Rediff

Long-serving Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has announced her decision to step down from her leadership role across all formats, citing years of memories, emotions, and sacrifices.

Suryakumar Yadav has been dropped from Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad for the opening match against Chandigarh, despite confirming his availability, due to selectors' concerns over his red-ball form after an 18-month hiatus from the format.

'I think the more time he spends in this environment with the quality players, the more time he trains at this standard, will only be great for his cricket.'

France staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Belgium 4-1 in their Nations League Group A1 encounter, with substitutes playing a crucial role in the final minutes. Meanwhile, Italy secured a comfortable 3-1 victory over Turkey in the same group, maintaining their strong form. These results significantly impact the group standings, with France now leading.

Left-arm spinner Tanmay Baloda claimed six wickets for 32 runs, helping India Under-19 dismiss Australia for 174 on the opening day of the second Youth Test in Ahmedabad. India, however, lost both openers and ended the day at 38 for two, trailing by 136 runs, setting up an intriguing contest.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced significant changes to its T20 leadership, dropping Salman Ali Agha as captain and appointing Sahibzada Farhan. The board also named squads for upcoming T20 and ODI series against Sri Lanka and England, with Shaheen Shah Afridi retaining ODI captaincy.

Zimbabwe is buzzing with excitement to co-host the ODI World Cup next year, marking their return after a 12-year absence. Veteran all-rounder Sikandar Raza and coach Justin Sammons express enthusiasm for playing on home soil and testing themselves against top teams like India, while also highlighting caution regarding Afghanistan's strong X-factor players.

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein acknowledges India as a very dangerous side ahead of the upcoming five-match T20I series. He discusses the challenges of bowling in the powerplay against India's strong batting lineup and emphasizes the importance of planning, execution, and sticking to effective strategies, aided by data. Hosein asserts that the West Indies team is ready for the challenge and will not back down.

Fast bowler Akash Deep is expected to be recalled to India's Test squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, following a successful return to domestic cricket after a seven-month injury layoff. The selection committee is also set to pick squads for T20Is, ODIs, and India A's shadow tour.

South Africa's fast bowler Anrich Nortje is on the verge of a surprising return to Test cricket after nearly four years, potentially bolstering an injury-hit Proteas attack against Australia in the first Test starting Friday in Durban.

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer believes young batter Tilak Varma is the ideal candidate to replace Virat Kohli at the crucial No. 3 position in One-Day Internationals once Kohli retires after the 2027 World Cup, citing Varma's versatility and strong first-class record.

Dinesh Karthik believes Mohammed Shami's chances of an India comeback are slim, stating the team has moved beyond him. He also expressed concerns about the future of ODI cricket once Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retire, highlighting their significant impact on the sport.

Young Indian fast bowlers Gurjapneet Singh, Arshad Khan, and Yash Thakur are set to feature in the India A vs Australia A one-day series, aiming to showcase their talent and address the senior national team's current scarcity in the pace department. The series, initially anticipated for Hardik Pandya's return, now serves as a crucial platform for these emerging pacers to catch the attention of national selectors amidst injuries and inconsistent form among established bowlers.

Gautam Gambhir has told Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that despite his impressive form, he will need to wait for his opportunity in the T20 team due to the established players and the importance of team continuity.

Despite limited opportunities in the playing XI, India skipper Shreyas Iyer has expressed strong confidence in young cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stating that the 15-year-old's time to dominate Indian cricket will come.

Both the Indian and West Indies cricket teams were fined by the International Cricket Council for maintaining slow over rates during their third and final One-Day International match in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

All-rounder Suryansh Shedge has been named as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya in the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, with Pandya ruled out due to a fresh injury concern preventing him from bowling pain-free.

Indian batter K L Rahul is actively working on improving his game against the old ball to ensure the middle overs generate more runs, aiming for India to consistently score in excess of 370 in ODIs amidst the growing trend of high targets being chased down.

India face West Indies in the T20 opener as Gautam Gambhir weighs a key selection call between Sanju Samson and teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Top-order batter Amir Jangoo has been added to the West Indies T20I squad for the five-match series against India, serving as cover for the injured Jewel Andrew, who sustained a finger injury during the third ODI.

South African batsman Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of the first Test against Australia due to a hamstring strain, adding to the team's growing injury concerns, with key paceman Kagiso Rabada also doubtful.

New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell will move to a casual contract for the 2026-27 season to pursue an opportunity in Australia's Big Bash League, the country's cricket board (NZC) announced.

Head coach V V S Laxman hailed the Indian team's 'champion's mindset' after they beat Pakistan to win the gold medal in the men's T20 cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Rest of India defeated Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to win the Irani Cup, providing a perfect birthday gift for Captain Rishabh Pant. Despite Pant being sidelined with fever, the team's pacers, led by Mukesh Kumar, secured a sensational victory by adjusting their bowling strategy in the second innings. Young batter Ravichandran Smaran also played a crucial role with a superb century.

Title holders Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in the Nations League, securing their place in the March quarter-finals with a perfect record. Goncalo Ramos scored the winning goal, further highlighting the team's success despite Cristiano Ronaldo's recent departure from the squad. Other Nations League results included Denmark beating Wales, the Netherlands overcoming Serbia, and Greece drawing with Germany.

Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment over Rohit Sharma missing a century against West Indies, wishing for Rohit to achieve more ODI hundreds than his age by the time he retires. Gavaskar also highlighted a significant shift in Rohit's batting approach since the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he now prioritizes preserving his wicket and converting starts into big scores, benefiting the team's scoring rate and shielding him from criticism.

Three young cricketers from Beed, Saurabh Navale, Sachin Dhas, and Rishikesh Sonawane, have been selected for the Maharashtra Ranji Trophy squad, marking a historic first for the district. Their selection highlights their hard work and talent despite limited local facilities, inspiring future generations. Prithvi Shaw will captain the Maharashtra team.

Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, who secured two gold medals and a silver, served as India's flag-bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, marking a historic campaign for the country.

Rest of India defeated reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to clinch the Irani Cup, with pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep sharing nine wickets in a sensational bowling performance.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy lauded skipper Shai Hope's 'amazing innings' of 162 not out, which led the team to a record chase of 352 against India, denying them a series sweep and providing valuable learnings for the Windies.

Shai Hope smashed an unbeaten 162 as West Indies chased 352 to stun India by five wickets, setting a new record for the highest score in a successful ODI chase.

IOA chief PT Usha met the Indian Cricket Team after their thrilling win over Pakistan to win the Asian Games gold medal in Nisshin on Saturday.

After India's 2-1 ODI series win over West Indies, Shubman Gill says it is time to settle the team's World Cup combination and reduce experiments.

West Indies batter Shai Hope credited former India captain MS Dhoni's advice for helping him stay patient and break down a massive 352-run chase against India, leading to his unbeaten 162 and a stunning five-wicket victory.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson stated that India's Asian Games cricket gold was not achieved 'on a platter', attributing the success to the experienced 'A' team's ability to manage pressure in the high-stakes final against Pakistan.

India captain Shubman Gill has candidly addressed the team's critical shortcomings following their loss to West Indies in the 3rd ODI in Mullanpur on Saturday.

Prithvi Shaw has been appointed captain of the Maharashtra Ranji Trophy squad for their opening match against Services, as regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is unavailable due to India 'A' commitments.

Rohit Sharma became only the fourth opener in ODI history to score 10,000 runs, reaching the milestone at 39 during India's third ODI against West Indies.

KL Rahul achieved a significant career milestone, completing 10,000 international runs with a spectacular unbeaten 129 off 87 balls in the third ODI against West Indies, becoming the 15th Indian to reach this landmark.

KL Rahul's unbeaten 129 and Rohit Sharma's 92 helped India recover from early setbacks to post a formidable 351 for seven against the West Indies in the third and final ODI in Mullanpur.

Ravichandran Smaran's unbeaten 126 propelled the Rest of India to a commanding 265-run lead against Jammu and Kashmir on Day 3 of their Irani Cup match in Srinagar, despite early setbacks for India batters Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan.

India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to secure the gold medal in the Asian Games cricket final, a match that passed without any major controversy despite the ongoing diplomatic tensions and the conspicuous absence of customary handshakes between the teams.

'We didn't complain, we didn't give any reason,' said Shreyas Iyer after India overcame a disrupted build-up to beat Pakistan and win Asian Games gold.

Abhishek Sharma's 61 and Tilak Varma's unbeaten 51 powered India to 211/6 before Hasan Nawaz's 96 fell short as Pakistan lost by 19 runs.

Indian cricket fans travelled thousands of kilometres, paying exorbitant prices for tickets and travel, to witness the India-Pakistan men's cricket final at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a stadium back home.

India posted a formidable total of 211 for six against Pakistan in the men's cricket final at the Asian Games, driven by explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (61 off 28 balls) and Tilak Varma (unbeaten 51 off 22 balls).

Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed an unbeaten 188 off 79 balls for Titans, breaking Chris Gayle's T20 record with 13 sixes and 15 fours before narrowly missing a double century.

Brydon Carse has been charged over an alleged ECB conduct breach following a Derby nightclub incident, with the case referred to an independent panel amid heightened scrutiny of England players.

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy acknowledged the financial challenges leading to player pay cuts, stating it's ot what you want to hear before a series. He also highlighted the team's need for greater bowling discipline, especially after failing to defend a 405-run target against India, and reflected on missed opportunities to score higher in the second ODI.

India A secured a thrilling draw against Australia A in the second four-day match, thanks to resilient batting from Yash Rathod and Shams Mulani. This draw ensured India A won the two-match series 1-0.