI tally (49) to become the batter with most tons in the shortest format during the 2023 World Cup at home, in early November.

Virat Kohli went past Sachin Tendulkar's ODI tally (49) to become the batter with most tons in the shortest format during the 2023 World Cup at home, in early November. At present, the 35-year-old has 80 international tons and is only 20 away from equalling Tendulkar's tally (100 -- most ever by any batter). While many believe Kohli has a chance to equal and eventually go past his idol's tally, former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd is fully confident of the Indian star batter bettering Tendulkar's record. "I do not know about the period, but he is young enough, and I am sure that the way he is playing he can achieve anything he wants to achieve, and it would be something to be quite happy to achieve," Lloyd, who led West Indies to two successive ODI WC triumphs in 1975 and 1979, said during an event in Kolkata. MOST INTERNATIONAL TONS IN MEN's CRICKET Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 100 Virat Kohli (India) - 80* Ricky Ponting (Australia/ICC) - 71 Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka/ICC/Asia) - 63 Jacques Kallis (South Africa/ICC/Africa) - 62 Hashim Amla (South Africa/World) - 55 At 35, Kohli remains one of the fittest cricketers in world cricket. He is an active player for India across all formats, having returned to the T20I setup in early January after 14 months, and has plenty of big assignments coming up where he can rake in a plethora of runs. Also read: Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma creates history, becomes 1st man to be part of 100 T20I wins after Mohali tie During the home ODI WC, Kohli ended with the most runs (765 -- most by a batter in a single edition). He was also among the runs in the India-South Africa Test series in the African nation, scoring vital knocks, including 76 in Centurion and an impressive 46 in the final encounter in Cape Town. Kohli is currently part of India's three T20Is versus Afghanistan at home, where he missed the series opener in Mohali on Thursday (Jan 11), due to personal reasons. He is expected to play the final two games, with the second and penultimate tie to be held on Sunday (Jan 14) in Indore.

Virat Kohli can break many more records of Sachin Tendulkar, feels West Indies legend Clive Lloyd

<p>Ahead of Ben Stokes-led England's five Tests versus India, in India, former English spinner Graeme Swann recalled his side's historic red-ball series triumph in India in 2012-13. Back then, Alastair Cook-led England won their maiden Test series on Indian soil after 28 years, beating MS Dhoni-led India 2-1 in four Tests. During the tour, England spinners&nbsp;Swann (20 scalps -- joint-most) and&nbsp;Monty Panesar (17 wickets) were the top performers along with Cook (562 runs) and Kevin Pietersen (338 runs)</p>

<p>Swann recalled England's historic Test series win. He has urged the current crop of English cricketers to not take on Virat Kohli, who revels in on-field battle, while recalling an interesting episode from the 2012-13 series. In addition, he&nbsp;named the Indian batter against whom he didn't enjoy bowling.</p>

<p>Swann said in a Sky Sports Cricket podcast, "We had been told beforehand to not say anything to this bloke (Virat Kohli) because he absolutely revels in a battle in the field and he loves chasing down totals. We knew what he could do in the white-ball format but back then he hadn't really done anything in Test cricket."</p>

<p>"Steven Finn got driven for a couple of incredible fours and he lost the plot and had a go at him and realised his mistake straight away. Virat roared up like a tiger and Finn just doubled down and got smashed everywhere."</p>

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<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-rohit-kohli-have-ordinary-ipl-gavaskar-on-indias-possible-t20-wc-squad-makes-bold-suggestion-678940">‘If Rohit, Kohli have ordinary IPL…’: Gavaskar on India's possible T20 WC squad, makes BOLD suggestion</a></strong></p>

<p>During the 2012-13 series, Kohli took time to get going in the first three Tests but slammed an impressive 103 in the fourth and final Test in Nagpur, also stitching a vital 198-run stand with then skipper MS Dhoni (99). The Test ended in a draw as England won the series with a 2-1 lead already in their grasp.</p>

<p>Swann added, "I got him (Kohli) out in the first Test but often you had to bowl the perfect ball to dismiss him. The one batter I didn't like bowling to was (Cheteshwar) Pujara because was very nimble on his feet.</p>

<p>"It's strange when I look back at the team they had -- VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli -- and the one that I didn't like bowling to was Pujara."</p>

<p>This time around, England have their task cut-out to replicate their side's past success against Rohit Sharma-led Indian team. India have not lost a Test series at home since their 2012-13 defeat to England.</p>

<p>The first of the five-match Test series kicks off in Hyderabad on Jan 25.&nbsp;</p>


Ahead of Ben Stokes-led England's five Tests versus India, in India, former English spinner Graeme Swann recalled his side's historic red-ball series triumph in India in 2012-13.

Ahead of Ben Stokes-led England's five Tests versus India, in India, former English spinner Graeme Swann recalled his side's historic red-ball series triumph in India in 2012-13. Back then, Alastair Cook-led England won their maiden Test series on Indian soil after 28 years, beating MS Dhoni-led India 2-1 in four Tests. During the tour, England spinners Swann (20 scalps -- joint-most) and Monty Panesar (17 wickets) were the top performers along with Cook (562 runs) and Kevin Pietersen (338 runs) Swann recalled England's historic Test series win. He has urged the current crop of English cricketers to not take on Virat Kohli, who revels in on-field battle, while recalling an interesting episode from the 2012-13 series. In addition, he named the Indian batter against whom he didn't enjoy bowling. Swann said in a Sky Sports Cricket podcast, "We had been told beforehand to not say anything to this bloke (Virat Kohli) because he absolutely revels in a battle in the field and he loves chasing down totals. We knew what he could do in the white-ball format but back then he hadn't really done anything in Test cricket." "Steven Finn got driven for a couple of incredible fours and he lost the plot and had a go at him and realised his mistake straight away. Virat roared up like a tiger and Finn just doubled down and got smashed everywhere." × Also read: ‘If Rohit, Kohli have ordinary IPL…’: Gavaskar on India's possible T20 WC squad, makes BOLD suggestion During the 2012-13 series, Kohli took time to get going in the first three Tests but slammed an impressive 103 in the fourth and final Test in Nagpur, also stitching a vital 198-run stand with then skipper MS Dhoni (99). The Test ended in a draw as England won the series with a 2-1 lead already in their grasp. Swann added, "I got him (Kohli) out in the first Test but often you had to bowl the perfect ball to dismiss him. The one batter I didn't like bowling to was (Cheteshwar) Pujara because was very nimble on his feet. "It's strange when I look back at the team they had -- VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli -- and the one that I didn't like bowling to was Pujara." This time around, England have their task cut-out to replicate their side's past success against Rohit Sharma-led Indian team. India have not lost a Test series at home since their 2012-13 defeat to England. The first of the five-match Test series kicks off in Hyderabad on Jan 25.

Kohli enjoys on-field battle, didn't like bowling to Pujara: Swann recalls ENG's 2012 Test series win in India

<p>Virat Kohli has jumped three spots to claim the sixth position in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters whereas Indian captain Rohit Sharma entered the top 10 following his crucial knocks in India's second and final Test versus South Africa, at Newlands, Cape Town. In the bowling list, India's pace duo Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah -- both of whom accounted for five-fers in the Cape Town win -- has also improved their rankings whereas Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and R Ashwin remained at top.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ICC Test Rankings for batters</strong></p>

<p>Kane Williamson - 864 rating points</p>

<p>Joe Root - 859 rating points</p>

<p>Steve Smith - 818 rating points</p>

<p>Marnus Labuschagne - 802 rating points</p>

<p>Daryl Mitchell - 786 rating points</p>

<p>Virat Kohli - 775 rating points</p>

<p>Harry Brook - 773 rating points</p>

<p>Babar Azam - 768 rating points</p>

<p>Usman Khawaja - 764 rating points</p>

<p>Rohit Sharma - 748 rating points</p>

<p>New Zealand's former captain Kane Williamson continues to hold the top spot with Australia's No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne also making a jump, by three spots.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-afg-rohit-sharma-aims-to-equal-former-captain-ms-dhonis-historic-feat-on-t20i-comeback-678514">Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma aims to equal former captain MS Dhoni's HISTORIC feat on T20I comeback</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>ICC Test Rankings for bowlers&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>R Ashwin - 863 rating points</p>

<p>Pat Cummins - 858 rating points</p>

<p>Kagiso Rabada - 851 rating points</p>

<p>Jasprit Bumrah - 787 rating points</p>

<p>Ravindra Jadeja - 774 rating points</p>

<p>Ollie Robinson - 762 rating points</p>

<p>James Anderson - 761 rating points</p>

<p>Josh Hazlewood - 761 rating points</p>

<p>Mitchell Starc - 753 rating points</p>

<p>Prabath Jayasuriya - 751 rating points</p>

<p>Despite R Ashwin missing India's final Test versus South Africa, he holds the top position. Australian captain Cummins has closed in the gap with Ashwin. Josh Hazlewood has also equalled with England's veteran James Anderson, at the seventh spot, following his good run in Australia's third and final Test win over Pakistan at the SCG, Sydney. In the match, Hazlewood ended with five wickets (including four from the second innings).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ravindra Jadeja remains the top all-rounder in the purest format, with a rating points of 434. Meanwhile, Australia have dethroned India to become the No. 1 ranked side in Tests following India's drawn series versus South Africa in the African nation. The Aussies inflicted a series whitewash over Pakistan, which ended on Jan 6, with a 3-0 scoreline and will look to bolster their lead in the upcoming home Tests versus West Indies.&nbsp;</p>


Virat Kohli has jumped three spots to claim the sixth position in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters whereas Indian captain Rohit Sharma entered the top 10 following his crucial knocks in India's second and final Test versus South Africa, at Newlands, Cape Town.

Virat Kohli has jumped three spots to claim the sixth position in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batters whereas Indian captain Rohit Sharma entered the top 10 following his crucial knocks in India's second and final Test versus South Africa, at Newlands, Cape Town. In the bowling list, India's pace duo Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah -- both of whom accounted for five-fers in the Cape Town win -- has also improved their rankings whereas Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and R Ashwin remained at top. ICC Test Rankings for batters Kane Williamson - 864 rating points Joe Root - 859 rating points Steve Smith - 818 rating points Marnus Labuschagne - 802 rating points Daryl Mitchell - 786 rating points Virat Kohli - 775 rating points Harry Brook - 773 rating points Babar Azam - 768 rating points Usman Khawaja - 764 rating points Rohit Sharma - 748 rating points New Zealand's former captain Kane Williamson continues to hold the top spot with Australia's No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne also making a jump, by three spots. Also read: Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma aims to equal former captain MS Dhoni's HISTORIC feat on T20I comeback ICC Test Rankings for bowlers R Ashwin - 863 rating points Pat Cummins - 858 rating points Kagiso Rabada - 851 rating points Jasprit Bumrah - 787 rating points Ravindra Jadeja - 774 rating points Ollie Robinson - 762 rating points James Anderson - 761 rating points Josh Hazlewood - 761 rating points Mitchell Starc - 753 rating points Prabath Jayasuriya - 751 rating points Despite R Ashwin missing India's final Test versus South Africa, he holds the top position. Australian captain Cummins has closed in the gap with Ashwin. Josh Hazlewood has also equalled with England's veteran James Anderson, at the seventh spot, following his good run in Australia's third and final Test win over Pakistan at the SCG, Sydney. In the match, Hazlewood ended with five wickets (including four from the second innings). Ravindra Jadeja remains the top all-rounder in the purest format, with a rating points of 434. Meanwhile, Australia have dethroned India to become the No. 1 ranked side in Tests following India's drawn series versus South Africa in the African nation. The Aussies inflicted a series whitewash over Pakistan, which ended on Jan 6, with a 3-0 scoreline and will look to bolster their lead in the upcoming home Tests versus West Indies.

ICC Test Rankings: Virat Kohli jumps three spots to claim 6th position, Rohit Sharma enters top 10

<p>Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli marked their return to India's T20I setup when the BCCI selectors announced the national side's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match series versus Afghanistan at home. Rohit and Kohli have not played a T20I since India's 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to eventual winners England in Adelaide. As the three T20Is versus the Afghans&nbsp;get&nbsp;underway on Thursday (Jan 11) in Mohali, Rohit is on the cusp of equalling MS Dhoni's historic captaincy record.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is to be noted that Rohit&nbsp;has 39 wins in 51 T20Is. On the other hand, former skipper Dhoni ended his T20I captaincy tenure&nbsp;winning 42 out of 72 matches. Hence, if India inflict a series whitewash over the Afghans, Rohit will level Dhoni as the joint-most successful India captain in men's T20Is. With India gearing up for the 2024 T20 WC, to be held in West Indies and USA in June, it will certainly boost Rohit's confidence if he levels with Dhoni, India's sole T20 WC-winning captain.&nbsp;</p>

<h3><b>MOST WINS AS T20I CAPTAIN</b></h3>

<p><em>Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan) - 42</em></p>

<p><em>MS Dhoni (India) - 42</em></p>

<p><em>Babar Azam (Pakistan) - 42</em></p>

<p><em>Eoin Morgan (England) - 42</em></p>

<p><em>Brian Masaba (Uganda) - 42</em></p>

<p><em>Aaron Finch (Australia) - 40</em></p>

<p><em>Rohit Sharma (India) – 39</em></p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-south-africa-player-cites-virat-kohlis-example-to-keep-tests-as-priority-over-t20-leagues-678327">Former South Africa player cites Virat Kohli's example to give Tests priority over T20 leagues</a></strong></p>

<p>Under Rohit, India have achieved considerable success in T20Is. They beat Sri Lanka (home), West Indies (home and away), and England (away) since he became the permanent T20I captain. Before that, he led India to the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka&nbsp;in early 2018 when then-all-format captain Kohli was rested. At present, India are the No. 1 ranked side in the format.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>India’s T20I squad for the Afghanistan series –</h2>

<p>Rohit Sharma (captain), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar</p>


Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli marked their return to India's T20I setup when the BCCI selectors announced the national side's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match series versus Afghanistan at home.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli marked their return to India's T20I setup when the BCCI selectors announced the national side's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match series versus Afghanistan at home. Rohit and Kohli have not played a T20I since India's 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to eventual winners England in Adelaide. As the three T20Is versus the Afghans get underway on Thursday (Jan 11) in Mohali, Rohit is on the cusp of equalling MS Dhoni's historic captaincy record. It is to be noted that Rohit has 39 wins in 51 T20Is. On the other hand, former skipper Dhoni ended his T20I captaincy tenure winning 42 out of 72 matches. Hence, if India inflict a series whitewash over the Afghans, Rohit will level Dhoni as the joint-most successful India captain in men's T20Is. With India gearing up for the 2024 T20 WC, to be held in West Indies and USA in June, it will certainly boost Rohit's confidence if he levels with Dhoni, India's sole T20 WC-winning captain. MOST WINS AS T20I CAPTAIN Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan) - 42 MS Dhoni (India) - 42 Babar Azam (Pakistan) - 42 Eoin Morgan (England) - 42 Brian Masaba (Uganda) - 42 Aaron Finch (Australia) - 40 Rohit Sharma (India) – 39 Also read: Former South Africa player cites Virat Kohli's example to give Tests priority over T20 leagues Under Rohit, India have achieved considerable success in T20Is. They beat Sri Lanka (home), West Indies (home and away), and England (away) since he became the permanent T20I captain. Before that, he led India to the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka in early 2018 when then-all-format captain Kohli was rested. At present, India are the No. 1 ranked side in the format. India’s T20I squad for the Afghanistan series – Rohit Sharma (captain), S Gill, Y Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar

Ind vs Afg: Rohit Sharma aims to equal former captain MS Dhoni's HISTORIC feat on T20I comeback

<p>Former India selector Kiran More has opined that inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India's squad for upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan is based on recent form. The duo, who have not featured in any T20I for India since the semi-final of 2022 T20 World Cup against England. India had lost that match by 10 wickets. In 2023 ODI World Cup, however, the duo played superbly to take India into the final.</p>

<p>"They have been selected based on their recent form," said More while talking to the media outlet News18.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Your (selectors) thinking changed slightly after two years. I don't know what their thinking was earlier but both gave fantastic performances in the World Cup and looked in form in the South Africa series as well," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/afghanistan-cricket-board-allows-mujeeb-naveen-and-farooqi-to-play-in-global-t20-leagues-with-new-conditions-678285">Afghanistan Cricket Board allows Mujeeb, Naveen and Farooqi to play in global T20 leagues with new conditions</a></p>

<p>Rohit will also be leading the side as he does in ODIs and Tests and More said that recalling both of them is good news for Indian cricket.</p>

<p>"The way Rohit Sharma captained in the World Cup and we reached the final as well, he played exceptional innings, the aggression he showed, so the thinking changed slightly. So both have been recalled and it is very good news for Indian cricket," opined More.</p>

<p>The former selector's reasoning is valid as Rohit often gave India fast start at the ODI WC while Kohli scored record 765 runs in 11 matches.</p>

<p>The home series against Afghanistan is India's last international assignment in the T20Is before the T20 World Cup in June later this year. The Indian players will then play the domestic T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. Rohit plays for Mumbai Indians in the IPL while Kohli has been with Royal Challengers Bangalore since inception of the league in 2008.</p>

<p>Both Rohit and Kohli may have not played in the T20Is in recent times but their performance in other formats including in the ODI World Cup surely makes India as one of the favorites to win the tournament with them in the squad.</p>


Former India selector Kiran More has opined that inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India's squad for upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan is based on recent form.

Former India selector Kiran More has opined that inclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in India's squad for upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan is based on recent form. The duo, who have not featured in any T20I for India since the semi-final of 2022 T20 World Cup against England. India had lost that match by 10 wickets. In 2023 ODI World Cup, however, the duo played superbly to take India into the final. "They have been selected based on their recent form," said More while talking to the media outlet News18. "Your (selectors) thinking changed slightly after two years. I don't know what their thinking was earlier but both gave fantastic performances in the World Cup and looked in form in the South Africa series as well," he added. Also Read: Afghanistan Cricket Board allows Mujeeb, Naveen and Farooqi to play in global T20 leagues with new conditions Rohit will also be leading the side as he does in ODIs and Tests and More said that recalling both of them is good news for Indian cricket. "The way Rohit Sharma captained in the World Cup and we reached the final as well, he played exceptional innings, the aggression he showed, so the thinking changed slightly. So both have been recalled and it is very good news for Indian cricket," opined More. The former selector's reasoning is valid as Rohit often gave India fast start at the ODI WC while Kohli scored record 765 runs in 11 matches. The home series against Afghanistan is India's last international assignment in the T20Is before the T20 World Cup in June later this year. The Indian players will then play the domestic T20 tournament Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. Rohit plays for Mumbai Indians in the IPL while Kohli has been with Royal Challengers Bangalore since inception of the league in 2008. Both Rohit and Kohli may have not played in the T20Is in recent times but their performance in other formats including in the ODI World Cup surely makes India as one of the favorites to win the tournament with them in the squad.

Former India selector offers reason behind selecting Rohit and Kohli for upcoming T20Is vs Afghanistan

<p>Former South Africa all-rounder Brian McMillan has said that the players should give priority to Test cricket over the T20 leagues and Virat Kohli is an example to learn from. McMillan's statement comes after Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided to send a second-string squad on upcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand in February. The CSA decided to do so as the dates of the tour clash with South Africa's domestic SA20 tournament SA20.</p>

<p>"I think it's a world feel that you have to give priority to one's country and I think India has been doing it quite well. You finding Kohli and boys playing Test cricket is great. You don't find them putting out Tests to play BBL (T20 leagues). Test cricket will be threatened, but I suppose, it will remain the ultimate game," said McMillan to new agency PTI.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-india-selector-offers-reason-behind-selecting-rohit-and-kohli-for-upcoming-t20is-vs-afghanistan-678304">Former India selector offers reason behind selecting Rohit and Kohli for upcoming T20Is vs Afghanistan</a></p>

<p>McMillan also spoke about Proteas batter Heinrich Klaasen retiring prematurely from the Tests. Apart from him Quinton de Kock also retired from Tests in 2021 and announced the ODI retirement after the conclusion of ODI World Cup 2023 in November 2023.</p>

<p>"I hope modern players are making enough money otherwise it's very difficult to do business. It is very hard on players. One of our guys (Heinrich Klaasen) retired now and will obviously play in the T20 league and I have got my views on how countries should run their players in essence. People make a name on essence," added McMillan.</p>

<p>Recently, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf also made himself unavailable for the recently-concluded Test tour of Australia. The pacer cited workload management as the reason but featured in Big Bash League Down Under while Pakistan were getting thrashed in Tests.</p>

<p>Rauf's move was criticised heavily by many former players across the world as Pakistan were without any express pace option in the three-match series which they lost 0-3.</p>


Former South Africa all-rounder Brian McMillan has said that the players should give priority to Test cricket over the T20 leagues and Virat Kohli is an example to learn from.

Former South Africa all-rounder Brian McMillan has said that the players should give priority to Test cricket over the T20 leagues and Virat Kohli is an example to learn from. McMillan's statement comes after Cricket South Africa (CSA) decided to send a second-string squad on upcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand in February. The CSA decided to do so as the dates of the tour clash with South Africa's domestic SA20 tournament SA20. "I think it's a world feel that you have to give priority to one's country and I think India has been doing it quite well. You finding Kohli and boys playing Test cricket is great. You don't find them putting out Tests to play BBL (T20 leagues). Test cricket will be threatened, but I suppose, it will remain the ultimate game," said McMillan to new agency PTI. Also Read: Former India selector offers reason behind selecting Rohit and Kohli for upcoming T20Is vs Afghanistan McMillan also spoke about Proteas batter Heinrich Klaasen retiring prematurely from the Tests. Apart from him Quinton de Kock also retired from Tests in 2021 and announced the ODI retirement after the conclusion of ODI World Cup 2023 in November 2023. "I hope modern players are making enough money otherwise it's very difficult to do business. It is very hard on players. One of our guys (Heinrich Klaasen) retired now and will obviously play in the T20 league and I have got my views on how countries should run their players in essence. People make a name on essence," added McMillan. Recently, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf also made himself unavailable for the recently-concluded Test tour of Australia. The pacer cited workload management as the reason but featured in Big Bash League Down Under while Pakistan were getting thrashed in Tests. Rauf's move was criticised heavily by many former players across the world as Pakistan were without any express pace option in the three-match series which they lost 0-3.

Former South Africa player cites Virat Kohli's example to give Tests priority over T20 leagues

<p>India great Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, Australia captain Pat Cummins and star batter Travis Head are the four players nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2023 award by the ICC. The four players mentioned have had a stunning last year, with everyone unlocking several massive milestones.</p>

<h2>2023 – Kohli’s year with the bat</h2>

<p>Starting with the former India captain and batting great, Virat Kohli, who reached a milestone, not many thought would ever be touched – becoming the first batter to reach 50 ODI hundreds (the moment came during the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand), surpassing his idol Sachin Tendulkar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Having scored 2048 runs in 35 matches (ODIs and Tests), Virat had a stupendous 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although India failed to win the home World Cup, Kohli topped the batting chart with 765 runs – most by any batter in a single World Cup edition, including three centuries.</p>

<p>If Kohli wins this award, he will become the only cricketer ever to win it three times.</p>

<h3>Jadeja – a silver lining</h3>

<p>Ravindra Jadeja enjoyed his 2023, scoring 613 runs and picking 66 wickets across all formats in 35 outings. The left-handed India all-rounder returned with 22 scalps in the Border-Gavaskar series before playing a handy knock (48) with the bat in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-mens-under-19-world-cup-2024-everything-you-need-to-know-677921">ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2024: Everything you need to know</a></strong></p>

<p>Jadeja picked 31 wickets in the white-ball formats the past year, with 16 out of them coming in the World Cup 2023, including his career-best of five for 33 against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.</p>

<h3>Star Aussie duo makes the cut</h3>

<p>Alongside Kohli and Jadeja, two players fighting for his coveted prize are the Australian duo of Captain Pat Cummins and batter Travis Head.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pat Cummins was deservingly the best player last year, winning several accolades both as a captain and a player. After losing the Border-Gavaskar series, Cummins first guided Australia to its maiden WTC trophy (against India), retained the Ashes (2-2) and finally helped the Oz lift their record-sixth World Cup title in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a player, Cummins played a crucial role in helping Australia taste success on every occasion. In 2023, the lanky seamer scored 422 runs and picked 59 wickets across formats in&nbsp;24 matches.</p>

<p>Travis Head is another name that tops the chart for the players who had a successful 2023. With 1698 runs in 31 matches, Head was Australia’s most impactful batter the past year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides his few notable outings, Head’s 163 against India in the WTC Final and his match-winning 137 in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad against the same team stood out as performances of the year.&nbsp;</p>


India great Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, Australia captain Pat Cummins and star batter Travis Head are the four players nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2023 award by the ICC.

India great Virat Kohli, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, Australia captain Pat Cummins and star batter Travis Head are the four players nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2023 award by the ICC. The four players mentioned have had a stunning last year, with everyone unlocking several massive milestones. 2023 – Kohli’s year with the bat Starting with the former India captain and batting great, Virat Kohli, who reached a milestone, not many thought would ever be touched – becoming the first batter to reach 50 ODI hundreds (the moment came during the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand), surpassing his idol Sachin Tendulkar. Having scored 2048 runs in 35 matches (ODIs and Tests), Virat had a stupendous 2023. Although India failed to win the home World Cup, Kohli topped the batting chart with 765 runs – most by any batter in a single World Cup edition, including three centuries. If Kohli wins this award, he will become the only cricketer ever to win it three times. Jadeja – a silver lining Ravindra Jadeja enjoyed his 2023, scoring 613 runs and picking 66 wickets across all formats in 35 outings. The left-handed India all-rounder returned with 22 scalps in the Border-Gavaskar series before playing a handy knock (48) with the bat in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval. ALSO READ: ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2024: Everything you need to know Jadeja picked 31 wickets in the white-ball formats the past year, with 16 out of them coming in the World Cup 2023, including his career-best of five for 33 against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Star Aussie duo makes the cut Alongside Kohli and Jadeja, two players fighting for his coveted prize are the Australian duo of Captain Pat Cummins and batter Travis Head. Pat Cummins was deservingly the best player last year, winning several accolades both as a captain and a player. After losing the Border-Gavaskar series, Cummins first guided Australia to its maiden WTC trophy (against India), retained the Ashes (2-2) and finally helped the Oz lift their record-sixth World Cup title in India. As a player, Cummins played a crucial role in helping Australia taste success on every occasion. In 2023, the lanky seamer scored 422 runs and picked 59 wickets across formats in 24 matches. Travis Head is another name that tops the chart for the players who had a successful 2023. With 1698 runs in 31 matches, Head was Australia’s most impactful batter the past year. Besides his few notable outings, Head’s 163 against India in the WTC Final and his match-winning 137 in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad against the same team stood out as performances of the year.

Virat Kohli, World Cup winners nominated for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2023 award

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