Monday, July 13
Aakash Chopra selected his squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, excluding Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav. He emphasized Rohit Sharma’s leadership and credits Shreyas Iyer's recent performance. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be included as wicketkeeper-batters. Chopra picked Iyer due to his consistent run-scoring, while Pant replaces Ishan Kishan.
Young Australian batter Sam Konstas reflected on his encounter with Indian star Virat Kohli during the Boxing Day Test. He described Kohli as down to earth and expressed his admiration for the former Indian captain. Konstas had a chat with Kohli after the match, and the interaction left a lasting impression on him.
Mohammad Amir reminisces about Shaheen Afridi's match-saving play in the 2024 ILT20. He highlights the league's challenging nature, emphasises its impact on UAE cricket, and praises emerging talents. Amir also reflects on the importance of adapting to conditions for effective bowling and acknowledges Pakistani players' limited participation in the league.
Amid rumours of a divorce between cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his wife Dhanashree Verma, the latter addressed baseless allegations and character assassination by trolls on social media. Both unfollowed each other recently, fueling the speculation. Dhanashree stressed on holding on to her values and focusing on the truth.
Ravi Shastri suggests Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to domestic cricket to hone their Test skills and mentor younger players. Following India's performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Shastri believes domestic play can help them overcome technical issues and contribute to the team's transition. He emphasises the importance of hunger and desire in their careers.
Ravichandran Ashwin's sudden retirement from international cricket during India's tour of Australia left the cricketing world stunned. Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin suspects Ashwin's dissatisfaction with consistently being benched led to his decision. He feels the development highlighted India's lack of a cohesive game plan, evident in the frequent change of spinners during the series.
India's performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia was disappointing, marked by key players failing to deliver consistently. Bumrah stood out with a perfect 10/10 rating, but poor showings by Rohit Sharma, Ashwin, and others led to a 3-1 series loss. Coach Gambhir's strategies and team selection faced criticism.
Simon Taufel, one of cricket's top umpires, will lead the match officials panel for ILT20 Season 3, with Roshan Mahanama. The tournament features experienced umpires from various countries and will commence on January 11, 2025. The opening match will see MI Emirates against Dubai Capitals. Top players like Andre Russell and David Warner will participate, ensuring an exciting event.
Dilip Vengsarkar criticizes the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground for being excessively seamer-friendly during the final Test of the BGT. He urges the ICC to take control of Test match pitches to ensure good quality cricket for fans, highlighting how pitches can heavily influence match outcomes.
France football manager Didier Deschamps will leave his role after the 2026 World Cup when his contract ends. Deschamps, who led France to victory in the 2018 World Cup and was a winner as a player in 1998, intends to announce his decision on French television on Wednesday.
