Author: Staff Reporter

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said that he is frustrated with Zak Crawley’s concentration levels while batting. Speaking on the Test Match Special podcast, Vaughan said: “Zak Crawley frustrates the life out of me. His concentration levels are not the strongest. If you go to the start of the series where he played the big booming drives, those drives have gone away now. He’s not chasing the ball outside off stump. But today I was watching him and that should not get you out as a quality opening batter.” Crawley stitched an opening partnership of 35 runs with Ben Duckett…

UP Warriorz have announced Australian great Meg Lanning as their new captain ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. Lanning is expected to bring vast experience to the squad, having previously helped Delhi Capitals reach the finals three times in the WPL. UP Warriorz head coach Abhishek Nayar highlighted why the franchise believes Lanning is the right choice for the captaincy. “Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader. Her understanding of the game, ability to manage high-pressure moments, and connect with players makes her the ideal captain for this…

Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers believes that Hardik Pandya will be the “pivotal player” for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the ex-wicket keeper batter underlined the importance of the seam-bowling all-rounder in the team, which will be led by Suryakumar Yadav. “Hardik will be the big pivotal player,” he said. “He’s the guy who can win you games with bat and ball. He can bowl in any situation and bat anywhere in the line-up. When he walks out to bat, there’s a sense in the opposition that they need…

The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has appreciated the visit of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje, Pune. The visit is being seen as a major step towards promoting the venue, which the association believes is capable of hosting big cricket events, including IPL matches. In a post shared by MCA on January 4 on X (formerly Twitter), the association highlighted the importance of the visit. “We extend our sincere thanks to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals for visiting MCA International Stadium, Gahunje, Pune a couple of weeks back. Their presence…

International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah has praised India’s ambitious vision of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. He also set a bold target of winning 100 medals for the country. Speaking at the Run for Girl Child Half Marathon 2.0 in Surat, Shah highlighted India’s growing sporting ambitions and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing a major event—the 2030 Commonwealth Games—to India. “The Prime Minister has brought the Commonwealth Games to India in 2030, but we shouldn’t stop there,” he said. “We must also bring the 2036 Olympics to India. We won eight medals at the 2024 Olympics,…

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted that he was surprised by Shubman Gill’s snub from India’s T20 World Cup squad. Gill has been excluded from the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. Since his comeback into the shortest format of the game for India, despite being named the vice-captain, he failed to perform with the bat. Hence, India ‘s current Test and ODI skipper failed to get a place in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. Reacting to the decision, Ponting said he was taken aback by Gill’s exclusion. “I couldn’t believe that.…

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said that there was no reason why Mohammed Shami was not picked in India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Irfan said that if there were questions around the 35-year-old’s fitness, those concerns have already been addressed by the veteran pacer through his domestic performances. “The biggest talking point is Mohammed Shami. What is his future? He’s not someone who came yesterday, played a few matches and left. He has taken 450–500 international wickets, which is a huge number. If you have taken more than 400 wickets…

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the reason for selecting Rishabh Pant over Ruturaj Gaikwad in the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand is that Pant is a left-handed batter. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said: “Rishabh Pant is a phenomenal player, it’s not about his quality… You’re looking at a straight tussle in the middle order, it’s a straight toss up between Gaikwad and Pant. The only thing that could have worked in favour of Pant is the fact that he’s left-handed. I’m thinking there would have been a huge debate. And the…

Former Australia batter Damien Martyn’s family shared good news about his health. His wife Amanda shared a statement via NewsCorp, which stated that the former right-handed batter “is progressing well”. She also thanked the medical team who are overseeing Martyn’s fight with meningitis. The statement read: “Damien is progressing well with his medical treatment. We also want to express our deepest appreciation to the medical team at Gold Coast University Hospital, who have been nothing short of amazing throughout this challenging time. This has been a trying time, and the family ask that you respect their privacy.” Martyn was hospitalised…

India’s young sensational pacer Mayank Yadav, who was out of the game for a long time due to a lower back stress fracture, is nearing full bowling fitness. A BCCI official told PTI while talking about Mayank’s rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru: “Mayank Yadav is progressing well through his rehabilitation and has successfully achieved bowling at 90 per cent intensity, with a current workload of 18 overs per week. He has also demonstrated significant improvements in strength and conditioning, enabling him to approach the maximal fitness levels required for pace bowling.” Mayank made his debut in IPL…