Author: Vaibhav Tripathi

The conditions in Perth shifted dramatically on Day 2, paving the way for a stellar performance from India’s openers. After skittling Australia for a paltry 104, India ended the day at 172/0, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (90*) and KL Rahul (62*) forging a commanding partnership. The visitors now enjoy a substantial 218-run lead on a pitch expected to deteriorate with variable bounce in the coming days. Batting conditions improved significantly under the blazing sun as the pitch flattened, and the Indian duo capitalised in style. Jaiswal bounced back from his first-innings duck to register his maiden fifty on Australian soil, showcasing…

With two fast bowlers captaining their sides, the much-anticipated opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy saw relentless action, with 17 wickets falling. At stumps, Australia found themselves at 67/7, trailing India’s first-innings total of 150 by 83 runs. India holds the upper hand, thanks to a fiery display from their pace attack led by captain Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was the standout performer, leading from the front after India managed only a modest total on a lively Perth pitch. The Indian skipper struck early to dismiss debutant Nathan McSweeney, setting the tone for the Australian collapse. Bumrah then removed Usman Khawaja…

The Team Punjab Kings have been a part of the IPL since its inception in 2008, yet they remain one of three teams still chasing their first IPL title. Labelling them underachievers wouldn’t be far off, as they consistently assemble strong squads but somehow fall short of claiming the trophy. Last season, they finished ninth in the league table, managing just five wins in 14 matches. This underwhelming performance and failure to reach the playoffs triggered a major overhaul ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise has brought in Ricky Ponting as head coach, who has already implemented…

In the high-scoring, one-sided affair, India outclassed South Africa at the Wanderers, Johannesburg, to win the fourth T20I by 135 runs and clinch the series by a 3-1 margin. Hundreds from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma propelled India to a mammoth total of 283/1, which was defended with utmost ease, courtesy of a brilliant new-ball spell by Arshdeep Singh, who bagged three wickets to rattle South Africa’s top order. For Sanju to score big, all he needed to do was play out the new-ball spell of Marco Jansen. Once he did that, there was no stopping him. The South African…

Tilak Varma’s sparkling hundred, and his 107-run stand with Abhishek Sharma (50), and Arshdeep Singh’s crucial three-wicket haul paved the way for India’s thrilling 11-run victory over South Africa at Centurion. This win gives India a 2-1 lead in the four-match series, with the decisive final match set to take place in Johannesburg on November 15. Marco Jansen, the standout performer on the night, once again removed Sanju Samson for a duck. Tilak walked in at No. 3 and looked in the mood to score big on an excellent batting pitch. He forged a match-defining partnership with Abhishek, who also…

The crowd at St George’s Park was treated to an absolute thriller, as South Africa held their nerve to clinch a low-scoring affair by three wickets, thanks to a well-calculated knock from Tristan Stubbs (47). It didn’t seem likely that the Proteas would pull it off when they were struggling at 86/7, but Stubbs maintained his composure, taking the game to the end and guiding his team across the line. Varun Chakaravarthy’s sensational spell, in which he took five wickets, kept India in contention, but the Indian pacers leaked runs in the final overs, failing to complement the spinner’s efforts.…

It was a day of mixed results, with some teams winning comprehensively while others settled for draws in round four of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy. Defending champions Mumbai and two-time winners Vidarbha achieved commanding wins, each inflicting innings defeats on their opponents. Meanwhile, seven-time champions Delhi endured a disappointing nine-wicket loss to Chandigarh. Mumbai needed five wickets to secure victory against Odisha at the start of Day 4, and the spin duo of Shams Mulani and Himanshu Singh took nine wickets between them. Mulani claimed four on the day, achieving his second five-for of the match and finishing with impressive…

The much-anticipated Test series of the year is just two weeks away, with India set to face Australia in a gruelling five-match showdown Down Under. Both sides are feeling the heat. India arrives on Australian soil after a humbling 3-0 defeat at home to New Zealand. Meanwhile, the pressure on Australia is intense—they haven’t held the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the 2014-15 series. They’ve been defeated twice at home by India and will surely be looking to end the losing streak against the Asian powerhouse. However, to do so, they’ll need to get a lot of things right, starting from the…

New Zealand made history by completing a series whitewash in India, winning the third Test in Mumbai by 25 runs. At the forefront was the Mumbai-born Ajaz Patel, who took 11 wickets to rattle the Indian batting line-up at the Wankhede Stadium, much like he had in his previous appearance at this venue. The match was finely balanced at lunch, with India needing 55 runs and having four wickets in hand. Their hopes rested on Rishabh Pant, who had scored a fifty before lunch, but once he was dismissed, the remaining batters collapsed like a pack of cards. The wicketkeeper-batter…

In a fast-moving and potentially decisive second day of the ongoing third Test in Mumbai, India took a major step toward winning the game. After being bowled out for 263, India bowled exceptionally well to restrict New Zealand to 171/9 by stumps. The Kiwis lead by 143 runs with one wicket remaining, and all eyes will be on how India approach the run chase on a turning Mumbai pitch. India started strong with the ball, as Akash Deep dismissed Tom Latham early. However, Devon Conway and Will Young steadied the innings. There were some loose shots, but the momentum shifted…