Virat Kohli, former Test captain, lauded the team's resilience
Kolkata Knight Riders kept their playoff hopes alive with a commanding 29-run win over Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens, powered by a blazing batting display from Finn Allen and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, despite strong resistance from GT's top order.
Rajat Patidar's unbeaten 33-ball 93 powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a crushing 92-run win over Gujarat Titans and a second successive IPL final, while skipper Shubman Gill admitted GT faltered under pressure.
Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing first Test against South Africa after he continues to be under observation in a Kolkata hospital for a neck injury.
Indian ODI and Test skipper Gill recently suffered a significant setback after being dropped from the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup and the New Zealand T20I series due to fitness and form concerns.
Suryansh Shedge's India call-up may have come as a "lucky break", but the young all-rounder has been urged to treat it as a learning opportunity by soaking in everything inside a dressing room full of experienced players and young leaders.
Gujarat Titans' stand-in captain Rashid Khan attributed their IPL 2026 loss to Rajasthan Royals to a middle-order collapse and hopes for Shubman Gill's quick recovery.
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus admitted his team's "rusty" performance in making correct DRS calls, citing a lack of conviction and poor decision-making during matches against India, which cost them crucial wickets. He also offered insights into the rigorous review process for on-field umpires.
Sunil Gavaskar praised India's team-first approach and clinical chase against Afghanistan in the opening ODI, highlighting KL Rahul's selfless batting and the contributions of Nitish Kumar Reddy and debutant Gurnoor Brar. Former England spinner Graeme Swann warned of a tougher challenge in the second ODI in Lucknow due to Afghanistan's strong spin attack.
India all-rounder Harsh Dubey recalls the emotional moment he learnt of his maiden national call-up and speaks about the prospect of sharing the dressing room with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill during the Afghanistan series.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was crowned the Most Valuable Player of the 2026 IPL season, achieving an unprecedented MVPI of 1071, significantly ahead of his closest competitor, Shubman Gill. His exceptional strike rate of 236 was a key factor in this achievement, making him only the third player in IPL history to surpass an MVPI of 1000 in a single season.
'Gill is recovering really well, it's a speedy recovery.'
After this snub, it looks difficult for Shubman Gill at this point to make a comeback to the T20 team with plenty of talented young players waiting in the wings.
Gujarat Titans have defied expectations to lead the IPL 2026 points table, showcasing a remarkable turnaround powered by a strong bowling unit, the inclusion of Jason Holder and Shubman Gill's effective leadership.
Indian cricketers, including Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, underwent an intense practice session in Mullanpur ahead of their one-off Test against Afghanistan. The session focused on bowler fitness, emerging talent, and assessing all-round capabilities, with key players like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill also participating.
Captain Shubman Gill will travel with the Indian team to Guwahati for second Test against South Africa, starting on Saturday, but his participation is still not confirmed.
With the India and South Africa T20I series levelled 1-1, focus shifts to Gill's form ahead of the third T20 on Sunday in Dharamsala.
Shubman Gill retired hurt after suffering a neck sprain while attempting a slog-sweep off Simon Harmer on the second day of the first Test against South Africa, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Spin great Harbhajan Singh said the selectors were right in appointing Shubman Gill as India's ODI captain last year, stating that the youngster is ready for "big challenges".
Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar expressed his excitement about playing different roles across formats, highlighting his recent unbeaten 52 at number five in India's ODI victory over England. He credited coaches Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Nehra for boosting his confidence as a batter.
Ganguly lauded Gill's leadership during India's tour of England, noting the challenge of captaining at a young age in such conditions
Pacer Harshit Rana has joined the Indian ODI squad for the final match against Afghanistan in Chennai after recovering from a knee injury. Rana, who underwent surgery in February, missed the T20 World Cup and IPL due to the ligament strain. India has already secured the series with a 2-0 lead.
Gujarat Titans' batting coach Matthew Hayden believes the team has a destructive bowling attack and top-order batsmen, contributing to their recent success in the Indian Premier League.
India captain Shubman Gill has been discharged from the hospital in which he was receiving treatment for a neck injury sustained during the opening Test against South Africa in Kolkata.
Asked about losing yet another toss, Gill quipped, 'I think the only toss that I'm going to win is hopefully in the WTC finals.'
The 19-year-old Gill, who played for the Kolkata Knight Riders, scored 296 runs in 14 matches, with 76 as his highest score.
Seeking to restore structure and respect to the longest format, Gill has asked the BCCI for a 15-day preparation window before every Test assignment, a move that has resonated strongly with former cricketers.
Rahul Dravid had backed Shubman Gill to become India's all-format captain four years ago.
Shubman Gill is set to make a comeback during the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting in Cuttack, on December 9.
In a spectacular display of admiration and affection, Gujarat Titans celebrated their skipper Shubman Gill's birthday by lighting up Ahmedabad with a massive projection.
Skipper Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler played useful knocks to help Gujarat Titans chase down defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru's modest total, securing a four-wicket win in their Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Ahead of the fourth T20I at Carrara Oval in Queensland, Coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted in a long conversation with Shubman Gill during India's training session.
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Shubman Gill misses Sikkim clash due to food poisoning
Young batter Sai Sudharsan discusses his emotional connection with Chennai Super Kings, evolving into a dependable IPL batter, and his approach to the game.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2023 after the league stage.
Virat Kohli scored a record 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.08 in the 2016 season, which is the highest by any batsman in IPL history.
Shubman Gill is set to use the Vijay Hazare Trophy as his first platform for response after being left out of India's 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
Amid India's recent struggles in Test cricket, former England spinner Monty Panesar has raised doubts over Shubman Gill's leadership, describing him as a 'complacent cricketer' and insisting that the burden of all-format captaincy is currently beyond him.
Manav Suthar took 7 wickets as India recorded their biggest Test victory with an innings and 300 runs against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Monday.
Young pacer Harshit Rana and veteran spinner Varun Chakravarthy have been ruled out of India's upcoming ODI and T20I assignments due to hamstring injuries. Prince Yadav will replace Rana in the ODI squad for England, while Ravi Bishnoi steps in for Chakravarthy for the T20I series in Zimbabwe.
