Cricket

Dale Steyn Departs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Citing Personal ReasonsFormer South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has announced his departure from the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the upcoming season. Steyn, who served as the team's bowling coach since 2022, has cited personal reasons for his decision.Steyn's exit comes after he had previously made himself unavailable for IPL 2024. In a social media post, he expressed his gratitude to the Sunrisers franchise while confirming his continued involvement with the South African T20 franchise Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.During his playing career, Steyn represented several IPL teams, including Deccan Chargers, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers, and Gujarat Lions. He last played for RCB in 2020 before transitioning to a coaching role with Sunrisers two years later.As Sunrisers' bowling coach, Steyn played a pivotal role in mentoring young Indian pacers, notably Umran Malik. Following Steyn's unavailability for IPL 2024, the franchise appointed New Zealander James Franklin as their new bowling coach.Sunrisers reached the final of the previous IPL season, where they narrowly lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. Steyn's departure marks a significant change in the team's coaching staff as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma's popularity extends beyond the boundaries of the field, as evidenced by a recent heartwarming incident. A video circulating on social media captures a fan's unwavering admiration for the skipper.The fan, adorned with tricolour paint and "Rohit" emblazoned on his back, was spotted running behind Sharma's car. His enthusiastic cries of "Rohit sir!" reached the captain's ears.In a display of genuine humility, Sharma instructed his driver to halt the vehicle and rolled down the window. The fan's joy was palpable as Sharma graciously signed an autograph for him.The exact date and location of the incident remain unknown, but Sharma is currently leading India in the first Test of the three-match series against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The opening day of the Test was marred by torrential rain, forcing a washout.The remaining two Tests of the series will be played in Pune and Mumbai, respectively. Following the conclusion of the New Zealand series, India will embark on a highly anticipated tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This edition of the prestigious series will feature five Tests for the first time.Sharma's gesture not only highlights his immense popularity but also underscores his genuine connection with his fans. His willingness to pause his journey and acknowledge the fan's admiration is a testament to his humility and approachability.

Rishabh Pant to Step Down as Delhi Capitals Captain in IPL 2025In a significant development, star Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will relinquish his captaincy role for the Delhi Capitals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. According to reliable sources, the franchise is considering appointing all-rounder Axar Patel as the new skipper or exploring options at the IPL auction.Pant, who led the Capitals in IPL 2024 after returning from a severe car accident, will remain the franchise's top retention. However, the team's leadership believes that he would perform better without the burden of captaincy.The Delhi Capitals last reached the IPL playoffs in 2021 and finished as runners-up in 2020 under Shreyas Iyer's leadership. In IPL 2024, Pant led the team to a sixth-place finish with six wins and six losses.One potential candidate for the captaincy role is Iyer, who recently led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title. Pant recently met with Delhi Capitals co-owners Parth Jindal and Kiran Kumar Grandhi to discuss his future with the franchise.Despite being India's match-winner in Test cricket, Pant's performance in white-ball formats has been inconsistent. In 76 T20Is, he has scored 1,209 runs with only three half-centuries, averaging 23.25 and striking at 127.26.In the IPL, Pant has amassed 3284 runs in 111 matches for the Delhi Capitals, including 18 fifties and one century. However, he was overlooked for Dinesh Karthik in India's XI during the 2022 T20 World Cup.The Delhi Capitals recently appointed Hemang Badani as head coach and Venugopal Rao as director of cricket for the next two seasons.

Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc will make their long-awaited returns to the Sheffield Shield this weekend as New South Wales takes on Victoria at the MCG. The match, starting Sunday, will serve as a crucial preparation for the upcoming international summer.Smith, who has been sidelined with a concussion since the Ashes, will be eager to prove his fitness ahead of the Test series against India. The former Australian captain last played a Shield match in February 2021.Starc, on the other hand, has not featured in the Shield since the 2020-21 final. The left-arm quick will be looking to regain his rhythm and build up his workload before the ODI series against Pakistan.Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will not play in the Shield match but are expected to feature in the One-Day Cup fixture against Victoria on October 25. Cummins is unlikely to play any red-ball cricket before the Test series against India, while Hazlewood's availability for the third round of Shield may be affected by the ODI series against Pakistan.Sean Abbott will also return for NSW after missing the opening round due to a minor injury. Nathan Lyon, who took eight wickets against South Australia, will again be a key figure for the Blues.Victoria is expected to include Scott Boland in their squad, setting up a fascinating contest with 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas. Konstas was called up to the Australia A squad earlier this week after scoring twin centuries against South Australia.Matthew Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, and Liam Hatcher have been dropped from the NSW squad that drew with South Australia in the opening round.

Ben Duckett Breaks Record, England Faces Collapse in Multan TestEngland opener Ben Duckett has etched his name in cricketing history by becoming the fastest batter to reach 2,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced. On Day 2 of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan, Duckett's brilliant knock of 114 off 129 balls propelled him to this remarkable milestone.Duckett's innings was a masterclass in batting, showcasing his exceptional technique and aggressive strokeplay. He surpassed the previous record held by New Zealand's Tim Southee, who had reached the 2,000-run mark in 2,418 balls. Duckett achieved the feat in just 2,293 deliveries, leaving behind renowned batters like Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag, and Rishabh Pant.In reply to Pakistan's first-innings total of 366, Duckett and Zak Crawley provided England with a solid start, adding 73 runs in just 12 overs. Duckett was particularly effective against spin, using sweeps and reverse sweeps to disrupt Pakistan's bowlers. He brought up his fourth Test century with ease, showcasing his class and composure.Duckett went on to stitch another important 52-run partnership with Ollie Pope, further consolidating England's innings. However, his individual brilliance wasn't enough to prevent a dramatic England collapse later in the day.Pakistan's off-spinner Sajid Khan engineered a stunning fightback, dismantling England's middle order with a four-wicket haul. Sajid's spell included key dismissals, such as Duckett, Joe Root, and Harry Brook. Duckett, who seemed untouchable, eventually nicked one to slip while attempting to drive a sharply turning delivery, leaving England vulnerable at 239/6 by stumps.Duckett's record-breaking knock will be remembered as a moment of brilliance in a challenging Test match. Despite England's collapse, his innings has given them a glimmer of hope as they look to salvage the match and level the series.

Australia's hopes of retaining their T20 World Cup title hinge on the fitness of captain Alyssa Healy, who is battling a foot injury ahead of their semi-final clash against South Africa. Healy sustained the injury during Australia's victory over Pakistan and has been using crutches and a moon boot since.Despite her absence from training, Australia remains optimistic about Healy's availability for the crucial match. "We're going to give her every opportunity and possibility of playing tomorrow night," said Ellyse Perry, who deputized as captain in Healy's absence.Perry emphasized the importance of Healy's leadership and the team's unwavering support for her. "Midge is such an important leader in our group and is still contributing just as much," she said.Australia's preparations for the semi-final were tested in their final group-stage match against India, which was played in front of a hostile pro-India crowd in Sharjah. Perry believes the experience will serve them well in the knockout stages."It was a situation we've been in before but probably hadn't been exposed to in this World Cup so far," she said. "I thought the way we rose to that and just adapted to the challenge was awesome."South Africa, meanwhile, are buoyed by their recent victory over Australia in a T20I in Canberra. Captain Laura Wolvaardt believes that win has instilled confidence in her team."It brings back a little bit of déjà vu, just a year ago having to face them in the final," Wolvaardt said. "A lot has happened since then, though obviously we had the two wins against them earlier this year, so I think that just gives a bit of a positive energy in the camp."South Africa has also grown as a team since their World Cup final defeat last year, with the addition of allrounder Annerie Dercksen and the experience gained through a challenging year."It's been a bit of an up and down year for us," Wolvaardt said. "But I feel like we have really hit our stride in this World Cup."The semi-final between Australia and South Africa promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams determined to reach the final. Healy's fitness will be a key factor, but Australia will be confident in their ability to overcome adversity and defend their title.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, the rising star of Indian cricket, has been making waves with his impressive performances in Test cricket. Despite the rain-affected first day of the opening Test against New Zealand, Jaiswal spent an hour at indoor nets, showcasing his dedication to his craft.Jaiswal's childhood coach, Jwala Singh, believes that the 21-year-old's maturity and focused mindset will serve him well when he embarks on the biggest challenge of his career in Australia next month. "At this level, it's about handling pressure," said Singh. "Yashasvi has a mature head on his shoulders, which is crucial in Australia, where they play hard cricket."Since his Test debut in 2023, Jaiswal has amassed 1217 runs at an average of 64.05, including three centuries. Singh attributes his growth as a batsman to his association with senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. "Being around such masters has helped him a lot," he said.Jaiswal's aggressive batting style has been tempered with a more judicious approach. "He now has better awareness of his game and knows which balls to attack and which to let go," noted Singh. This was evident in his breakout series against England earlier this year, where he handled legendary pacer James Anderson with aplomb.However, the challenge of playing in Australia is vastly different. Former England pacer Alan Mullaly believes that Indian batters need to be prepared for short-pitched bowling and spicy pitches. "The Aussies will go hard at them with short stuff," he said.Despite the challenges, India skipper Rohit Sharma is confident in Jaiswal's abilities. "He has the game to play in all sorts of conditions," said Sharma. "We've found a great player."Jaiswal's journey in the next couple of years will be crucial in determining his long-term success. With his dedication, maturity, and adaptability, he has the potential to become a mainstay in the Indian Test team for years to come.

Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran Indian spinner, has sparked a debate by suggesting a bold retention strategy for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Ashwin believes that CSK should retain MS Dhoni as a capped player rather than an uncapped player, as allowed by the IPL Governing Council's recent rule change.Ashwin's proposal stems from his belief that CSK should prioritize retaining a strong Indian core. He suggests retaining Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, and Dhoni as the five primary retentions. This would leave CSK with the option of retaining Sameer Rizvi as an uncapped player, a move that Ashwin supports despite Rizvi's underwhelming performance in IPL 2024.Ashwin argues that Rizvi has shown promise in the UP T20 League and could be a valuable asset for CSK. He also points out that Rizvi's price would not be significantly higher than other similar players in the market. However, former South Africa performance analyst Prasanna Raman disagrees with Ashwin's assessment of Rizvi's value.The IPL Governing Council's decision to allow Indian players who have not played internationally for five or more years to be retained as uncapped players has given CSK a route to retain Dhoni for just Rs 4 crore. However, Ashwin believes that retaining Dhoni as a capped player would allow CSK to retain a stronger Indian core.Ashwin's perspective could have significant implications for CSK's retention strategy. By retaining Dhoni as a capped player, CSK would have more flexibility in retaining other Indian players. This could help them build a more balanced and competitive team for the upcoming IPL seasons.

Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, has emphasized the importance of neutralizing India's pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, in order to secure victory in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cummins acknowledged Bumrah's exceptional bowling skills and recognized that silencing him would significantly enhance Australia's chances of winning the series.Cummins also expressed confidence in Australia's ability to draw inspiration from their recent triumphs in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals against India. He believes that these victories will provide a psychological edge for the Australian team.Despite India's dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy over the past decade, Cummins remains optimistic about Australia's prospects. He highlighted the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, India's former No. 3 batter, as a potential advantage for Australia. Cummins described Pujara as a "real Test cricketer" whose stoic resistance had been a formidable challenge in previous encounters.Cummins also acknowledged the growing rivalry between India and Australia, comparing it to the iconic Ashes series. He noted that the expansion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to a five-Test format further intensifies the competition.Cummins praised India's reputation for winning away from home, recognizing their exceptional ability to adapt to different conditions. He emphasized that defeating India in their own backyard would be a significant achievement for Australia.