Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

On a day heavily disrupted by frequent rain interruptions at the Gabba, Australia solidified their commanding position in the third Test match. After posting an imposing first-innings total of 445, the hosts made life miserable for India’s top order, leaving the visitors reeling at 51/4 by the end of Day 3. Despite limited play due to the bad weather, Australia capitalised on the conditions, leaving India facing an uphill battle to stay in the game. It was a frustrating day for players and fans alike as rain continued to play spoilsport, with regular interruptions halting the game. It began with…

Centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith lit up the Gabba as Australia recovered from 75/3 to close the day at a commanding 405/7. While Head and Smith shone with the bat, Jasprit Bumrah once again stood out for India. The pace spearhead claimed yet another impressive five-wicket haul on Australian soil, sparking a late fightback to keep his team in the contest. Resuming at 28/0, Australia suffered early setbacks as openers Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja were dismissed cheaply. The pitch, seemingly livelier after yesterday’s rain, posed challenges for the batters, and Bumrah rose to the occasion. Once again,…

A day that promised thrilling cricket was marred by persistent rain, allowing only 13.2 overs of play on the opening day of the third Test in Brisbane. After opting to bowl first, India aimed to capitalise on the overcast conditions, but the Australian openers, Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney, stood firm, guiding the hosts to 28 without loss by the close of play. The overcast skies and a green-tinged pitch at the Gabba influenced Rohit Sharma’s decision to field first, a choice that aligned with what Australian skipper Pat Cummins had hoped for. Both teams made changes to their line-ups.…

Australia bounced back in emphatic style to win the second Test by ten wickets. The hosts wasted little time in closing out the Indian innings on Day 3, completing the day-night Test match in under seven sessions to level the five-match series. The hopes of a billion fans rested on Rishabh Pant, anticipating another match-saving masterclass like the ones he has delivered before on Australian soil. However, those hopes were short-lived as Mitchell Starc struck in the very first over. A delivery pitched around middle and off swung away just enough to catch the edge of Pant’s bat, sending the…

Against his favourite opposition, at his home ground, and in front of friends and family, Travis Head delivered a batting masterclass, smashing 140 off 141 balls as Australia posted 337 in their first innings, securing a healthy lead of 157 runs. Batting under lights was always going to be challenging, and the Australian bowlers capitalised, rattling India’s batting line-up. At stumps, India ended a disappointing day at 128/5, trailing by 29 runs. The final 40-45 minutes of play were disastrous for India. The Australian pacers exploited the perfect bowling conditions, leaving the visitors reeling. Pat Cummins triggered the collapse, with…

Gujarat Titans made their intent clear well before the auction by retaining four Indian players, along with Rashid Khan, who was their highest-paid retention. The clarity in their strategy was evident as the 2022 IPL champions approached the auction in Jeddah. From the outset, securing a wicketkeeper-batter was a priority, and they succeeded by acquiring Jos Buttler for an impressive Rs 15.75 crore. Additionally, they strengthened their core by bringing in marquee players like Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada. With a focus on bolstering their pace attack, Titans also added Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma and Kulwant Khejroliya…

Heading into the auction with just Rs 51 crore to spend and tasked with building a squad around the core group of five retained players, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had plenty of bases to cover with a limited purse. Despite having a smaller budget compared to other franchises like Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), LSG secured the services of Rishabh Pant for a record sum of Rs 27 crore. LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka told RevSportz that the franchise was keen to acquire Pant. With more than half of their purse spent on a single player, LSG…

A clinical and united bowling effort from India sealed a resounding victory in the first Test in Perth as they bowled Australia out for 238, securing a commanding 295-run win. With this win, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, setting the tone for the contests ahead. Starting the day with seven wickets to claim, the Indian bowlers wasted no time getting going. Mohammed Siraj struck in the second over of the day, inducing Usman Khawaja to mistime a pull shot, sending him back to the pavilion and dashing Australia’s slim hopes of mounting a miraculous chase.…

India once again stamped their authority on the proceedings with an emphatic display of batting, declaring their innings at a commanding 487/6. At the heart of this performance was the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose composed and elegant 161 once again proved why he is rated so highly, while the ever-reliable Virat Kohli added to Australia’s woes with a masterful 100*. The day worsened for the hosts as they were rocked by the loss of three wickets, with just 12 runs on the board by the end of day 3. Australia need 522 runs to win, while India require just seven…

The Team The Titans were among the most successful teams in the previous cycle, despite missing out on the playoffs last season. Champions in 2022, they came agonisingly close to repeating their triumph in 2023, falling to the Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling last-over finish. However, their 2024 campaign highlighted certain weaknesses, particularly due to the absence of key players such as Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami. While the squad featured some standout performers, its overall balance was ill-suited to the demands of a tournament like the IPL, ultimately costing them a playoff spot. Despite the disappointing season, the…