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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is set to announce its new captain for IPL 2025 on February 13 at 11:30 AM IST. The announcement will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network. The decision follows the release of Faf du Plessis. While there was speculation that Virat Kohli, who captained RCB from 2013 to 2021, might return to the role, reports suggest Rajat Patidar is likely to lead the team for the next three seasons. Andy Flower, RCB’s coach, stated that concrete talks regarding the captaincy had not yet occurred. AB de Villiers had hinted that Kohli would be reappointed as captain. However, RCB management feels that Patidar, a consistent performer known for his batting skills and calm temperament, is the right choice to lead the team. The management plans to share the team’s plans for IPL 2025 during the press conference where the new captain will be introduced.

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The BCCI confirmed that young pacer Harshit Rana will replace Bumrah in the squad. Bumrah sustained the injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although scans didn’t reveal any new issues, he is not ready to return to bowling yet. The BCCI medical team will continue to monitor his progress. In another change, spinner Varun Chakaravarthy has been included in the squad, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal will now serve as a non-traveling reserve along with Mohammed Siraj and ShivamDube. These three players will remain on standby and travel to Dubai if needed. The decision to include Kharavarthy comes after his impressive performance in the T20I series against England, where he took 14 wickets in five games and was named ‘Player of the Series’. India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Risha...

In the second ODI against England in Cuttack, Rohit Sharma returned to form, scoring 119 off 90 balls, including 9 fours and 7 sixes. His 32nd ODI century, reached in 76 balls, helped India chase down the target of 305. This was his first ODI century since his ton against Afghanistan in 2023, 487 days prior. During his innings, Rohit surpassed a few records. He overtook Chris Gayle for the second-most sixes in ODIs, with 332 sixes, though Shahid Afridi still holds the top spot with 351. Rohit also passed Rahul Dravid for the third-most international centuries by an Indian batter, reaching 49 centuries, behind Sachin Tendulkar (100) and Virat Kohli (81). India bowled out England for 304, with Ravindra Jadeja taking 3 for 35. Joe Root (69) and Ben Duckett (65) made significant contributions for England. A floodlight failure briefly interrupted the match when India was at 48 for no loss. Despite the interruption and quick dismissals of Gill and Kohli, India remained in control, largely du...

Pakistan has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted in Pakistan and the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the team, taking over captaincy from Babar Azam, who stepped down after the 2023 World Cup. Notably absent from the squad is rising star SaimAyub, who has been sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained during a Test match in Cape Town. Abdullah Shafique has also been left out, while veteran opener Fakhar Zaman returns after recovering from injury and illness that kept him out of international cricket since June 2024. The squad features a blend of experience and youth, including Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, and all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah. The bowling attack will be spearheaded by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, supported by Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain. Pakistan’s selectors have emphasized a “horses for courses” approach, focusing on players who have excell...

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), owners of the Mumbai Indians, has secured a 49% stake in the Oval Invincibles after winning a virtual auction on Thursday. This acquisition marks RIL’s entry into a period of exclusivity to negotiate agreements with Surrey, the ECB, and financial advisors before finalizing the purchase. RIL outbid a consortium of Silicon Valley tech executives, including leaders from Google, Microsoft, and Adobe, as well as private equity firm CVC. The Oval Invincibles, two-time champions in the men’s Hundred tournament, become RIL’s sixth franchise, joining Mumbai Indians, MI New York, MI Cape Town, and MI Emirates. Surrey has maintained its commitment to retaining a controlling stake in the Invincibles despite the sale. Chairman Oli Slipper emphasized that retaining control is a “clear red line” for the club. While the exact bid amount remains undisclosed, it is anticipated that the Invincibles will be among the most expensive franchises sold in this round. Other bi...

Shardul Thakur has made headlines in Mumbai’s final Ranji Trophy group stage match against Meghalaya by claiming a sensational hat-trick, leading to a dramatic batting collapse for the visitors. Thakur’s remarkable performance began in the very first over when he dismissed opener Nishanta Chakraborty. He then struck again in the third over, taking three wickets in consecutive deliveries—Anirudh B, Sumit Kumar, and Jaskirat—reducing Meghalaya to a precarious 2/5. This hat-trick marks Thakur as the fifth Mumbai player to achieve this feat in Ranji Trophy history. His impressive bowling figures of 4 overs, 14 runs, and 5 wickets not only showcased his skill but also highlighted his potential for a BCCI Central Contract after being overlooked in 2024. So far this season, he has claimed 17 wickets across seven matches. Mumbai opted to field first after winning the toss, aiming for a decisive victory to secure their place in the knockout stage following an upset loss to Jammu & Kashmir i...

Rohit Sharma has faced significant criticism for his recent performances in Test cricket, particularly following a dismal showing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he scored just 31 runs across three matches. In light of this, former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale has openly labeled Rohit as an “average Test player,” contrasting his success in white-ball formats. Jagdale questioned why Rohit hasn’t been dropped, given that players like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have faced the axe despite their better records. The controversy intensified when reports emerged that Rohit filed a complaint with the BCCI regarding Sunil Gavaskar’s harsh remarks about his captaincy and form. Gavaskar suggested that if Rohit couldn’t participate fully, he should consider stepping aside for someone else to lead. Jagdale emphasized that the selectors missed an opportunity to appoint a new Test captain during the recent series against Bangladesh. Despite the criticism, Jagdale expressed confidence i...