Author: Subhayan Chakraborty

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…

In a significant legal development, a special POCSO court in Jaipur has turned down the anticipatory bail application of Indian cricketer Yash Dayal, the left-arm pacer who played a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title win in 2025. The decision, delivered by Justice Alka Bansal on December 24, 2025, highlighted the seriousness of the charges involving allegations of sexual assault on a minor. The case stems from a complaint filed at Sanganer Sadar police station in Jaipur, where the survivor, who was underage at the time of the initial alleged incidents, accused Dayal of exploiting her…

Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi became one of the biggest stories from the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi. Delhi Capitals roped in the uncapped pacer for a staggering Rs 8.40 crore. Nabi, who has been turning heads with his performances in the domestic circuit, finally reaped the rewards of his hard work as Delhi signed him after an intense bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad. When Nabi was an up-and-coming pacer trying to make his mark in the senior Jammu & Kashmir team, it was former India pacer Irfan Pathan who wrote an email to the state association and…

With Axar Patel ruled out of the remaining two T20Is against South Africa, Bengal all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has been named as his replacement, marking his return to the Indian squad after more than two years. Shahbaz, who has been stellar as usual for Bengal this season in the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy following his return from a long injury layoff, has earned this reward and will look to make his mark for the Men in Blue. Shahbaz has taken 22 wickets while scoring 300 runs, including a century, in four matches of the Ranji Trophy this season.…