Author: Staff Reporter

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to be back in action for Team India as the Men in Blue begin their preparation for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a five-match home T20I series against South Africa. The series opener is scheduled to be played in Cuttack on December 9. Speaking about the highly anticipated return of the star India all-rounder on Follow the Blues, JioStar expert Sanjay Bangar highlighted just how special Hardik is as a cricketer. He stated, “Look at all the all-rounders in world cricket now. Does England have a back-up for Ben Stokes?…

Pat Cummins will be back in charge for Australia in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide next week. The regular captain has now recovered from the back injury that kept him out of the first two Tests. Australia also suffered a setback as they have to move on without Josh Hazlewood. He suffered a hamstring and later Achilles issues for which he has been ruled out of the entire series. Head coach Andrew McDonald told reporters, “Really flat for him.” He added that the pacer suffered “a couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming. We thought he’d play a…

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Team India should not “overexpose” their main spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, before the upcoming 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said: “We shouldn’t overexpose Varun Chakaravarthy. We shouldn’t do that. One should save him. We will be playing against South Africa and New Zealand, and we can possibly play against these teams in the T20 World Cup. Varun’s mystery is a big factor. He has been playing for many years, but he’s still able to hold his own.” Kuldeep and Varun are in lethal form this…

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for their dedication to the game, saying that the experienced duo do not need to prove anything at this stage of their careers. “The fact that Rohit has worked on his fitness and come back deserves praise,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “The fact that Virat is batting as well as he is also shows the kind of work both of them have put in. The idea that both of them still have something to prove is laughable. What do they need to prove? Obviously,…

England opener Phil Salt has opened up about how strong his connection with Virat Kohli grew during IPL 2025. He said their understanding at the top order was a key reason behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden title win. In an RCB podcast, Salt explained how naturally the partnership developed, saying, “It’s always important to have a strong relationship with whoever you’re opening with. You need to understand how they play, and they need to understand your game too, so that you can bring the best out of each other.” He shared moments from the season that showed how both players…

India’s former all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill must now “cement” his place in the T20I team. Gill missed the second Test and the ODI series against South Africa due to a neck spasm but has returned for the T20I series starting December 9 in Cuttack. On JioStar’s ‘Follow the Blues’ show, Pathan said Gill needs to make a mark at the top of the order. Pathan said: “Shubman Gill should cement his place at the top of the order in T20 cricket. We believe in all-format players. We have seen how well he…

India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has shared details of his recovery journey after being sidelined for weeks due to a painful neck injury sustained during the first Test against South Africa on November 15. In a video shared by the BCCI, Gill spoke about his injury lay-off and road to recovery ahead of the start of the T20I series against the Proteas. “I’m feeling much better. From the day I came here until today, I’ve had quite a few skill sessions and some training sessions, so I feel much, much better now,” Gill told BCCI Tv. “From recovery…

Former India batter Murali Vijay lauded former captain MS Dhoni for his impact on Indian cricket. Vijay said no one can replace Dhoni’s leadership style as he has natural instincts and a fearless approach that changed Indian cricket. Speaking on Taruwar Kohli’s YouTube channel, Vijay said no one can replicate Dhoni’s personality. He said, “Dhoni is natural and very unique. Those personalities you cannot replicate. Anybody cannot come and do what he is doing. The way he has dominated and taken the game, he was a very strong person.” Vijay praised Dhoni’s power-hitting and bold choices, saying, “The way he…

Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith has opened up about Nathan Lyon’s unexpected omission from the second Ashes Test in Brisbane. Smith clarified that there is nothing against Lyon, and the decision was taken to strengthen their batting lineup. Speaking after Australia’s big eight-wicket win in the second Test at Brisbane, Smith told Fox Sports, “It could have gone a few different ways, and it’s certainly nothing against Nathan. He’s a freak.” Smith said that the selectors wanted extra batting from the lower order, stating, “He’s (Lyon) been our spinner for such a long time, but the extra batting and the…

England great Geoffrey Boycott has severely criticised the England team for their poor show in the ongoing Ashes 2025/26 series. Boycott wrote in The Telegraph that England will not be able to win any small tournament with the way they are playing. He also called England’s performance in the Brisbane Test a “horror show”. He wrote, “After just six days of Ashes cricket, England need a miracle. Brisbane was a horror show: irresponsible batting, bowling too short, too wide or too full and catches dropped. With this sort of batting and bowling, they couldn’t win an egg cup, let alone…