Cricket

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Jasprit Bumrah as the official vice-captain of the Indian Test team, a testament to his growing stature within the squad. While Rohit Sharma remains the captain, Bumrah's elevation to the vice-captaincy is a significant recognition of his leadership qualities and his importance to the team.Despite his limited captaincy experience, Bumrah has been an integral part of India's leadership group for some time. His tactical acumen and understanding of the game have impressed his teammates and coaches alike. Rohit Sharma, in particular, has praised Bumrah's contributions to the team's decision-making process."Bumrah has played a lot of cricket. He understands the game pretty well. He's got a good head on his shoulder. When you talk to him, he understands the game," said Rohit.In addition to his leadership abilities, Bumrah is also expected to mentor the younger pacers in the team. As the most experienced fast bowler, he will provide guidance and support to the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna."Whether it is speaking to the bowlers who have just come into the squad, whether it is getting internally with the team to discuss about how to move forward as a team, he's always been part of that leadership group," said Rohit.While Bumrah's vice-captaincy is a positive development for the Indian team, there are concerns about the fitness of Mohammed Shami. The veteran pacer has been struggling with a knee injury and is unlikely to be fit for the upcoming tour of Australia."To be honest, right now, it's pretty difficult for us to make a call on him, whether he'll be fit for this series or the Australia series. He recently had swelling on his knee, which was quite unusual," said Rohit.Despite the injury concerns, the Indian team remains confident ahead of the Test series against New Zealand. With Rohit Sharma at the helm and Jasprit Bumrah as his deputy, the team will be looking to continue their dominance in the longest format of the game.

Jasprit Bumrah Appointed Vice-Captain for India's Test Series Against New ZealandNew Delhi: India's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has been elevated to the role of vice-captain for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand, commencing on October 16 in Bengaluru. This strategic move signals a potential shift in leadership dynamics within the Indian team.Bumrah's appointment as vice-captain suggests that he is being groomed to assume a more prominent leadership role in the future. Notably, no vice-captain was named during the recently concluded two-match Test series against Bangladesh.The Indian squad for the New Zealand series remains largely unchanged from the one that faced Bangladesh, with the exception of left-arm pacer Yash Dayal being dropped. Rising pace sensations Mayank Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna have been added as traveling reserves.Mohammed Shami continues to be absent as he recovers from an injury sustained during the World Cup final against Australia last year. Shami's return to the team remains uncertain.The second Test of the series will be played in Pune from October 24, while the third and final Test will take place in Mumbai from November 1.India's Squad for the Three Tests Against New Zealand:* Rohit Sharma (Captain)* Jasprit Bumrah (Vice-Captain)* Yashasvi Jaiswal* Shubman Gill* Virat Kohli* KL Rahul* Sarfaraz Khan* Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper)* Dhruv Jurel (Wicket-keeper)* Ravichandran Ashwin* Ravindra Jadeja* Axar Patel* Kuldeep Yadav* Mohd. Siraj* Akash DeepTraveling Reserves:* Harshit Rana* Nitish Kumar Reddy* Mayank Yadav* Prasidh Krishna

Queensland cricket has undergone a significant leadership shake-up, with legspinner Mitchell Swepson appointed as the official vice-captain. Swepson will lead the side in both the One-Day Cup and the Sheffield Shield when captain Marnus Labuschagne is absent on international duty.The decision to elevate Swepson to the leadership role is part of a broader restructuring under new coach Johan Botha and high performance manager Joe Dawes. Labuschagne was named permanent captain in all forms, replacing Usman Khawaja, despite his limited availability due to his commitments to the Australian Test and ODI teams.Swepson's elevation comes after he led the side in several pre-season games. Botha praised Swepson's leadership qualities, noting that the group "really would play for them and like what they see."Swepson will make his captaincy debut in Queensland's opening One-Day match against Tasmania on Wednesday. He will also lead the side against Victoria on Friday. Usman Khawaja will miss the match against Tasmania but will play against Victoria.Swepson has been Queensland's first-choice Shield spinner for years, but he has limited experience in the shorter format. However, Botha believes that Swepson's challenge as a spin bowling captain will come in Shield cricket rather than the shorter format."I think in One-Day cricket it's easier to captain as a spinner, because the game sort of tells you when to bowl," Botha said. "But in four-day cricket is he going to be brave enough to bowl the 17th over of the Shield game on day one. But that's what we'll keep, sort of pushing him towards to get himself into the game."Swepson is pushing for a place on Australia's Test tour of Sri Lanka in late January. He played the last of his four Tests in Sri Lanka in 2022 but missed out on selection during last year's tour of India.Botha has been impressed with Swepson's bowling during his first pre-season in charge of the Bulls. The coach is hoping to use Swepson more aggressively this year, even in seam-friendly conditions at the Gabba."I've been really impressed with him," Botha said. "His control for a legspinner has been excellent, and you can see why he has played Test cricket in the past. He got 30 wickets last year. So we're hoping for more of that this summer, and I think in our team we certainly want to use the spinners more and better and earlier in games."

Shubman Gill, the rising star of Indian cricket, is poised to assume the role of vice-captain in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, replacing the injured Jasprit Bumrah. This move signals a significant step in Gill's career trajectory, as he is widely regarded as a potential future captain of the Indian team.Gill's appointment as vice-captain in the Test format follows his successful stint as Rohit Sharma's deputy in white-ball cricket. His consistent performances and leadership qualities have earned him the trust of the team management. The youngster is expected to play a crucial role in guiding the Indian team in the absence of Bumrah, who is recovering from a back injury.The Test series against Bangladesh will commence on September 19 in Chennai, followed by the second encounter on September 27 in Nagpur. Gill will also serve as vice-captain in the subsequent T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka.Meanwhile, newly-appointed T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has vowed to continue the aggressive brand of cricket that characterized Rohit Sharma's tenure. Yadav emphasized that the team will maintain the attacking approach that has been instrumental in India's recent successes.Yadav, who has been a key member of the Indian T20I team, expressed his admiration for Rohit Sharma's leadership style. He stated that he aims to emulate Sharma's qualities as a leader who inspires and guides his team.The upcoming series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will provide Gill and Yadav with an opportunity to showcase their leadership abilities and contribute to the team's success. As India looks to build a strong foundation for the future, the performances of these young players will be closely watched.

Shubman Gill has been appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting from July 27. This decision marks a significant leadership change, as Hardik Pandya, who was India's vice-captain during the recent T20 and ODI World Cups, has been replaced by the Gujarat Titans skipper.In the T20I squad, Gill will serve as the deputy to the newly appointed captain, Suryakumar Yadav, who has been entrusted with leading the team. Gill's appointment as vice-captain comes after his successful stint as the captain of the second-string Indian side that secured a 4-1 T20 series victory in Zimbabwe.For the ODI squad, where Suryakumar Yadav is not included, Gill will assume the role of vice-captain under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, who led India to victory in the T20 World Cup. Rohit will continue to captain the ODI team, which will play three matches against Sri Lanka in Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium on August 2, 4, and 7.Virat Kohli will make his return to the ODI squad, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains absent from the tour after a demanding season. Rohit and Kohli had initially planned to take a break but decided to return for the ODI matches as India begin preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy scheduled for next year in Pakistan.The decision to appoint Gill as the vice-captain over Hardik Pandya, who was Rohit's deputy in the T20 World Cup, is attributed to Pandya's frequent injury setbacks. Pandya remains part of the T20 squad but has been excluded from the ODI series, which will also see the return of Shreyas Iyer, who had previously lost his contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Taskin Ahmed, despite his recent injury, has been named vice-captain and included in Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder suffered a side strain during the series against Zimbabwe but is expected to recover in time for the tournament.Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the team, which also features veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has participated in every T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007. Litton Das, despite his recent struggles in white-ball cricket, has also been included in the squad.Taskin's injury occurred before the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe on May 12, forcing him to miss the match. However, he was named Player of the Series for his impressive performance in the previous four games, claiming eight wickets.Bangladesh will kick off their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8 in Dallas. The squad includes a mix of experienced players and rising stars, with the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, and Mahmudullah providing support to the core group.The team will also have the services of Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tanzim Hasan. Hasan Mahmud and Afif Hossain have been named as traveling reserves.Bangladesh will be hoping to make a strong impact at the World Cup, having reached the semi-finals in 2016. With a talented squad and a determined mindset, they will be aiming to challenge the top teams and make a deep run in the tournament.