Cricket

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction on the horizon, the future of star batter Rohit Sharma at Mumbai Indians (MI) remains uncertain. Last season, MI removed Rohit as captain and appointed Hardik Pandya as his successor, a move that sparked controversy among fans who felt it was disrespectful to Rohit, who had led MI to five IPL titles. Rumors of a rift between Hardik and Rohit further fueled speculation about Rohit's future with the franchise.Amidst the uncertainty, former India batter Mohammed Kaif urged Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to acquire Rohit in the upcoming auction. However, RCB legend AB de Villiers dismissed the possibility of such a move. "I almost laughed at the Rohit comment," de Villiers said. "It would be a huge story if Rohit moved from Mumbai Indians to RCB. But I don't see it happening. I don't think MI will let Rohit go."De Villiers also expressed his support for Faf du Plessis as RCB's captain for the upcoming season, stating that even Virat Kohli would want the veteran South African to continue. "Age is just a number," de Villiers said. "Faf has been exceptional as a player, and I think Virat will back him with all his experience."

India's triumph at the T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma's leadership marked a historic moment, bringing home the ICC silverware in the shortest format after a 17-year hiatus. The victory was hard-fought, with South Africa dominating the run-chase in the final until Hardik Pandya's game-changing intervention.The turning point came in the 17th over when Pandya dismissed Heinrich Klaasen, who had been threatening to snatch the game away from India. With the Proteas needing just 40 runs from 24 balls and Klaasen in blistering form, India's hopes seemed to be fading.However, Pandya's strike ignited a shift in momentum. Speaking on the comedy show 'The Great Indian Kapil Show,' Rohit revealed the behind-the-scenes tactics employed by the Indian team to unsettle the South Africans."We all came together and said a few things to their batsmen, which I can't share here, but it was necessary because we had to win at any cost," Rohit said. "Even if we got fined after winning, it didn't matter. I told the boys to say whatever they wanted and we'd handle the umpires and referees later."Pandya's dream spell continued, as he also dismissed David Miller, South Africa's last hope. Suryakumar Yadav's spectacular catch at the boundary sealed the victory for India.Rohit and Virat Kohli subsequently announced their retirement from T20Is, leaving a legacy of success and inspiration for the next generation of Indian cricketers.

India and Bangladesh Clash in T20I Series Amidst Test SeasonAs the Test season rages on, India and Bangladesh will engage in a three-match T20I series commencing in Gwalior on Sunday. While India has rested its star players, the fringe players will strive to establish themselves as backups and enhance their IPL value.Suryakumar Yadav leads a relatively inexperienced Indian side, but his players possess exceptional skills and versatility in the T20 format. Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh add experience, while newcomers Mayank Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana seek to make their mark. Abhishek Sharma, with five T20I caps, aims to increase his tally.India's fast-bowling department is depleted, potentially opening doors for debuts for Mayank Yadav, who impressed with his pace in the IPL, and Rana, a Kolkata Knight Riders title winner. Hardik and Shivam Dube provide seam-bowling support, while Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, and Varun Chakravarthy form the spin trio.For Bangladesh, this series presents a golden opportunity to develop their game against a formidable opponent and potentially attract IPL scouts. Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed, and Mahedi Hasan, all seasoned T20I campaigners, must perform at their best for Bangladesh to challenge India.With Shakib Al Hasan's retirement from Tests and T20Is, Bangladesh's lineup has undergone a transformation. Sanju Samson, with his impressive IPL form, is likely to open the batting for India alongside Abhishek. Legspinner Rishad Hossain, who emerged as Bangladesh's top wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup, will aim to impress IPL scouts.The Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium will host its first international match, with teams batting first in night games in India averaging over 190 runs in the past year. The weather is expected to be slightly cooler than usual on Sunday evening.

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his surprise and disappointment over the BCCI's decision to overlook Hardik Pandya as captain of the T20I team. Pandya was widely expected to take over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from the format. However, the BCCI opted to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as the new skipper.Harbhajan believes that Pandya's experience and leadership qualities made him the ideal candidate for the captaincy. "He was your vice-captain...when Rohit Sharma is not the captain, your vice-captain becomes the captain," Harbhajan told Sports Yaari. "But if you tell him on fitness ground that you will not be the captain - there's no T20I cricket round the year."Harbhajan added that losing the captaincy must have been a significant setback for Pandya. "He came after winning the T20 World Cup and suddenly, it's a big setback for him. It's not right," he said. "I have great respect for Suryakumar Yadav. Phenomenal player, great guy...very selfless. Even he wouldn't have thought that this would happen."The BCCI's decision has also raised questions about Pandya's fitness. The all-rounder has been struggling with injuries in recent months, and there are concerns that he may not be able to handle the rigors of captaincy.However, Harbhajan believes that Pandya's fitness is not a major issue. "He's a young guy, he's fit," Harbhajan said. "He's been playing for India for a long time now. He knows how to manage his body."The BCCI has named a 15-man squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, with Yadav leading the team. The matches will be played on October 6 (Gwalior), October 9 (New Delhi), and October 12 (Hyderabad).

India's newly appointed bowling coach, Morne Morkel, has been actively involved in guiding the team's bowlers ahead of the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. During a recent nets session, Morkel was observed closely monitoring the bowling technique of all-rounder Hardik Pandya.Morkel reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Pandya's approach, particularly his tendency to bowl too close to the stumps. The two engaged in a lengthy discussion, with Morkel providing detailed instructions on the necessary corrections. Morkel's focus extended beyond Pandya, as he also worked on the run-up and release point of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and rookies Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav.The T20I series against Bangladesh marks the beginning of a new era for India's bowling unit under Morkel's guidance. The team will be eager to implement the lessons learned during the nets session and translate them into success on the field.India's T20 squad for the series includes a mix of experienced players and promising youngsters. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team, while Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma will provide wicketkeeping options. Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Ravi Bishnoi bring experience and versatility to the bowling attack.Youngsters like Harshit Rana and Mayank Yadav will be keen to make their mark after impressive performances in the Indian Premier League. Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, and Nitish Kumar Reddy will also look to seize the opportunity to showcase their skills.The series against Bangladesh will also provide a second chance for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who has been absent from India's T20I setup for an extended period.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is set to be a pivotal event for all 10 franchises. With a mega auction on the horizon, teams must carefully consider their retention strategies to build competitive squads.According to the BCCI, franchises can retain a maximum of six players, either through retention or the Right to Match (RTM) option. The combination of retentions and RTMs can include up to five capped players (Indian or overseas) and two uncapped players. The auction purse for each franchise has been set at INR 120 Crore.For five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who endured a disappointing IPL 2024 campaign, the upcoming auction holds immense significance. The team boasts a star-studded roster, including Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma. However, the franchise faces a crucial decision regarding player retention.Former IPL-winning coach Tom Moody has expressed his reservations about Hardik Pandya's potential retention at the highest price of INR 18 crore. Moody believes that Pandya's recent struggles with fitness and performance may not warrant such a high valuation."When you dissect all of those areas with Hardik Pandya, does he deserve to be an 18 crore player? Is he worth it? If you've got to be an 18 crore player, you've got to be a genuine match-winner and do it regularly," Moody said.Moody also highlighted Mumbai Indians' past struggles at the auction table, particularly in retaining players at inflated prices. He cited the examples of Ishan Kishan and Jofra Archer, who failed to deliver consistent returns despite their hefty price tags."They've had a little bit of a problem at the auction table the last couple of years. They've gotten caught up in a way too loyal in some cases and tried to retain, or get players back into their squad, which has cost them dearly," Moody said.The Mumbai Indians management will have to make some tough decisions regarding player retention. They must balance loyalty with performance and value for money to build a squad capable of challenging for the IPL title in 2025.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council has released its guidelines for player retention, sparking discussions among experts on which players franchises should prioritize ahead of the mega auction. With six players allowed for retention, including Right-To-Match, tough decisions lie ahead for teams.For Mumbai Indians (MI), the future of former skipper Rohit Sharma is a major talking point. However, former India batter Aakash Chopra believes MI should also make a crucial call on current captain Hardik Pandya.While many expect Hardik to be MI's top retention, Chopra argues that Jasprit Bumrah should take that spot. He considers Bumrah the No. 1 pick across all IPL teams, making him the top priority for MI as well."The most difficult thing is to retain the Indian core. MI and CSK have won five trophies each, and both have had strong Indian cores. Overseas players can be replaced, but Indian players are harder to find. Can you tell me a like-for-like replacement for Jasprit Bumrah?" Chopra said.Regarding Hardik, Chopra suggests he could be MI's fourth pick. Suryakumar Yadav could be the second choice (in the INR 14 crore category), while Rohit, Tilak Varma, and Ishan Kishan would compete for the remaining spots."Indian retentions for Mumbai Indians seem straightforward. Hardik, Surya, Bumrah, you have three. After that, I think they will discuss with Rohit Sharma about the next step. It's anybody's guess after what has transpired. Whether he will stay in Mumbai or go elsewhere, I think it will also be his will. I think that will be a discussion. And then Ishan Kishan or Tilak Varma," he added."The interesting aspect will be the order of retention. Who will be the first, who will be the second and all that? Jasprit Bumrah is my No. 1 retention. He will be the first retention in the overall IPL, across all teams. If Bumrah is your first, then you have captain Hardik Pandya. He can be your fourth retention (Rs 18 crore). Then you have India's T20I captain, he is Suryakumar Yadav. He will be come in Rs 14 crore category. Then you have Rohit Sharma and Tilak Varma. Then there is the wicketkeeper-batter batter in Ishan Kishan, whom you retained for Rs 15 or Rs 15.5 crore. It's going to be a tough one."Tim David and Piyush Chawla are also potential retention candidates for MI. While Chawla fits well in the uncapped player category, David's chances of being retained remain uncertain.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction guidelines have sparked discussions among fans and former cricketers. Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has expressed his opinion on Mumbai Indians' retention strategy, suggesting that they should prioritize retaining Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.Jadeja believes that these three players are indispensable to Mumbai Indians and should be retained without hesitation. He also suggests that the franchise should use their Right to Match (RTM) card on Hardik Pandya, despite his injury concerns."I'd say, players like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, are undoubtedly the three players who will be retained by MI. It is impossible to get these players if put up for auction," Jadeja said.However, Jadeja acknowledges that using the RTM on Pandya could be risky. "The kind of player he is, you might not get him either (in the auction). But there is a chance that his injury tendencies might make the other franchises not be able to open up their banks for him," he added.Jadeja believes that sacrificing one of the other three players for Pandya would be a mistake. "If you have an RTM, they you can use to their advantage. I am not saying that this decides the player's caliber or power, but if you look at a player like Bumrah and his value and then Hardik Pandya on the market, it will be a difficult business," he said.Mumbai Indians have a number of other key players to consider, including Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Tim David, and Dewald Brevis. The franchise will have to make some tough decisions before the mega auction.

Hardik Pandya, India's swashbuckling all-rounder, has sparked speculation about a potential return to Test cricket after posting a video of himself practicing with a red ball on Instagram. However, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has cast doubt on the possibility, citing Pandya's injury history and the physical demands of the longest format.Pandya, who hasn't played a Test match since September 2018, underwent back surgery in 2019. Patel believes that Pandya's body may not be able to withstand the rigors of four-day and five-day matches."I'm not looking at Hardik Pandya (in Tests)," Patel said on Jio cinema show during the second India vs Bangladesh Test in Kanpur. "He was practicing with the red ball only because the white ball wasn't available. I don't think his body allows four-day and five-day matches. He has to play at least one first-class game (before being considered for selection in Tests), which is very unlikely."Last year, Pandya was offered a place in the World Test Championship final against Australia but declined, stating that he did not want to be a regular Test player.Pandya's last first-class appearance was in December 2018. He also skipped this year's Duleep Trophy due to workload management.Patel's comments echo concerns raised by other experts about Pandya's fitness and durability. The all-rounder has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, including back, shoulder, and hamstring issues.If Pandya does not return to Test cricket, it would be a significant blow to India's hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from Australia in the upcoming series. Pandya's all-round abilities, including his aggressive batting and effective medium-pace bowling, would be a valuable asset to the team.However, it appears that Pandya's focus will remain on limited-overs cricket, where he has established himself as one of the world's leading all-rounders.