Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

It’s not often that a bowler claims a five-wicket haul in a T20 match and still ends up on the losing side, but that was the unfortunate fate of Varun Chakravarthy in the third T20I against England in Rajkot on Tuesday. Despite recording his second-best figures in T20Is, his efforts went in vain as India’s batting crumbled in pursuit of 172, ultimately falling short by 26 runs. While England secured victory after being put into bat, their vulnerability against spin was once again exposed, with Varun wreaking havoc in yet another masterful spell. What looked like a decent pitch for…

An all-round performance from England’s bowlers overshadowed Varun Chakravarthy’s impressive five-wicket haul as the visitors secured a commanding 26-run victory over India in the third T20I in Rajkot, bouncing back in style after back-to-back defeats in the series. England’s total of 171 appeared modest at best, yet they redeemed themselves brilliantly with the ball, restricting India’s formidable batting line-up to a mere 145. All eyes were on Mohammed Shami as he made his long-awaited return to the Indian team after 14 months. The veteran pacer looked a bit rusty and finished with figures of 0/25 from three overs, not quite…

It was a nail-biting finish in Trivandrum, where the game went down to the wire. Despite extending play to force a result, the match ended in a dramatic draw—a result that seemed improbable when Kerala were reeling at 47/5. Meanwhile, in the West, Vidarbha outclassed Rajasthan with a commanding 221-run victory, and Baroda crumbled under the pressure of chasing 617, handing Maharashtra a massive 439-run win. In Salem, Tamil Nadu cruised to a 209-run victory over Chandigarh, with their spinners wreaking havoc to bowl out the visitors for just 193 in the fourth innings. Elsewhere, Jharkhand triumphed over Chhattisgarh by…

Jammu and Kashmir made headlines on Day 3 of the ongoing Ranji Trophy round with a memorable victory over a star-studded Mumbai side, marking their first win against them in over a decade. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill’s resilient second-innings century at the Chinnaswamy Stadium went in vain as Punjab suffered a crushing defeat to Karnataka by an innings and 207 runs. Bengal suffered a humiliating 283-run loss to Haryana, while Gujarat wrapped up their match against Uttarakhand with ease. Mumbai vs Jammu & Kashmir Mumbai were bowled out for 290 in their second innings, setting Jammu & Kashmir a target of…

Day 2 of the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 mirrored the disappointments of the opening day for some of Indian cricket’s marquee names. Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant once again failed to make an impression with the bat, leaving fans yearning for the brilliance they are known for. However, Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the standout performer, continuing his sublime form against Delhi. The seasoned all-rounder showcased his mastery with the ball, claiming his 10th ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket, which included the prized scalp of Pant. His heroics powered Saurashtra to a resounding ten-wicket victory over…

The sixth round of the Ranji Trophy unfolded with an air of anticipation, but the stage reserved for Indian cricket’s biggest stars turned into a gallery of missed opportunities. Names like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, fresh from their exploits in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, took centre stage but failed to make an impact with the bat. Amidst the star-studded stumbles, Ravindra Jadeja stood out, showcasing his all-round prowess. The wily left-armer spun a web to claim a five-wicket haul, and his brisk 36-ball 38 added valuable runs to his team’s tally, proving once again why he…

India’s spinners, led by the magical Varun Chakravarthy, wove a web of deception to stifle England, restricting them to a modest 132. Then, like a firework illuminating the night, Abhishek Sharma blazed his way to a sparkling 79, steering India to a commanding seven-wicket victory. With this emphatic performance, the hosts claimed a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. Dew played a big role in the game and influenced team selection. Winning the toss, India opted to field. While India included two specialist spinners in their line-up, England relied on a three-pronged pace attack. Before the dew took effect,…

In what comes as a huge boost, Jasprit Bumrah has been named in India’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy next month, along with Arshdeep Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj and Sanju Samson have been left out, as revealed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma during a media briefing in Mumbai on January 18. The same squad will also feature in the three-match ODI series against England, which serves as India’s final preparation before the Champions Trophy. Harshit Rana has been included specifically for the England ODIs, while Bumrah will be unavailable for at least…

South Africa have suffered a big setback ahead of this year’s Champions Trophy, with fast bowler Anrich Nortje ruled out due to a back injury. The 31-year-old underwent scans on Monday afternoon, which confirmed the severity of the injury, also sidelining him from the ongoing SA20 tournament. Nortje’s inclusion was a key highlight of South Africa’s squad announcement on January 13, alongside the return of Lungi Ngidi. During the squad announcement, Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter backed Nortje to be fit in time for the eight-team tournament. However, just 48 hours later, a CSA statement confirmed that the scans revealed…

Without their pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, India faced an uphill battle, defending a modest target of 162 in the fourth innings. However, their hopes of a miracle did not materialise as Australia launched a blistering counterattack, chasing down the target in just 27 overs. The six-wicket victory not only sealed the match but also secured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for Australia, their first triumph in the series in over a decade. Australia’s openers, Sam Konstas and Usman Khawaja, capitalised on wayward bowling from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna early in the innings. The Indian pacers struggled with their lines, frequently drifting…