Author: Gargi Raut

The 5 WPL franchises have unveiled their retention list for the 2025 WPL season and fans are buzzing with excitement. Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched the trophy last season as Delhi Capitals finished runners-up for the second consecutive time. For the mini-auction, every team can retain up to 18 players, including 6 overseas players and have a purse of INR 15 crore. Although the auction dates haven’t been confirmed yet by the BCCI, the franchises revealed their retentions yesterday, let’s take a look: Royal Challengers Bengaluru When it comes to the defending champions, they have kept their core intact, starting…

In a double-whammy announcement, Kick Sauber announced on Wednesday that both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu would leave the team at the end of 2024. The team stated that the conditions to continue with the drivers could not be met, and a mutual decision had been made. Both the drivers have struggled since joining the team three years ago, and neither has scored points in the 21 race weekends so far this season. The Swiss motorsport-engineering team will be rebranded as Audi in 2024, and have also confirmed the signing of F2 Championship leader, Gabriel Bortoleto who will race alongside…

Max Verstappen dazzled everyone with a rip-roaring performance at the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix as he manoeuvred through treacherous wet conditions, fought his way from P17 to the front of the grid and clinched the race win. The Dutchman had faced a series of penalties including a 10 second penalty from qualifying and a 10-place grid penalty for a new engine. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris, who started from Pole position after a swap with teammate Oscar Piastri in qualifying that ensured Norris the pole, ended the race in a disappointing sixth position. The day was extra special for Alpine who…

In a shocking turn of events that many did not anticipate, India received a crushing 3-0 defeat at the hands of New Zealand, marking the first time in nearly 90 years that they had been whitewashed in a series of three or more Tests on home soil. The series, which included an innings of 46 all out, exposed a slew of vulnerabilities in the Indian batting lineup. KL Rahul who was dropped from the series for the last two matches following disappointing scores of 0 and 12 in the first Test, faced unrelenting criticism about his form and readiness. However,…

Delhi Capitals Players Retained ● Axar Patel – ₹16.5 crore ● Kuldeep Yadav – ₹13.25 crore ● Tristan Stubbs – ₹10 crore ● Abhishek Porel – ₹4 crore What Retained Players Bring to the Table The retention list of Delhi Capitals reflect a promising blend of youth and experience. All-rounder Axar Patel brings unmatched versatility, he is single-handedly capable of anchoring both the spin department and the middle-order with his consistency and experience. Another spin star, Kuldeep Yadav offers a cutting edge to the DC bowling lineup, his wrist-spin makes him a valuable asset to the team…

The resurgence in form from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur during India’s ODI series against New Zealand has ignited newfound optimism in fans about the team’s prospects ahead of the 2025 ODI World Cup. Both the skipper and her deputy had consistent contributions in the 2-1 series victory, signalling a promising shift for India as they continue to refine their form and strategy following a disappointing run in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Mandhana’s Timely Return to Form Smriti Mandhana, India’s vice-captain and one of the most talented batters in the women’s game, did not start off the series…

Ever since Harmanpreet Kaur took over the seat of authority of Indian women’s cricket, she has showcased her aggressive style, and built a reputation of being a combative leader. Yet, in the light of recent failures and setbacks, as well as a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, including bizarre tactical decisions, questions are being raised about whether she should continue as the leader of the pack ahead of an ODI World Cup year. With the ODI format in the spotlight, is it time for a leadership change? India’s ODI Performance Under Harmanpreet (Last Two Years) In the last two…

In a turn of events, yesterday, New Zealand achieved what only a handful of teams have managed in over a decade; clinching a Test series win in India. The second test of the series between India and New Zealand saw the Kiwis emerger victorious by a decisive 113-run margin. Whitewashing the series, New Zealand have now shaken India’s journey to a berth in the World Test Championship Final, making India’s path significantly challenging. A Challenging Road to WTC Final With consecutive defeats the road to WTC finals has become rockier for India. India must secure four victories in the…

Oscar Piastri’s journey to McLaren came after a contentious, yet hilarious-in-hindsight-exit from Alpine. The Australian made headlines by publicly dismissing his promotion in the French team before joining McLaren. However, in his very first season in Formula 1, the rookie has proven that his skills are not to be overlooked. Now, in his second year in F1, heading into the Mexican Grand Prix, Piastri is once again addressing rumours linking him to RedBull. Earlier in the week, RedBull’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, who is notorious for dropping bombshells to the media, hinted that Mark Webber, Piastri’s manager and former RB…

The Indian hockey icon Rani Rampal has hung her boots. In a heartfelt tribute, a closed-door farewell dinner was held, marking the end of a legendary career that spanned almost 14 years. Attended by her family, coaches, Hockey India officials and some of India’s most celebrated athletes, the farewell dinner was a proof of how far Rani has come from humble beginnings to international stardom. The evening opened with a video of Rani recounting her journey, sacrifices, milestones and achievements. The video was also shared on her social media platforms. Rani, who was born in poverty-stricken surroundings, only dreamt of…