Sports

New Delhi: Former Indian cricket coach Ravi Shastri has come out strongly in support of veteran cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, hitting back at those questioning their place in the national team. Speaking in a recent interview regarding India’s strategy for the 2027 World Cup and discussions about senior players’ futures, Shastri emphasized that these stalwarts should not be underestimated. Shastri Backs the LegendsShastri stated, “Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are legends of One-Day cricket. You don’t mess with players of this calibre.” When asked about who was raising doubts about them, Shastri declined to name anyone, saying, “Some people are doing it. That’s all I’ll say.” He added that once these players regain full form and rhythm, those questioning their abilities will si...

Brisbane: Australia’s left-arm pace spearhead Mitchell Starc continues his sensational form in the Ashes. After dismissing Zak Crawley in the first over of both innings in the opening Test at Perth, Starc has once again struck in the very first over of the second Test at the Gabba—this time removing England opener Ben Duckett for a golden duck. First-ball dismissal for Duckett England captain Ben Stokes opted to bat first after winning the toss, but Starc immediately put Australia on top. Delivering a full, away-swinging ball, the left-armer forced Duckett into a tentative defensive push. The ball caught the outside edge and flew straight to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip. Duckett walked back without scoring, falling on the very first ball he faced. Starc’s unmatched first-over ...

New Delhi: Even as India battles South Africa in the ongoing ODI series, former captain and star opener Rohit Sharma is preparing for a surprising return to the T20 format. According to a report by the Times of India, Rohit is likely to represent Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) knockout stages, starting December 12 in Indore. Rohit had announced his retirement from T20 internationals last year after guiding India to the T20 World Cup title. However, he has expressed strong interest in playing competitive domestic T20 cricket ahead of India’s next limited-overs commitments. Mumbai Cricket Association Confirms Interest A senior MCA official revealed:“Rohit has informed us that he wishes to play the knockout matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai.” India’s ...

New Delhi: December 4, 2009, remains one of the most iconic days in Indian cricket. At Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Virender Sehwag demolished Sri Lanka’s bowling attack with a breathtaking 293—missing a historic third Test triple century by just seven runs. Even the legendary Don Bradman never achieved three triple hundreds. Yet, despite narrowly missing the milestone, Sehwag still etched his name into history. Sehwag’s near-miss at immortality Batting in his trademark fearless style, Sehwag tore apart the Sri Lankan attack. India were responding to Sri Lanka’s 393, built on Dilshan’s 109 and Angelo Mathews’ 99. Sehwag, alongside Murali Vijay (87), stitched a 227-run opening stand that completely shifted the momentum. As wickets kept falling, Sehwag kept attacking. His innings e...

Raipur: India suffered a four-wicket defeat in the second ODI against South Africa despite putting a massive 358/5 on the board. The Proteas chased down the target in 49.2 overs, completing the highest successful run chase against India in ODI history. Earlier, in 2019, Australia had chased 359. Speaking after the match, Indian captain KL Rahul admitted that the loss was heavily influenced by the heavy dew in the second innings, which made bowling extremely difficult. Rahul said, “Looking at how much dew there was in the second innings and how tough it became to bowl, the umpires were kind enough to even change the ball. The toss played a huge role. I’m blaming myself for losing the toss.” The captain acknowledged that the bowlers and fielders could have performed better but insis...

Virat Kohli Breaks into ‘Naagin Dance’ After South Africa Wicket in ODI Raipur: Virat Kohli is back in his vibrant form, both with the bat and on the field. After a relatively quiet tour in Australia, Kohli has been unstoppable against South Africa, scoring centuries in the first two ODIs of the series. Fans got another glimpse of his playful side when he celebrated a key wicket with a ‘Naagin Dance’, which quickly went viral on social media. During India’s second ODI against South Africa on Wednesday, Kohli scored 102 runs off 93 balls, including seven boundaries and two sixes, marking his 53rd ODI century. Alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad, he shared a 195-run partnership for the third wicket, with Gaikwad also scoring his maiden ODI century, hitting 105 runs off 83 balls. The celebrati...

Raipur: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma missed out on achieving one of the greatest milestones in international cricket during the second ODI against South Africa at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. Rohit, who needed just 41 runs before the match to complete 20,000 international runs, was dismissed for 14, delaying his entry into the elite club. With this early dismissal, Rohit remains 27 runs shy of the landmark, forcing fans to wait until the third and final ODI of the series for the much-anticipated achievement. A Rare Milestone in Sight Once Rohit crosses 20,000 international runs, he will become only the fourth Indian cricketer to do so, joining legends Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rahul Dravid.Since his international debut in 2007, Rohit has amassed 19...

New Delhi: Indian cricket fans have reason to celebrate. Virat Kohli’s sublime century against South Africa has pushed him significantly up the ICC ODI batting rankings, bringing him within touching distance of top-ranked Rohit Sharma. Kohli, who smashed a majestic 135 off 120 balls in Ranchi during the first ODI, has climbed to fourth position in the latest rankings released on Wednesday. With 751 rating points, he is now just 32 points behind Rohit Sharma, who continues to hold the No. 1 spot. Kohli Eyes the No. 1 Position The former captain’s recent form has sparked talk of a return to the top of the ODI charts. With at least one more big innings expected in the ongoing series, Kohli is well-placed to push for the No. 1 rank. Kohli has already retired from Test and T20 forma...

New Delhi: Ahead of India’s squad announcement for the five-match T20 series against South Africa on Wednesday (December 3), Team India has received a major boost. Star opener and T20 vice-captain Shubman Gill has fully recovered from the neck injury he suffered during the Kolkata Test and has reportedly cleared the fitness test. According to a senior BCCI source quoted in media reports, Gill is now fit to join the T20 squad and is expected to take his place as vice-captain for the series. Injury During Kolkata Test, Recovery at BCCI Centre of Excellence Gill sustained a neck strain while batting during the Kolkata Test. After travelling with the team to Guwahati for the second Test, he was declared unfit and sent to Mumbai for treatment. On December 1, he checked into the BCCI Ce...

Raipur: The coin has once again turned its back on India. In the second ODI between India and South Africa at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur, skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bowl first — marking India’s 20th consecutive toss defeat in ODI cricket. This rare and almost unbelievable streak began in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad on 19 November, and has continued uninterrupted ever since. KL Rahul’s Reaction: Smile That Hid the Frustration As soon as the match referee announced that South Africa had won the toss, KL Rahul looked visibly stunned. Though he smiled, the expression revealed more frustration than humour — almost as if he himself could not understand what else must be done to win a toss. The cameras caught that mom...