Author: Subhayan Chakraborty

In a significant escalation of sporting friction between India and Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is preparing to approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift the team’s group-stage matches in the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 from Indian venues to Sri Lanka. This development follows the controversial release of Bangladeshi pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The decision to release Mustafizur came directly from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which cited “recent developments” as the reason. “Due to the recent…

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match One-Day International series against New Zealand, set to commence on January 11. Shubman Gill will captain the side, marking his continued leadership in the 50-over format whereas vice captain Shreyas Iyer also marks a return to international cricket, subject to fitness clearance. Veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been included, continuing their participation in ODIs following strong showings in recent bilateral assignments and domestic competitions. The batting lineup receives a significant boost with the inclusion of Iyer as vice-captain, though…

The ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 has seen several Indian internationals deliver standout performances as they gear up for national duties. On Saturday, multiple matches featured big scores from established names, underlining the depth and quality of India’s domestic circuit. Hardik Pandya marked his return to Baroda colours with a spectacular knock against Vidarbha at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. The all-rounder rescued his team from a precarious 71 for 5, batting at No. 7. He reached his fifty in 44 balls before accelerating dramatically, needing just 24 more deliveries to complete his first-ever List A hundred. The highlight…

The Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje, Pune, is set to host home games of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, sources have confirmed. The decision comes after Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, the franchise’s regular home base, failed to comply with evacuation safety norms. As has been the case the last couple of seasons, the Royals will play a few of their home matches in Guwahati as well. The MCA Stadium in Pune acted as a temporary home base for IPL teams in the past. Chennai Super Kings had used the venue in 2018 and went…

In the world of Indian cricket, Sarfaraz Khan is one such name who continues to make headlines. Whether getting dropped from the Indian Test team or his continuous pursuit of big runs in the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz is a name who continues to remain one of the talking points in Indian cricket. The Mumbai batter has consistently delivered performances that demand attention, yet he has often found himself on the fringes of the national team, particularly in Test cricket. Having played six Tests and scored 371 runs with one century and three half-centuries, Sarfaraz’s top-flight career so far has been…

Rishabh Pant’s journey in limited-overs cricket has taken an unexpected turn, with recent developments highlighting a growing uncertainty around his place in India’s ODI and T20I setups. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, celebrated for his fearless approach, now finds himself on the periphery of white-ball selections. Pant was part of India’s victorious squads in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, yet he saw limited action in the latter, serving primarily as backup to KL Rahul. Since then, he has not featured in a single ODI match, including the recent home ODI series against South Africa where he was…

The decks are cleared for Shreyas Iyer’s return to the Indian ODI squad for the three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11. It is learnt that the middle-order batter has completed his final batting drill without any discomfort at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Monday. Although official communication from the CoE to the BCCI regarding Iyer’s fitness is still pending, final clearance is expected to be granted on Tuesday. On Monday, Iyer completed his last Return to Play drills at the CoE, which included a batting session lasting more than an hour. Having batted regularly since…

India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is gearing up for a comeback in domestic cricket, with confirmation that he will feature in Punjab’s upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. Officials from the Punjab Cricket Association have indicated that the star batter has committed to playing in the group’s fixtures against Sikkim on January 3 and Goa on January 6, both scheduled in Jaipur. Gill has been sidelined recently following a foot injury sustained during a practice session ahead of the fourth T20I against South Africa. This issue forced him to miss subsequent games in that series. Earlier, a neck problem…

In a remarkable turnaround on a bowler-dominated pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, England secured a four-wicket win over Australia in the fourth Ashes Test, completing the match in just two days. This triumph marked England’s first Test victory on Australian soil since the 2010-11 series, providing a significant boost for captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum amid a challenging tour where the Ashes were already retained by the hosts. The Boxing Day Test showcased extreme conditions with 10mm of grass left on the surface, favouring seam movement throughout. No spin bowling was employed across the entire game, and…

In a positive development, ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has arrived at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to evaluate his progress following a serious spleen injury. While Iyer is pushing for a comeback in the New Zealand ODIs, a clarity on that will be determined by his fitness assessment reports at the CoE in the next few days. Iyer, who has been out of action since October, recently completed light batting sessions in Mumbai without any pain or issues. Recent medical tests, including scans, have raised no alarms, indicating a smooth healing process that has impressed the medical…