Cricket

Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad: The Future of Indian Cricket Post-Kohli and RohitAs the legendary duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma approach the twilight of their illustrious careers, Indian cricket fans are eagerly looking towards the next generation of stars to carry the torch. Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla believes that Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad possess the talent and potential to fill the void left by the departing greats.Chawla, who has shared the dressing room with both Kohli and Rohit, recently expressed his admiration for Gill and Gaikwad on Shubhankar Mishra's podcast. He hailed Gill's exceptional technique as a key factor in his success. "Shubman Gill—because of his technique. Whenever one goes through poor form, a batter who is technically strong can come out of it. Any batter who has a good technique cannot stay out of form for too long," Chawla said.Gill, 25, has already established himself as a vital cog in the Indian batting lineup. With 25 Tests, 47 ODIs, and 21 T20Is under his belt, he has amassed over 4,400 international runs, including 11 centuries. His ability to adapt to different formats and conditions has made him a reliable performer for India.While Gaikwad, 27, has faced some setbacks due to injuries and selection issues, Chawla remains confident in his abilities. "It [getting dropped or injured] is part and parcel of the game. It will keep happening. But, whenever he has got the opportunity, he has looked different. For me, these two players (Gill and Gaikwad) are special," Chawla added.Gaikwad has shown glimpses of his brilliance in the limited opportunities he has received. In six ODIs and 23 T20Is, he has scored over 750 runs, including a T20I century. His aggressive batting style and ability to clear the boundary with ease make him a valuable asset to any team.With Kohli and Rohit nearing retirement, the onus will fall on Gill and Gaikwad to lead the Indian batting charge in the years to come. Their talent, determination, and experience make them the ideal candidates to carry the legacy of their illustrious predecessors.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Retires Hurt in Duleep Trophy Match, India C Faces Early SetbackIndia C captain Ruturaj Gaikwad's Duleep Trophy campaign took a setback on Thursday when he retired hurt after facing just two balls in their match against India B at the Rural Development Trust Stadium B in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.Gaikwad, who is also the captain of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, twisted his ankle on the second delivery he faced from pacer Mukesh Kumar. He managed to hit a four on the first ball but was forced to leave the field after the injury.The injury is not considered serious, and Gaikwad is expected to bat in the second innings. However, his early departure put India C on the back foot, as they lost their captain and key batsman early in the innings.Despite the setback, India C managed to recover with a solid partnership between Sai Sudharsan and Rajat Patidar. Sudharsan scored 43 runs off 75 balls, while Patidar contributed 40 runs from 67 balls. The duo shared a crucial 92-run stand for the second wicket, facing 140 balls in total.After their promising partnership, both batters were dismissed in quick succession, leaving Ishan Kishan and Baba Indrajith to rebuild the innings.India B, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, won the toss and opted to bowl first. They put India C on the back foot early, with Gaikwad's injury and the dismissals of Sudharsan and Patidar.However, India C showed resilience and fought back with a solid partnership between Kishan and Indrajith. The duo put on 50 runs for the fourth wicket, helping India C recover from the early setbacks.The match is evenly poised, with India C looking to build on their recovery and India B aiming to take control of the game.

Duleep Trophy 2024: India B and India C Clash in Second RoundThe Duleep Trophy 2024 is underway, and the second round promises to be an exciting affair as India B and India C face off. Both teams enter the game on the back of victories in their first round encounters.India B, led by Priyank Panchal, will be looking to continue their winning ways. Despite the absence of Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who have been called up to the national team, the arrival of Rinku Singh provides some much-needed firepower. Sarfaraz Khan, who was also called up by India, will feature for India B, as will his brother Musheer, who was the star of the first round.India C, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, will be a tough opponent for India B. They remain completely unchanged from their first round victory and will be looking to build on their momentum. Gaikwad, who is in excellent form, will be the key man for India C.The match is expected to be a close contest, with both teams evenly matched. India B will be looking to make the most of their home advantage, while India C will be hoping to continue their winning streak.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's Star Power Shines as Fan Invades Pitch to Touch His FeetIn a heartwarming display of admiration, a fan breached the field during the Duleep Trophy 2024 match between India C and India D to express his reverence for Ruturaj Gaikwad. The incident, reminiscent of a similar moment involving MS Dhoni in IPL 2023, highlights the growing popularity of the young Indian cricketer.Gaikwad, leading India C, was caught off guard as the fan rushed onto the field and touched his feet. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper, known for his composure, remained calm and gently helped the fan up, shaking his hand.This incident underscores Gaikwad's rising star status in Indian cricket. The 27-year-old, a protégé of Dhoni at CSK, has quickly amassed a loyal fan base. His impressive performances, including a century in the recent Ranji Trophy, have earned him widespread recognition.On the field, India D, led by Shreyas Iyer, held a 202-run lead at stumps on Day 2. Despite promising knocks from Devdutt Padikkal (56) and Iyer (54), India D were struggling at 206/8 in their second innings. India C, on the other hand, had been bowled out for 168 in their first innings, with Gaikwad contributing only five runs.Gaikwad's moment with the fan added a touch of drama to the intense contest. As the Duleep Trophy progresses, the spotlight remains on Gaikwad's leadership and his ability to inspire his team to victory.

MS Dhoni's IPL Future Uncertain, Suresh Raina Advocates for Continued MentorshipThe Indian Premier League (IPL) is eagerly awaiting the return of legendary wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni, but doubts linger over his participation in the upcoming season. However, Dhoni's close friend and former teammate Suresh Raina believes that the veteran should continue playing for at least one more year to guide young captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.Raina, who retired from international cricket in 2020, expressed his admiration for Dhoni's batting prowess during the last IPL season. "I want MS Dhoni to play in IPL 2025, considering how he batted last year," Raina said. "I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad needs one more year, the way he captained and a lot of things were said after the loss to RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru). However, Ruturaj has done a great job."Dhoni, who handed over the CSK captaincy to Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024, has been troubled by a knee injury in recent times. Despite this, he played a crucial role as a finisher, scoring 161 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 220.25.The IPL will hold a mega players' auction ahead of the 2025 season, and Dhoni is expected to make a decision on his future after the auction rules on player retention are announced. "We have to see what decision they take on player retention, etc...So once the rules and regulations get formalised, I will take a call, but it needs to be in the best interest of the team (CSK)," Dhoni had said earlier.Raina's comments highlight the importance of Dhoni's experience and leadership for the CSK franchise. Gaikwad, who led the team to the IPL final in 2023, is still relatively inexperienced as a captain. Dhoni's continued presence would provide invaluable guidance and support for the young skipper.

The Duleep Trophy, the premier domestic cricket tournament in India, is set to kick off the 2024/25 season with a star-studded lineup. The tournament, scheduled from September 5 to 24 in Anantapur, will feature top Indian players, excluding Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravichandran Ashwin.Shubhman Gill, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shreyas Iyer will lead the four squads in the tournament. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has emphasized that the absence of Rohit and Virat is due to workload concerns, as they will be preparing for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh.Shah stressed that injured players aiming to return to the national team must prove their fitness through domestic cricket. He cited the example of Ravindra Jadeja, who returned to the team after playing for Saurashtra. However, Shah believes it is unnecessary to burden Rohit and Virat with domestic cricket, as they are already facing a heavy workload."We have been little strict. When Ravindra Jadeja had got injured, I was the one who called him and asked him to play a domestic game. It's certain now, whoever gets injured and goes out, can only come into the Indian team after proving his fitness in domestic cricket. But it doesn't make sense to add to Virat and Rohit's load by asking them to play domestic cricket. They run the risk of getting injured. You also need to look at England and Australia. None of their top players play domestic cricket. We must treat our players respectfully and not treat them like servants," Shah said.The Duleep Trophy will provide an opportunity for young and emerging players to showcase their talent and stake a claim for a spot in the national team. The tournament will also serve as a platform for players returning from injury to regain match fitness and form.

Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the BCCI selection committee, faced scrutiny at a press conference on Monday regarding the exclusion of several players from the team's tour of Sri Lanka.Agarkar defended the committee's decisions, emphasizing the limited roster size and the need to prioritize balance. He acknowledged the strong performances of Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhishek Sharma in Zimbabwe but maintained that not everyone could be accommodated in the 15-man squad."Every player who's left out feels hard done by," Agarkar said. "Our challenge is to pick only 15. You try and get the best balance possible. So someone's likely to miss out."Agarkar cited the example of Rinku Singh, who was omitted from India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad despite his impressive form. He stressed that such exclusions are sometimes unavoidable due to the competitive nature of team selection."We had an opportunity to give some of those guys a go in the Zimbabwe series, which was good," Agarkar added. "So, we have enough depth if tomorrow there is loss of form for the players that are playing or there are injuries."Agarkar emphasized the difficulty of balancing individual performances with team dynamics. He explained that while players may have had strong recent showings, the selectors must consider the overall composition of the squad and the suitability of each player for specific roles."But it's tough," Agarkar said. "I mean Rinku for no fault of his missed out from the World Cup, it's an example. He had a terrific [run in the] T20 leading up to the World Cup. But sometimes it's just the way it goes. Unfortunately for us as well, it is difficult to fit everyone in the fifteen."

The Indian cricket team's abundance of talent has often made it challenging for players to maintain a consistent spot in the national squad. Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad have recently fallen victim to this competition, with Singh being omitted from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad and Gaikwad not making the cut for the Sri Lanka tour.Despite their impressive performances, both batters have been overlooked due to team combinations and preferences for different player profiles. However, former India and Chennai Super Kings batter S Badrinath has expressed his dissatisfaction with these selection decisions.In a video shared on social media, Badrinath expressed shock and surprise at Gaikwad's exclusion from the Sri Lanka series. He questioned the selection criteria, suggesting that players may need to have connections with Bollywood actresses or body tattoos to be consistently picked."Sometimes it seems like you need a bad guy image when the likes of Rinku Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad and others are not selected for the Indian team. It seems that you need to be in a relationship with some Bollywood actresses, have a good media manager, and have body tattoos," Badrinath said in the video.Gaikwad was part of the Indian team for the Zimbabwe T20Is, where he scored 7, 77, and 49 before being rested for the fifth match. However, he was not included in the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour, with the selectors opting for Yashasvi Jaiswal instead. Rinku Singh, on the other hand, was selected for the team.Badrinath's comments have sparked a debate about the selection process for the Indian cricket team. While some have defended the selectors' decisions, others have questioned the fairness and transparency of the process.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's Exclusion Raises Questions as India Announces Squads for Sri Lanka SeriesFormer Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed astonishment over the omission of Ruturaj Gaikwad from India's squads for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Gaikwad, who has been in impressive form in recent months, was not selected for either the T20I or ODI teams.Chopra questioned the selectors' decision, highlighting Gaikwad's recent performances and leadership qualities. "Ruturaj Gaikwad has been left out in both formats. What did he do that his name hasn't come?" Chopra said. "Six months ago, you were worthy of becoming the captain of a team, a team that had Shubman Gill who wasn't playing, but Shubman has become the vice-captain now and Ruturaj is not even part of the team, neither in T20Is nor in ODIs. Is that right?"Chopra also raised concerns about the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja from the entire tour lineup. "Yuzi Chahal also comes to mind. You were just now part of the World Cup. After that, you are nowhere," Chopra said. "Ravindra Jadeja is also not part of ODI cricket. What's happening there? He has himself retired from T20Is but would have been available in ODIs. If he is available and is not being played despite that, have Team India started looking in some other direction?"The selectors' decisions have sparked speculation about their vision for the future of the Indian team. Chopra urged the selectors to communicate their plans clearly to players like Gaikwad, who may feel aggrieved by their exclusion. "I really hope that it's being communicated that he is being looked at for T20Is and will be considered for ODIs because, otherwise, Ruturaj Gaikwad, like Sanju Samson, will be very aggrieved. He might be feeling that he has been wronged," Chopra said.The upcoming series against Sri Lanka will provide an opportunity for India to test their squad and prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. The selectors' decisions will be closely scrutinized as they attempt to strike a balance between experience and youth.