Saturday, May 02
Domestic cricketers face a fractured Ranji Trophy season, with a 63-day break interrupting play for white-ball tournaments. This schedule shuffle, despite the premier status of red-ball cricket, raises questions about its relevance. Players highlight the challenge of adapting between formats and managing workloads, particularly for fast bowlers, impacting their performance and readiness.
Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has ended his partnership with foreign coach Jan Zelezny, opting to train with his childhood coach Jaiveer Singh Chaudhary. This move signals Chopra's desire for greater control over his career, with an all-Indian coaching setup now guiding him. Long-time physio Ishaan Marwaha will also remain by his side.
Cricket star Rohit Sharma experienced a security scare when a woman, seeking funds for her daughter's life-saving treatment, grabbed his arm at his hotel. The woman explained her desperate attempt to reach out to cricketers for help with the Rs 9 crore injection.
Abhishek Sharma's instinctive 84 off 35 balls powered India to 238/7, securing a 48-run T20I win against New Zealand. Sharma emphasized timing over range-hitting, while captain Suryakumar Yadav praised his preparation and the team's batting resilience despite early setbacks.
The ICC board rejected Bangladesh's plea to move T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing no independent security threats. The decision was made despite the Pakistan Cricket Board's support for Bangladesh's demand, which stemmed from a player's IPL ouster.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri believes young batter Abhishek Sharma is key to India's T20 World Cup success, stating, "If he takes off, India take off." Ex-England star Kevin Pietersen also lauded Abhishek as a "proper star" and highlighted South Africa's Dewald Brevis as another impactful player for the upcoming tournament.
South Africa's T20 World Cup hopes face a blow with key players Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira ruled out due to injuries. Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs have been drafted into the squad as replacements. Meanwhile, captain David Miller's participation is uncertain after an adductor injury, with Rubin Hermann on standby for the West Indies series.
Bangladesh's participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 in India is uncertain after the ICC rejected their request to relocate matches. The Bangladesh Cricket Board is now in urgent talks with the government and players, who were not consulted initially. The ICC has given Bangladesh 24 hours to confirm their travel to India.
