Cricket

India's Long-Awaited Centre of Excellence Opens in BengaluruAfter years of anticipation, the Indian cricket fraternity has finally unveiled its state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Located near the Kempegowda International Airport, the academy was inaugurated on September 28 by BCCI President Roger Binny and Secretary Jay Shah.The facility boasts world-class infrastructure, including:* Indoor and outdoor practice nets: With advanced technology for ball tracking and analysis.* High-performance gym: Equipped with the latest fitness equipment and expert trainers.* Sports science and medicine center: Providing cutting-edge medical care, nutrition, and rehabilitation services.* Residential facilities: Accommodating up to 100 players and support staff.* Cricket museum: Showcasing the rich history of Indian cricket.The academy aims to nurture young talent and develop elite cricketers for the national team. It will provide comprehensive training programs, including:* Technical coaching: By experienced coaches using innovative techniques.* Physical conditioning: Tailored to the specific needs of cricketers.* Mental training: To enhance focus, resilience, and decision-making.* Nutritional guidance: To optimize performance and recovery.The Centre of Excellence is a testament to the BCCI's commitment to developing Indian cricket. It is expected to play a pivotal role in producing world-class players who will represent the country with distinction on the international stage.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Yash Dayal from the Indian Test squad for the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. The trio will participate in the Irani Cup, which begins in Lucknow on Tuesday.The decision was made to allow the players to gain match practice ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Sarfaraz will represent Mumbai, while Jurel and Dayal will join the Rest of India squad.Sarfaraz, a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket, has been in impressive form this season. He has scored over 1,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy, including a triple-century. Jurel, a left-arm spinner, has also been in good form, taking 25 wickets in the Ranji Trophy. Dayal, a left-arm pacer, has impressed with his pace and accuracy.The BCCI had earlier stated that the trio would be released from the Test squad if they were not included in the playing XI. The decision to release them now is a testament to the BCCI's commitment to player development.The Irani Cup is an annual first-class cricket match played between the Rest of India and the winner of the Ranji Trophy. It is a prestigious tournament that provides players with an opportunity to showcase their skills and compete for a place in the Indian team.The release of Sarfaraz, Jurel, and Dayal from the Test squad is a significant development. It highlights the BCCI's focus on player development and its commitment to providing opportunities for young players to excel.

The Green Park Stadium in Kanpur has faced criticism after two days of play in the second India-Bangladesh Test were abandoned due to waterlogging, despite no rain during scheduled hours. BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has defended the facilities, acknowledging the stadium's heritage but also recognizing the need for upgrades.Shukla emphasized that the ground is 80 years old and has been a permanent Test center. He noted that this is the first time in eight decades that rain has prevented play for two consecutive days. However, he conceded that the drainage system needs improvement."When this ground was built, those technologies were not available. Now technologies are available," Shukla said. "We are planning to develop a system to drain rainwater immediately."The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) is responsible for the stadium's upkeep under an MoU with the UP government. Shukla met with government officials to discuss the situation and agreed on the need for upgrades."The ground has to be dug, new technology has to be applied, and everything has to be done," Shukla said. "We will be able to improve the conditions here shortly."Shukla also defended Kanpur against criticism, stating that rain-related match abandonments occur worldwide. "Why unnecessarily Kanpur and Green Park is being blamed for something which is in nature's hands?" he asked.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reintroduced a rule for the uncapped category of Indian players ahead of IPL Auction 2025. This rule, which was previously in place but abolished after IPL 2021, has significant implications for retired Indian stars like MS Dhoni.According to the new rule, "A capped Indian player will become uncapped, if the player has in the last five calendar years preceding the year in which the relevant Season is held, not played in the starting XI in International Cricket (Test match, ODI, Twenty20 International) or does not have a Central Contract with BCCI."This means that MS Dhoni, who last played for India in 2019, becomes eligible to play IPL under the uncapped player category. This rule change has sparked speculation that the BCCI has reintroduced it solely to accommodate Dhoni in the IPL.The reintroduction of this rule gives Dhoni's franchise, Chennai Super Kings, a significant advantage. They can now retain Dhoni without using any capped player slot, providing them with more flexibility in their squad selection.Fans have expressed their excitement at the prospect of Dhoni returning to the IPL as an uncapped player. Many believe that his presence will add star power and experience to the tournament."MS Dhoni doesn't need to play one more season of IPL, but IPL needs #MSDhoni to play one more season," tweeted one fan.Another fan wrote, "DHONI needs IPL, IPL needs DHONI. The O.G is all set to return as uncapped player for some unfinished business."The BCCI has also released the IPL auction rules for 2025. Each franchise can retain up to 6 players, including the Right To Match (RTM) option. However, the total number of retentions/RTM's cannot exceed 5 capped players (Indian and overseas) and 2 uncapped players.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held its 93rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Bengaluru on Sunday, where members urged incumbent secretary Jay Shah to expedite the process of finding his successor. Shah is set to step down from his post in late November to assume the role of ICC chairman for a three-year term beginning December 1.While the selection of a new secretary was not on the AGM agenda, attendees reportedly discussed the succession plan informally. "It was a normal request to keep all due processes in place at the earliest as [then] there will be clarity for us," said a state association representative who attended the meeting.Several candidates are reportedly in contention to succeed Shah, including Rohan Jaitley (president of Delhi and District Cricket Association), BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar, joint-secretary Devajit Saikia, and Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Anil Patel.The AGM also focused on nominating India's two representatives to attend ICC meetings. Currently, Shah represents the BCCI on the ICC Board, while IPL chairman Arun Dhumal holds the same role in the Chief Executives' Committee. The AGM entrusted the general body members with recommending two names for these positions.Arun Dhumal and Avishek Dalmiya were elected to the IPL Governing Council (GC) as general body representatives, with Dhumal continuing as the league's chairman until at least IPL 2025. Former Andhra cricketer V Chamundeswarnath was nominated by the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) as a player representative and inducted into the IPL GC.The AGM ratified the annual budget for the 2024-25 season and unanimously resolved to maintain BCCI's legal status as a society. "The members further resolved that the tournaments of the BCCI, including the IPL, shall not be converted into a company," a BCCI statement said.

The Duleep Trophy, a prestigious domestic cricket tournament in India, is set to revert to its traditional zonal format starting next year. This decision was made at the 93rd Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).The Duleep Trophy was originally played on a zonal basis, with teams representing different regions of India. However, in 2023, the BCCI experimented with a new format, where four teams were selected by four teams. This experiment was met with mixed reactions, with some members of the BCCI expressing concerns that it was diluting the competitive nature of the tournament.After a prolonged discussion at the AGM, the BCCI decided to move away from the experimental format and reinstate the zonal format. This decision was based on the recommendations of a working group consisting of then head coach Rahul Dravid, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, NCA head VVS Laxman, and Abey Kuruvilla, general manager of operations.The working group had argued that the zonal format would maintain the competitive nature of the tournament and provide a better platform for players to showcase their skills. They also pointed out that the zonal format had a long history and tradition in Indian cricket.The BCCI also authorized its office-bearers to finalize the BCCI's representative for the International Cricket Council's (ICC) meetings as an ICC Director. With BCCI President Jay Shah set to take over as the ICC chair on December 1, a new ICC representative will need to be selected.The AGM also passed a resolution to maintain the BCCI's legal status as a society. The members further resolved that the tournaments of the BCCI, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), shall not be converted to a company.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is gearing up for its mega auction, and franchises are preparing their retention and release lists. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set the retention rules, allowing teams to retain a maximum of six players.With the increased retention cost, franchises must carefully balance retaining key players and acquiring new talent through the auction. Here are the top six candidates who could be retained by each franchise:Chennai Super Kings:* Ruturaj Gaikwad* Ravindra Jadeja* Shivam Dube* Daryl Mitchell* Matheesha Pathirana* MS DhoniMumbai Indians:* Hardik Pandya* Rohit Sharma* Jasprit Bumrah* Suryakumar Yadav* Ishan Kishan* Anshul KambojRoyal Challengers Bengaluru:* Virat Kohli* Mohammed Siraj* Will Jacks* Glenn Maxwell* Cameron Green* Yash DayalRajasthan Royals:* Sanju Samson* Jos Buttler* Yashasvi Jaiswal* Trent Boult* Yuzvendra Chahal* Sandeep SharmaKolkata Knight Riders:* Shreyas Iyer* Rinku Singh* Phil Salt* Sunil Narine* Andre Russell* Harshit RanaGujarat Titans:* Shubman Gill* Rashid Khan* David Miller* Sai Sudharsan* Mohammed Shami* Rahul TewatiaLucknow Super Giants:* KL Rahul* Quinton de Kock* Nicholas Pooran* Ravi Bishnoi* Marcus Stoinis* Mayank YadavDelhi Capitals:* Rishabh Pant* Tristan Stubbs* Mitchell Marsh* Jake Fraser-McGurk* Axar Patel* Abishek PorelPunjab Kings:* Sam Curran* Arshdeep Singh* Kagiso Rabada* Liam Livingstone* Shashank Singh* Ashutosh SharmaSunrisers Hyderabad:* Pat Cummins* Abhishek Sharma* Travis Head* Heinrich Klaasen* T. Natarajan* Nitish Kumar ReddyThe status of uncapped players may change before October 31st. Players representing the national team before the deadline will not be considered uncapped. However, those making their international debut on November 1st will still be classified as uncapped for the IPL 2025 season.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a significant increase in match fees for cricketers participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). BCCI Secretary Jay Shah revealed that players will now earn a whopping Rs. 7.5 lakhs per game, a substantial jump from the previous match fee.This announcement comes ahead of the upcoming IPL retention rules, which are expected to be released soon. The Governing Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday evening to finalize the retention and auction plans.According to reports, the BCCI is considering allowing teams to retain five players and have one Right to Match option for the IPL 2025 auction. This move aims to provide teams with more flexibility in retaining their core players.The BCCI had previously held a meeting with all 10 IPL team owners in July to discuss retention rules and other key issues. Major franchises like Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings face crucial decisions regarding high-profile players, including MS Dhoni, ahead of the auction.The date and venue for the mega auction are also expected to be announced soon, likely to be held in the second week of November. It remains unclear whether the retention and auction decisions will be made public after Saturday's meeting or tabled for further discussion at Sunday's Annual General Meeting (AGM).The BCCI's decision to increase match fees and finalize retention rules is a significant development for the IPL. It reflects the board's commitment to enhancing player compensation and providing teams with more flexibility in managing their squads.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) 93rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for September 29, 2024, in Bengaluru, is set to be a routine affair. However, behind the scenes, discussions have been abuzz with the impending "succession plan" for BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who is set to take over as International Cricket Council (ICC) chair on December 1.With Shah's departure, the race for his successor has intensified. Three names have emerged as potential candidates: treasurer Ashish Shelar, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, and Delhi and District Cricket Association chief Arun Jaitley. However, a surprise candidate from a west zone association could also emerge in the coming months.The BCCI hierarchy is reportedly gauging the affiliates' response to the possibility of a relative newcomer taking on major responsibility. However, formal discussions on the succession plan are expected to begin only after Shah steps down towards the end of November.Meanwhile, the AGM will focus on routine matters, including the unopposed election of Avishek Dalmiya and Dhumal as members of the IPL governing council. V Chamundeswarnath is also set to be re-elected as the Indian Cricketers' Association' nominee in the governing council.The AGM may also consider floating invitations for any of the men's junior selection committee posts. However, it is likely that the house will authorize office-bearers to finalize the cricket committees and sub-committees.In a separate development, the new National Cricket Academy (NCA) campus on the outskirts of Bengaluru was inaugurated on Saturday evening. The inauguration was followed by an exhibition cricket game among affiliates and BCCI office-bearers.