Cricket
India vs Afghanistan: Gambhir lays out plan to resurrect India’s Test fortunes over the next nine crucial months
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir (PTI Photo) NEW CHANDIGARH: Seldom does Gautam Gambhir shed his game face. Friday morning, the eve of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, was no different. At the outset, this Test, which is not even a part of the World Test Championship cycle, is largely a relationship-building exercise by ‘big brothers’…
‘I don’t care who we’re leaving out’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi backed for India debut by ex-England captain
Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (ANI Photo) Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes India should not wait too long before handing teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi an international debut, insisting the Rajasthan Royals opener has already done enough to force his way into the national conversation.Speaking on The ICC Review, Hussain was full of praise for the…
‘Shubman Gill will not come back’: Ex-India batter makes big T20I captaincy claim
India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) India’s Shreyas Iyer (PTI Photo) India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) India’s Shreyas Iyer (PTI Photo) India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has strongly backed Shreyas Iyer as the ideal candidate to take over India’s T20I captaincy if…
Nepal batter achieves rare T20I milestone; Joins Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma in elite list
Nepal’s Kushal Bhurtel (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) Nepal batter Kushal Bhurtel continued his extraordinary run of form at the Asian Games men’s cricket qualifiers, matching a rare world record with back-to-back T20I centuries just days after hammering six sixes in a single over.The explosive opener produced another breathtaking innings on Thursday as Nepal thrashed Malaysia by…
‘It’s a very big privilege’: Shubman Gill opens up on leading India in front of his home crowd
India’s Shubman Gill (PTI Photo) As India prepare to swap the fast-paced world of T20 cricket for the demands of the longest format, captain Shubman Gill believes there is still nothing in the game that compares to Test cricket.India begin their red-ball season with a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur on Saturday. While the…
BCCI confirms timings of Team India squad announcement for Ireland, England T20Is: All you need to know
Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the men’s selection committee will meet on Saturday to finalise India’s squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland and England.According to a BCCI release, the selection meeting will be held at the board’s…
‘You simply can’t’: Ashwin reveals why forcing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into Tests may not work
Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo) Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has thrown his support behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pursuing a career in Test cricket, even as the teenage sensation continues to redefine expectations in white-ball cricket.Sooryavanshi enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, emerging as one of the brightest young talents in world…
‘Are players being incentivised enough?’: Ashwin raises alarm as Test cricket fights for survival | Cricket News
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes the future of Test cricket depends on making first-class cricket appealing enough for young players to pursue. Speaking at the Cricinfo Honours Awards 2026, Ashwin argued that the challenge of preserving red-ball cricket extends far beyond India and is an issue faced by the global game.His comments come at…
Rohit Sharma likely to report to BCCI CoE on June 8 for fitness clearance; Virat Kohli doubtful for England ODIs too
MUMBAI: Former India captain Rohit Sharma is likely to report to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on June 8 for a fitness assessment ahead of the upcoming three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. Rohit injured his hamstring during the IPL and was picked for the ODIs, subject to fitness clearance.“Yes, Rohit is supposed…
Gautam Gambhir insists India still transitioning in Tests, stays upbeat about WTC chances | Cricket News
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir (PTI Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: For the better part of a year, every conversation around India’s Test team has begun with the same word: transition. In head coach Gautam Gambhir’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Afghanistan Test, transition remained the buzzword.The retirements of legends and injuries to key bowlers…
‘If there’s an opportunity to get a result’: Gautam Gambhir backs ICC’s pink-ball rule for bad light
NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has thrown his weight behind the ICC’s new regulation allowing the use of a pink ball under floodlights in red-ball matches interrupted by bad light, calling it a “proactive” and “positive” move that could prevent teams from being denied crucial results.Speaking ahead of India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan…
‘Front half of the car was under a truck’: Michael Clarke reveals terrifying crash after IPL 2026 final
Michael Clarke. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who was part of the commentary team, has revealed he was involved in a serious road accident shortly after the IPL 2026 final while heading to the airport, describing the incident as a frightening experience that left him grateful to have…
After vice-captaincy snub, Gautam Gambhir sends ‘respect situation’ warning to Rishabh Pant ahead of Afghanistan Test | Cricket News
Rishabh Pant, Gautam Gambhir NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Friday stressed that Rishabh Pant does not need to change his natural style of batting but must play according to the demands of the match situation, echoing comments made a day earlier by assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.Pant was removed as India’s Test…
‘Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has ticked all the boxes’: Former selector says 15-year-old deserves India cap
NEW DELHI: Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise should now be rewarded with an India T20I cap, according to former India cricketer and national selector Devang Gandhi, who believes the 15-year-old has already shown qualities that could one day make him a nightmare for Test bowlers as well.Fresh from a stunning IPL 2026 campaign with…
‘Hasn’t got fair chance’: Gautam Gambhir confirms Sai Sudharsan at No.3 for Afghanistan Test
NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Friday confirmed that left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan will bat at number three in the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which begins on Saturday in New Chandigarh.“Sai Sudharsan hasn’t got a fair chance. He played in England. We will give him a longer rope,” Gambhir said during the pre-match…
‘Rohit Sharma will have to do a lot of heavy lifting’: Saba Karim says Virat Kohli’s 2027 World Cup spot is beyond doubt | Cricket News
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s performances, fitness and insatiable appetite for runs have left Indian selectors with little doubt over his place in the 2027 ODI World Cup plans, but former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim believes Rohit Sharma still has plenty of work to do if he…
Not James Anderson or Stuart Broad: Ollie Robinson becomes first bowler in England’s 149-year Test history to …
Emilio Gay takes the catch of Kane Williamson bowled by Ollie Robinson during Day One of the 1st Test Match between England and New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground on June 04, 2026 in London, England. (Photo/Getty Images) England pacer Ollie Robinson created Test cricket record by becoming the first England bowler to take three…
World champions outplayed: Pakistan seal memorable ODI series win over Australia | Cricket News
Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (AP Photo) Pakistan overcame a stern challenge from Australia’s spinners on a difficult surface to secure a four-wicket victory in the third and final ODI and seal the series 2-1 on Thursday, marking their third successive bilateral one-day series triumph over the world champions.Chasing a modest target of 158 on a turning…
India vs Afghanistan: For Rishabh Pant, a milestone 50th Test is another starting point
Rishabh Pant during a practice session in Mullanpur. (PTI Photo) NEW CHANDIGARH: The afternoon sun is unforgiving here. Outdoor activities are not advisable in this peak summer. The Indian players turned up for practice at 1 pm. As they went through the drills, one couldn’t miss the grimace on their faces. Yet, a laughter frequently…