Cricket

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed uncertainty over Rohit Sharma's retention by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, he believes that Rohit's recent T20 World Cup triumph could sway the franchise's decision.Harbhajan, who has won three IPL titles under Rohit's captaincy, believes that the Mumbai Indians will prioritize retaining their core group. He predicts that Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma will be retained alongside Rohit."Mumbai Indians haven't played well in the last two to three years," Harbhajan said. "But they're a champion team, and they'll definitely think of building a team for the future. They'll retain experienced players, and I think Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma will be retained."Harbhajan also suggested Nehal Wadhera as a potential uncapped retention for Mumbai Indians. "He's an uncapped player, so he should be picked," he added.In the IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the table under Pandya's captaincy. They won just four games out of 14 league stage fixtures.Harbhajan's comments highlight the challenges facing Mumbai Indians as they prepare for the IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise will need to make strategic decisions about which players to retain and which to release in order to rebuild a competitive team.

India's five-Test home season, once billed as a golden opportunity to secure a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final and prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, has taken a dramatic turn. With just a week remaining in the home leg, India's WTC final hopes are hanging by a thread after consecutive defeats to New Zealand.The Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, now faces a daunting task of salvaging the home season with a resounding victory at the Wankhede Stadium during the festive week. Failure to do so could result in a prolonged and challenging tour of Australia.Rohit, who will be leading India for the first time in a Test series Down Under, is aware of the magnitude of the task ahead. He has emphasized the importance of providing support and guidance to the relatively inexperienced group of players, many of whom will be making their Test debuts in Australia."It is crucial that we provide the support and guidance that we ourselves craved when we were in their shoes," Rohit said after India's loss in the second Test against New Zealand. "That is what I intend to do with the many players who have not yet toured Australia or will be playing their first or second Test there."Rohit stressed the need to maintain a positive and supportive environment within the team, regardless of the recent setbacks. "We cannot afford to overreact to what has happened," he said. "We need to have quiet chats with certain individuals and let them know where they stand and what the team expects from them."The Indian management is determined to avoid dwelling on the broken 12-year unbeaten streak at home. "I am not going to overreact to what has happened here," Rohit said. "We need to have a quiet chat with certain individuals and let them know where they are and what, as a team, we require from them."As India prepares for the upcoming challenges, Rohit and the management will need to find a way to restore confidence and belief within the team. The Wankhede Stadium, known for its vibrant atmosphere and passionate crowd, could provide the perfect setting for a turnaround.

With the IPL 2025 mega auction retention deadline approaching on October 31, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are facing a dilemma regarding the retention of their title-winning captain, Shreyas Iyer. Sources have revealed that Iyer's retention status is uncertain, with other players emerging as strong contenders for retention.Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, the West Indies duo, have been instrumental in KKR's success as all-rounders. Narine's spin bowling and Russell's power-hitting have been crucial for the team. Middle-order batter Rinku Singh, who has been with KKR since 2018, has proven to be a valuable find as a finisher.Wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been a key figure in KKR's spin attack, picking up 21 wickets in IPL 2024 with an impressive economy rate of 8.04. His performances have earned him a recall to the Indian team for the T20Is against Bangladesh and South Africa.Uncapped fast-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana has also impressed in recent seasons, picking up 19 wickets in IPL 2024. His recent call-up to the Indian team for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series further enhances his value.While Iyer led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024, scoring 351 runs in 14 innings, his retention status is in doubt. If he enters the mega auction pool, franchises in need of a captain will have the opportunity to acquire his services.KKR's retention dilemma stems from the abundance of talent within their squad. Apart from the six players mentioned above, they also have Mitchell Starc, Phil Salt, Venkatesh Iyer, and Ramandeep Singh, who has been called up to the Indian team for the T20Is against South Africa.Under IPL retention rules, each team can retain a maximum of five capped players and two uncapped players. KKR will have to make tough decisions to finalize their retention list, balancing the need for experience and potential.

The World Test Championship (WTC) has been thrown wide open after South Africa's historic victory in the subcontinent and New Zealand's series triumph in India. Both teams remain in contention for the final, with every remaining match crucial.South Africa's next challenge is in Chattogram, where they face Bangladesh in their final away Test of the 2023-25 cycle. After their victory in Mirpur, the Proteas are confident of a clean sweep, especially given Bangladesh's ongoing turmoil.Bangladesh's head coach was replaced on the eve of the series, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is considering stepping down after less than a year in charge. To salvage some pride, Bangladesh must improve their first-innings performance, where they faltered in the opening Test.South Africa's bowling attack, led by Kagiso Rabada, who recently claimed his 300th wicket, will be a formidable challenge. The spin duo of Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan will also be key, as they exposed weaknesses in South Africa's batting.South Africa needs to win at least four of their remaining five Tests to qualify for the WTC final. Bangladesh, though out of contention, will be eager to perform well at home after a disappointing setback.

Agni Chopra, the son of renowned film producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and film critic Anupama Chopra, has continued his remarkable run of form in the Ranji Trophy, smashing another double century for Mizoram. This was his second consecutive double ton in the competition, following his 218 off just 269 deliveries against Manipur.Agni's exceptional performance in the Ranji Trophy Plate League has been nothing short of sensational. He has scored four consecutive centuries at the start of his first-class career, a feat that even the legendary Don Bradman failed to achieve. Agni's remarkable streak includes scores of 105, 101, 114, 10, 164, 15, 166, and 92 in his first four Ranji games.Despite his impressive performances, Agni remains humble and determined to earn his place on merit. He dreams of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but he believes that he must be selected based on his own abilities rather than his father's influence."May be I am not good enough so I wasn't picked (in the IPL auction). For me, I want to be picked for anything based on my pedigree, it shouldn't be because of anything else. I don't think my dad would ever pick up the phone and tell anyone just because I told him to. I have to be good enough so that they are calling my dad, rather than my dad calling them," Agni told PTI.Agni's father, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is known for directing critically acclaimed films such as "12th Fail" and producing the blockbuster "3 Idiots." However, Agni is determined to make his own mark in the world of cricket."If something like that (his father pulling ranks) happened, may be I will be picked in squad, but surely, would not get to play in the eleven. I don't want to be in a team where I am picked because of a phone call and then I am not going to play," he added.Agni's determination and talent are evident in his performances on the field. He is a technically sound batsman with a wide range of shots and an ability to score runs quickly. His double century against Manipur was a testament to his skill and temperament.As Agni continues to impress in the Ranji Trophy, it is clear that he has the potential to become a top-class batsman. With his talent, determination, and the support of his family, he is well on his way to achieving his dreams.

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis is in contention to make his Test debut as a specialist batter in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, according to chief selector George Bailey.Inglis has been in red-hot form in domestic cricket, scoring four centuries in his last seven Sheffield Shield matches. While he is Australia's incumbent keeper in ODIs and T20Is, his impressive batting performances have put him in the mix for a Test call-up."There's no doubt that the form is really fantastic at the moment... the ability to jump back into domestic cricket and dominate has been fantastic," Bailey said. "I think in different series at different times of the year, he would firmly come into the mix purely as a batter the way he's been going."However, with Australian Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey also in rich form, Inglis is unlikely to be considered for the wicketkeeping role. Instead, he is being eyed as a specialist middle-order batter."If the right opportunity opened up throughout the summer, in the spots where we think he's most capable of performing, I think he'd be firmly in that conversation as well," Bailey added.Inglis's emergence as a specialist batter comes at a time when Australia is looking to fill the vacant opening slot following David Warner's retirement. However, Bailey ruled out Inglis for the opener's role, saying that he is not being considered for that position in the short term."I've spoken to Josh on this. Not in the short term, I don't think that he's someone that we would be looking to place at the top of the order," Bailey said.Inglis is also a contender to lead Australia's T20I side in the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan. However, all-format players, including regular T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh, are sitting out of the Pakistan series to prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Team India's recent Test series defeat against New Zealand has sparked widespread criticism, with former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali joining the chorus of voices expressing concern. Ali highlighted the team's batting failures as the primary reason for their downfall, emphasizing their inability to handle both spin and pace bowling."India's batting got exposed," Ali said. "In the first match, the Kiwi pacers took 17 wickets. In the second Test, spinners took 19 wickets. India players were neither able to play pacers well nor spinners."Ali also pointed to the team's overconfidence as a contributing factor. "India might have thought they would beat the Kiwis easily," he said. "This means that the Indian management and players were overconfident."Ali expressed particular concern over the team's preparedness for the upcoming Australia tour, noting the absence of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami from the squad. "I am surprised why there is no Mohammed Shami in the squad for the Australia tour," he said. "You have put all the load on Bumrah. Without Shami, India might face problems in Australia."Ali's criticism echoes the sentiments of many experts who have questioned India's batting technique and mental approach. The team's inability to adapt to different bowling conditions and their tendency to collapse under pressure have been major concerns.As India prepares for the Australia tour, they will need to address these issues and find a way to improve their batting performance. The absence of Shami, one of their most experienced and reliable bowlers, is also a significant setback.The team's management and players will need to work together to find solutions and regain their winning ways. Otherwise, they risk further setbacks and a decline in their Test rankings.

Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batter, has been appointed as the new captain of Pakistan's white-ball teams for their upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe. The announcement was made by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday, following the resignation of former captain Babar Azam earlier this month.Rizwan, 32, has previously led Pakistan in two Test matches against New Zealand in 2020 when Azam was injured. However, this will mark his first time leading the team in limited-overs matches.In a video released by the PCB, Rizwan expressed optimism about Pakistan's chances in Australia, especially after their recent Test series victory against England. He acknowledged the team's past challenges in Australia but expressed confidence in the current squad."There's no doubt that we've faced difficulties in Australia," Rizwan said. "But I believe the team going now will meet the nation's expectations."Rizwan also urged fans to support the team, highlighting their recent success in the Test series against England."In the last series we played in Australia, every match was almost ours to win, but we lost very closely," he added. "We have noticed a few things and will work on them when we go there, taking positives from it. Inshallah, we will beat Australia in Australia."Joining Rizwan in the squad are Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were both included after being dropped from the last two Tests against England. Pakistan recently clinched the Test series against England with a 2-0 victory on Saturday.Rizwan's appointment as captain is seen as a positive step by many cricket experts. He is known for his calm and composed demeanor, as well as his ability to lead by example. Under his leadership, Pakistan will be hoping to improve their record in white-ball cricket and challenge for major titles.

Indian pacer Mohsin Khan has expressed his lifelong admiration for former Indian captain MS Dhoni, citing his iconic match-winning six in the 2011 ODI World Cup final as his favorite cricketing moment.Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra's podcast, Mohsin revealed that Dhoni's ability to hit sixes in crucial situations has always inspired him. "Dhoni bhai is my idol. The way he hits those sixes in the end is unbelievable," he remarked.Mohsin recalled the national jubilation that followed Dhoni's match-winning six, saying it felt like a Diwali celebration everywhere. "I was just 13 or 14 years old at the time, watching the final. As soon as he hit that six, it felt like a Diwali celebration everywhere," he added.Despite his admiration, Mohsin admitted that he gets too nervous to approach Dhoni. "I feel happy just seeing him from afar. I can't talk to him directly, but watching him gives me joy," the 26-year-old bowler confessed with a smile.Meanwhile, Dhoni has hinted at extending his cricketing journey despite stepping back from active captaincy. At a recent promotional event, Dhoni shared that he wants to enjoy the "last few years of cricket" at a relaxed pace.His words have fueled speculation that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) might retain him for IPL 2025, even though he passed the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad last season."I just want to enjoy whatever last few years of cricket I am able to play," Dhoni explained. "In our childhood, we used to go out to play at 4pm and enjoy the game. But when you play professional sport, it becomes difficult to enjoy cricket, just like a game. That's what I want to do."With Dhoni's future in the IPL still uncertain, fans eagerly await whether CSK will retain their beloved "Thala" under the revised retention rules. If Dhoni continues, it would mark yet another unforgettable chapter in his illustrious IPL career.