Lucknow Super Giants spin bowling all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has expressed confidence in captain Rishabh Pant despite his poor form in IPL 2025, saying the "chilled and relaxed" skipper will come good in crunch moments.
India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.
Though Shubman Gill travelled with the Indian team to Guwahati on Wednesday, his injury is unlikely to heal in time ahead of the second Test, which begins on Saturday.
Pace bowling all-rounders always come at a premium and therefore, the troika of Green, Venkatesh Iyer and West Indies' Jason Holder, all coming at the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (US$220,000), are set to headline the bidding war.
Apeksha Porwal is stepping into superstar territory with her entry in Rajnikanth's Jailer 2.
South Africa are the World Test champions and skipper Temba Bavuma wants them to play like it and prove their credentials in the two-Test series against India beginning on Friday.
K L Rahul on Saturday conceded that Indian batters' repeated struggles against spin, especially on home tracks, remain a concern.
Top-order batters subjugate India A's Test bowlers as SA A register five-wicket win
This is the first time in nearly seven decades that India have suffered two successive series whitewashes at home.
In India's first innings, only Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 97 balls) and Washington Sundar (48 off 92 balls) could contribute substantially as the home team suffered a batting collapse after starting the day at 9 for no loss.
Ravichandran Ashwin exposed India batters' lack of quality to battle ball tweakers by claiming that if legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar or past domestic heroes Amol Muzumdar, the India women's team head coach and Mithun Manhas had played against spinners on such a track, the Test would have gone to four days, unlike India's harrowing 30-run defeat against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and South Africa, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
A 23-year-old man allegedly raped a mentally challenged woman, slashed her face and head with a sharp object before bludgeoning her to death using a stone here, the Delhi Police said on Friday as they called the accused a 'psycho killer'.
LSG's bowlers have struggled in the Powerplay, conceding 50-plus runs in all the seven games they have played so far in IPL 2025.
'You cannot control each and every thing, but each player is trying to take the game forward. We will learn from it and move forward.'
Aditi Rao Hydari has that rare charm, the kind that makes her look just as regal in a silk sari as she does in a sleek couture gown.
#WeTheWomen returned to Mumbai for its eighth edition.
Sarfaraz might have to try batting at No.3 for Mumbai to remain in scheme of things
Jurel has produced a solid body of work in first-class and Test cricket alike, even though he displayed a completely different avatar for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a finisher since his debut in 2023.
South Africa were dealt a major blow before the first ball was even bowled, with pace ace Kagiso Rabada ruled out of the opening Test against India due to a rib injury.
Kolkata Knight Riders splashed the cash as they spent a record breaking Rs 25.20 to buy Australian all-rounder Cameron Green.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
After a record-breaking move, Rishabh Pant's first act as LSG captain wasn't a tactical masterclass, but a heartfelt plea for unity.
With a mic in one hand and the captain's armband on the other, Rishabh Pant is ready to bring the entertainment to IPL 2025!
He walked in at a crucial juncture when the team needed him the most. But it was not to be. The 27-year-old lasted just five deliveries before he was sent back.
Accidents were unfortunate but bright side is Rishabh and I are playing together: Pooran
Both franchises are owned by Sanjiv Goenka.
Rishabh Pant will aim to hit the refresh button after a wretched run, as Lucknow Super Giants make one last-ditch attempt to stay alive in the IPL play-offs race by winning their remaining three league matches, starting with the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow on Monday.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
Dhoni and Sangakkara, two contemporaries who relentlessly stayed in contention for the number one spot during their era, went head-to-head in the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
'Constant changes to the playing XI, batting orders, and frequent rotations prevent stability.'
India head coach Gautam Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the tough Eden Gardens pitch despite losing to South Africa in the first Test.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant's woeful form with the bat and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer's sublime touch have made Sunday's mid-table clash an engrossing contest -- one that could decisively shape the fortunes of either side as the IPL enters its business end.
'He is a great player not scoring enough runs & that's the crux of it.'
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced a significantly relaxed dress code for next month's World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha, "allowing classic non-distressed jeans for both men and women", a year after the 'jeansgate' storm involving Magnus Carlsen at the same event.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
South Africa will aim for their first Test victory in India in more than 15 years.
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant was spotted soaking in the football fever at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Monday.
Nitish Reddy released from India squad for India A one day series
Skipper Rishabh Pant, visibly relieved, credited his team for staying focused on the "controllables," a lesson he learned from MS Dhoni.
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