IND vs SL: It is time for a high-profile white-ball series where India will tour Sri Lanka for the ODI and T20 series. The IND vs SL tour will begin with a three-match T20 series which will start on July 27, and all the matches will be played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele. The visitors announced their squad a few days ago, and it will be Suryakumar Yadav taking on the captaincy job.
Meanwhile, it is quite similar for the hosts, as a new captain will be leading the Sri Lankan team as well. A week ago, Wanindu Hasaranga stepped down from the role of T20I captain, and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) has named star batter Charith Asalanka as the new T20I captain. He will make his debut as captain in the coming IND vs SL series. Interestingly, both sides will have two new captains.
IND vs SL: Charith Asalanka becomes Sri Lanka’s new T20I captain as SLC announces the T20I squad
IND vs SL
The announced squad saw four seniors getting dropped from the T20I team that were part of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies. Veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews, along with Dhanjaya de Silva, Dilshan Madushanka, and Sadeer Samarawickrama, have been dropped from the T20I side.
Charith Asalanka, who led Jaffna Kings to their fourth title after recently beating Galle Marvels in the final, has been rewarded with T20I captaincy for the IND vs SL series. He had a pretty good season himself and scored crucial runs for his team. Apart from that, the players who did well in the recently concluded LPL 2024 are in the squad.
Former captains Hasaranga and Dasun Shanaka are also available. Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Binura Fernando, and Dunith Wellalage are back in the T20I squad. Overall, the squad is looking very strong, as all the players are coming off a good LPL 2024, and most of them have performed well recently.
The T20I games will be played on July 27, 28, and 30, respectively. This IND vs SL series will be a good platform for both teams to prepare their teams for the next T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India in 2026.
After the Indian team became the winner of the T20 World Cup 2024 played in West Indies and USA, Rohit Sharma said goodbye to the shortest form of cricket forever, after which the discussion started gaining momentum about who would be the next captain of the team.
The strong contender for the T20 captaincy of the Indian team was T20 World Cup 2024 vice-captain Hardik Pandya. But everything changed as soon as Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the new head coach of India. He proposed Suryakumar Yadav to BCCI, which was approved by BCCI and SKY was declared the regular captain of T20 cricket.
Everyone was shocked after Surya became the T20 captain because Pandya has more experience of captaincy. Indian team’s chief selector Ajit Agrakar revealed this decision.
“The captain should be the one who has played the maximum number of matches. That’s why Suryakumar was made the captain. As far as Hardik is concerned, he is an important player of our team. His fitness has been a problem. We want him to perform well. We want him to do well. Suryakumar had the necessary abilities for captaincy.”
The T20 series will be played between India and Sri Lanka from July 27. Suryakumar Yadav will captain India for this series.
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ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: The International Cricket Council has made an exciting decision to expand the number of teams participating in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2030! This bold move highlights the ICC’s dedication to empowering and growing women’s cricket on the global stage.
Since 2009, the ICC has been working tirelessly to elevate women’s cricket, which is evident from the introduction of the Women’s T20 World Cup just two years after the men’s inaugural tournament. This latest development is a thrilling step forward in continuing that legacy!
2009 World T20 Champions England Women
The passion and participation of women in cricket have skyrocketed since then! The first edition featured 8 teams, as cricket wasn’t widely popular among women in many countries. In 2014, the ICC expanded the tournament by adding two more teams for the fourth edition.
For the last five editions, the Women’s World Cup in the shortest format has included 10 teams. While the ICC had already committed to increasing this number to 12 in the 2026 tournament, they have now made an even bolder commitment this time around!
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Expansion
“The ICC Board has approved an expansion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to 16 teams in 2030, aligning with its ongoing commitment to equity between the men’s and women’s games,” ICC wrote.
Additionally, the Board has announced that the qualification cut-off date for the 2026 edition will be October 31, 2024!
Uganda Women Team
The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) has also confirmed an exciting new allocation of eight regional qualifying spots for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Under this innovative structure, two teams each will qualify from Africa and Europe, one from the Americas, and three from a combined Asia and EAP regional final.
This is a significant change from the previous structure, where Asia had two spots and EAP had one. What an exhilarating step forward for the tournament!
Overall, it is very exciting and commendable step from ICC to expand the number of teams participating in the women’s sport.
IPL 2025 will be the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League. This edition will once again see major changes across different teams in the tournament. The BCCI has confirmed that this year will be another year for a mega auction, and teams will have to let go of all of their players. The retention rights have not been decided by the BCCI as of yet.
The last edition of the IPL saw many greats of the game who could not perform according to their standards, and many highly anticipated talents underperformed as well. Before the mega auction, most of the squad will be released, and now we will take a look at the greatest five players who have been continuing to feature for the franchises or the same franchise over all these years in the IPL but might not be seen any further on the field.
IPL 2025: Greats not likely to be retained
5 Legendary Players Who Might Not Be Retained in the IPL 2025
Ravindra Jadeja
The CSK all-rounder acquires a breathtaking salary of INR 16 crore. This would not be the amount the Chennai side would look to have even their star all-rounder for. Jadeja retired from international T20s after an individually clumsy T20 World Cup campaign.
Jadeja is now not one of the best or most dependable players with the willow, while he is often seen not even completing his quota of 4 overs. Even if CSK looked to acquire their veteran, that would be only at the mega auction or an RTM at a far lower price.
Jadeja has done it many times for CSK, with the latest win in finals of IPL 2023 (Image: NDTV Sports)
Faf du Plessis
The RCB opening batter and skipper are not very likely to make it to the team’s retained players list. Faf, who has long retired from international cricket, has not had the best of seasons in the IPL last year, and hence RCB might not look to retain him for sure.
Especially with reports suggesting that KL Rahul will be appointed to the role of RCB skipper if the franchise acquires him in 2025. Faf is surely not on their retained list; however, he might still be included in the RCB squad.
David Warner
DC veterans might look to not be retained ahead of IPL 2025 (Image: ESPNcricinfo)
This will be the second time in his IPL career that Warner might not be retained by his side. The great Aussie batter has seen the most successful years in his IPL career with the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Warner, however, moved to the Delhi Capitals for the last couple of editions.
Warner did not perform well in the last edition and was dropped off the side several times, and now, with young Jake Fraser-McGurk on the Delhi side and Ponting having parted ways with the Capitals, Warner is no longer likely to feature under the Capitals shirt. Warner might be included by any other team in the IPL with the likes of the Gujarat Titans, as they in this mega auction will look to consolidate their team’s batting department.
Rohit Sharma
The ex-MI skipper and World Cup-winning T20I skipper, Rohit Sharma, might not like to be retained by his years-long franchise. The franchise didn’t give the veteran the respect he deserved after winning five IPL titles with them, making him the most successful skipper in T20s after legendary MS Dhoni.
India’s third World Cup-winning skipper will look to enter the auction for the for the first time since 2011, as he will look at how much it is worth among other teams. As per reports, Rohit is already awaiting to be picked by the Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, and Delhi Capitals. Rohit might be in new colors, yet he will continue to be the hitman every fan loves to watch.
Veteran, legend, or what else—but all seems to light for this name, as MS Dhoni, or Chennai’s ‘Thala’ as they often refer to him, is an emotion in itself. The legendary India captain is considered one of the most successful captains in cricket’s history, only behind Ricky Ponting.
A Glorious career in a single frame (Image: gac.ac.in)
However, Dhoni remains the only skipper to lift the World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy in all of the ICC’s white-ball tournaments, which is a rare feat achieved only by the ex-India skipper.
CSK are never in terms of letting go of their beloved player, as he remains one of the best brains of the game. Even Dhoni announced nothing about his retirement; however, it can likely be confirmed that he will not be retained any further for sure.
If Dhoni discontinues playing field games any further, this will be a heartbreaking moment for fans around the globe. Still, every good comes to an end, and this might be curtains drawn on the legend’s career.
IND W vs NEP W: The Women in Blue have been superb in the ongoing Womens Asia Cup T20 2024. They are on the verge of making it to the semifinals after winning both matches. They beat Pakistan in the first game and registered a big win against the UAE. Now, India will be facing Nepal women in their next game, which will be their last match before the semifinal.
This match will take place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. India will look to keep their winning momentum and win this game. Nepal have a slim hope of making it to the semifinals, but for that, they need to beat India by a record margin, which looks very difficult. If India wins this game, they will finish the group at the top.
IND W vs NEP W: Women Asia Cup 2024 Weather Forecast
Women Asia Cup 2024 IND W vs NEP W
The IND W vs NEP W is an evening game which will start at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The temperature will be around 28 °C in Dambulla with a humidity level of 75 percent, whereas the wind speed is expected to be around 18 km/h.
Fans can watch the IND W vs NEP W live on the Star Sports Networks across all cable TV networks. On the other hand, fans can also watch the match on Disney plus Hotstar for free.
Test cricket is the oldest and most difficult format of the game. It takes a lot of dedication and determination to perform in red-ball cricket. That is why a Test century is cherished more by a batter. But then, there are a number of batters who have made the habit of making centuries.
In this article, we will talk about the top five active cricketers who have scored the most centuries in Test cricket. This list is dominated by the “Fab Four,” and we might see the competition getting more intense in the coming years. So let’s have a look at this elite list.
Top 5 Batters with most centuries in Test cricket among active cricketers
5. Cheteshwar Pujara (India) – 19 Centuries
Cheteshwar Pujara
Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara made his debut in Test cricket in 2010 and has played over 100 Tests for India. He has played 103 Tests and scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries. His best score is 206 not out. He has the fifth-most centuries among active cricketers in Test cricket.
4. Virat Kohli (India) – 29 Centuries
Virat Kohli
The former Indian captain is part of the “Fab Four.” He is probably the best all-format batter for India and has scored runs across formats. Despite his lean patch of three years, Virat has scored 29 centuries so far in his career. He has played 113 Tests and scored 8848 runs at an average of 49.15.
3. Joe Root (England) – 32 Centuries
Joe Root
Former English captain Joe Root recently scored a century in the second Test against West Indies. With this, he has now registered the joint-most Test centuries among active cricketers. Root has played 142 Tests, which is the most among active cricketers. He has scored 32 centuries and scored 11940 runs with 32 centuries.
2. Steve Smith (Australia) – 32 Centuries
Steve Smith
Former Australian captain Steve Smith is the best Test batter in the current era. Despite his weird technique, he has found immense success in Test cricket. Smith has played 109 Tests and scored 9685 runs at an average of 56.97, with 32 centuries and 41 half-centuries.
The Kiwi superstar is the fastest to reach 32 centuries among active players. He has been the best player for New Zealand across formats in the last decade or so and has scored runs consistently. In Test cricket, Williamson has played 100 Tests and scored 8743 runs at an average of 54.98, with 32 centuries and 34 half-centuries.
IND vs SL: Team India has been buzzing in the cricket world since their glorious win in the T20 World Cup. Ex-head coach Rahul Dravid retired after his span with the Indian team. As the ex-KKR mentor who led them to the IPL triumph, Gautam Gambhir has officially been named the Team India head coach.
Gambhir’s first major international outing as India head coach will be India’s tour to Sri Lanka, which will begin on Saturday. Before Team India leaves for the Lankan island on Monday, Gambhir is about to make his first press conference in Mumbai with chief selector Ajit Agarkar alongside him.
Before the conference, Gambhir will be burdened with several big queries over his questionable team selection and the unlikely captaincy decisions he made for the Sri Lanka tour.
JioCinema will stream Gautam Gambhir's first Press Conference as India's Head Coach. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/D1RT79Dugs
Questions ahead of Press Conference for Gambhir and co.
Hardik Pandya’s captaincy snub
This is probably Indian cricket’s most controversial decision, as after Rohit stepped down from the T20 international as India skipper, the most likely successor, Pandya, has been overlooked to appoint Suryakumar Yadav as their T20I skipper, maybe until the next T20 World Cup.
When made, this decision took the internet by storm, and this will be a crucial decision by Gambhir, which he will have to explain to the press.
Gill is appointed vice captain; there is no place for Gaikwad, Abhishek, and Samson
Out of nowhere, Shubman Gill was appointed the Team India vice captain for both formats of white-ball cricket. However, the decision seemed unlikely in the presence of many senior players.
Inform batter and Virat’s most likely successor, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was dropped from the India team, and no one can state any reason for the act. With the social media showing great passion for this move of Gambhir, he will have to face severe criticism if he fails to give an explanation worth contention.
Why the two inform players are dropped from Indian team (Fame Finders News)
Also, despite his good show on the Zimbabwe tour, rising talent Abhishek Sharma has been unnecessarily not given a chance in the T20i team traveling to Sri Lanka. Concerns continue for Sanju Samson, as the 29-year-old Royals skipper has always had this trouble of not being picked in the formats whenever a big tournament approaches. Gambhir has to clearly state his thoughts on the IPL great’s future.
The future of Ravindra Jadeja in Indian cricket
Sir Jadeja, as he has often been referred to, did not receive as warm a reception as the two other veterans after his retirement was announced after the T20 World Cup triumph. Adding to the controversy, he has now been dropped from the ODI squad as well.
Likely, India will include him on the test side; however, still having enough prowess in white-ball cricket, Jadeja hopes to feature in the Champions Trophy; however, Gambhir and team India selectors are yet to decide his future, which will be a major questionable act in the conference.
ICC WTC Points Table 2023-25: The “Bazball” is back on track with the West Indies series of England. Two matches in the series played so far and both won with utter domination in all aspects for England. This win brings good numbers for the home team in the ICC WTC points table so here we are with the ICC WTC Points Table Updated After ENG vs WI 2nd Test.
Table of Contents
England won the first match by an innings and 114 runs at The Lords. England batted once, scored 371 and that was pretty enough to bowled-out West Indies. The 1st test also marked the retirement of James Anderson and an era of England cricket.
ENG vs WI 2nd Test Match Summary
Now, in the second Test match, England were asked to bat first. Things started smoothly for West Indies as they struck in the first over but then Olie Pope(121) and Ben Duckett(71) stitched a healthy partnership to ensure no further damage early on. Stokes also added valuable 69 runs to the team’s total and England ended up putting 416 runs on the board.
West Indies also got some good knocks from their batter. In fact, it was one of the best ways to counter England’s aggression. Alick Athanaze(82), Kavem Hodge(120). and Joshua da Silva*(82) were excellent and their contribution provided West Indies the lead of 41 runs in the first innings.
Kavem Hodge hits his maiden ton (Getty Images)
The West Indies had a promising start in the bowling, but Duckett and Pope once again came to England’s rescue. Then, Joe Root and Harry Brook took center stage, both smashing spectacular centuries. Their formidable 189-run partnership put England in a commanding position for the final innings. With a massive total of 425 runs in the second innings, England set a daunting target that was nearly impossible to chase in the fourth innings at Nottingham.
England had meticulously crafted strategies for each West Indies batter, and fortune was firmly on the side of the home team. West Indies were at 66 for 1, but within just four overs, they crumbled to 74 for 5. It was the turning point for England, who swiftly wrapped up the match by bowling out the West Indies for just 143, clinching a resounding victory by 241 runs!
Bashir ends WI innings and Wraps the game for England (Getty Images)
Let’s take a look at the ICC WTC Points Table Updated After ENG vs WI 2nd Test:
ICC WTC Points Table After ENG vs WI 2nd Test
England were placed last in the points table after their first win of the series but now they have jumped to the 6th spot. They have won 5 matches out of 12 played. With 31.25 PCT points, England now jumps over South Africa and Bangladesh.
West Indies now have 22.22 PCT points. In 6 test matches, they have just won 1 and lost 4.
India are still on the top with 68.51 PCT points in 9 matches. They are followed by Australia, the World Test Champions, with 62.50 PCT.
The Indian Premier League, or IPL, is one of the world’s greatest domestic leagues, organized by the BCCI. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is one of the most prestigious boards of cricket in the world, and the IPL boosts their revenue by a huge margin.
The IPL will be in its 18th edition, with 10 participating teams as in the previous season. However, the BCCI confirmed that this will be another season preceded by a mega auction, which means there are going to be major changes to all the franchises.
There are several chances for the greatest of players to be left out, and we will have a peek into some of the significant changes that can be made before IPL 2025 by one and many franchises.
IPL 2025 Updates
Gujarat Titans to be bought by Adani Groups
This has been one of the recent updates that have taken social media by storm. Many say that after leaving out skipper Pandya in the previous edition of the Mumbai Indians, this year the current owner, CVC Capital Partners, is looking to sell off a major share of the franchise to Gautam Adani from the Adani Groups.
Though nothing has been confirmed yet, it seems likely that the GT franchise is going to undergo a major change.
KL Rahul to leave LSG to step in as RCB skipper
The feud that was seen between franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka and LSG skipper KL Rahul after LSG’s defeat to SRH by a 10-wicket margin took the internet by storm, giving rise to several speculations that the latter would leave the team.
If reports are to be believed, Rahul is probably going to make a move for the team he started his career with in the IPL.. KL Rahul might be included by the Royal Challengers to replace veteran batter Faf du Plessis, as the 40-year-old might be left out by the Royal Challengers, as this might be the end of his IPL career.
Franchises to find new captains
The IPL franchises will all be undergoing significant changes after the mega auction, and even the teams may have new players in the role of skipper. The frontrunners will be teams like CSK, LSG, PBKS, DC, and RCB.
The Chennai franchise should now look ahead to MS Dhoni, and likely Gaikwad might not look to continue in the position. KL Rahul is supposed to leave LSG, leaving them searching for their new captain and replacing RCB skipper Faf, which will mark significant changes for both sides.
Likely PBKS will part ways with the 40-year-old skipper (Image: The Indian Express)
Punjab Kings skipper Dhawan was ruled out of the IPL following an injury, and probably at 40, the veteran Indian batter might lose his spot in the IPL. Also, last but not least, the Capitals might have to let go of Rishabh Pant as several franchises will be in the hunt for India’s best wicket-keeper batter.
The Hitman, the T20 World Cup-winning skipper of the Indian team, announced his retirement from international T20Is. Rohit, though, said nothing and was humiliated after the MI management sacked him from the position of skipper, replacing him with Hardik Pandya in 2024.
Sharma has won five IPL titles with the MI, and he will be easily roped in by any team, especially with the likes of the Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals, who might need a skipper and a specialist batter at the top of the innings.
Considered one of the closest disciples under Rohit’s wing, Surya can also follow Sharna’s steps to leave the MI franchise. However, unlike Rohit, India’s latest T20I skipper might go back to his old franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders.
CSK will be led by Rishabh Pant
With doubts still kept over, will MSD continue his field domination for CSK any further? If not, the most successful IPL franchise might be in the hunt for India’s current best wk-batsman, Rishabh Pant.
Pant might also look to leave the Delhi Capitals for an offer made by the Chennai Super Kings, who might also offer him a pre-season draft. Leading the Chennai side in itself seems like a very prestigious role, as he fills the shoes of legendary skipper MS Dhoni.
IND vs SL: With the end of India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup, it also ended the remarkable era of ex-India head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid led India to a WTC final, a World Cup final, and a title triumph in the T20 World Cup final. The veteran has been replaced by longtime franchise-level coaching genius Gautam Gambhir, and India’s tour of Sri Lanka will be the first series played under the ex-KKR mentor.
Not only Indian fans and great cricketers but also several greats of the game from around the world have claimed that under Gambhir, India will be en route to a new journey, and this will be the initiation of a new era in Indian cricket.
However, despite all the praise, Gambhir and the Indian selectors headed by Ajit Agarkar have also faced some criticism, often due to the similar selection errors that they once again made while picking up the squads for the Sri Lanka tour.
Worst decisions made in the India tour to Sri Lanka
Md. Siraj again in T20s—why not Avesh and Mukesh?
Siraj, the bowler who was a part of India’s World Cup-winning squad, has been brought back into the side. But what was the need, say many, as the bowler has impressed many in the longer format of limited-overs cricket, but his T20 numbers are not worth a continuation chance.
Mukesh should have been India’s choice in T20s over Siraj (Image: Sportstar -The Hindu)
India rather had the likes of Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan; both of them have been very impressive in domestic games and every time provided with chances in the IPL, and for the national side, these two, especially Mukesh, have been some of the highest wicket-takers the Indian side now produces. The selection of Siraj over Mukesh seemed to be some sort of personal favouritism.
How SKY surpassed Pandya for T20 captaincy
Though there are not many complaints that Suryakumar Yadav has been appointed India’s new T20I skipper, fans are troubled with Hardik being overlooked as a probable T20I skipper for the Men in Blue. The master T20I batter has excelled in the format for India; however, Hardik’s experience and credits as a captain cannot be reached by the MI batter.
SKY, though now given an interim role, seems to have been established in the role of Indian captain due to Pandya’s fitness troubles.
Where is Abhishek Sharma?
Abhishek Sharma, India’s most promising rising talent in T20s, has been dropped to everyone’s surprise. Abhishek impressed everyone in the world, even the likes of the great Matthew Hayden, with his brilliant intent and 6-hit prowess.
Sharma was taken to the Zimbabwe tour, where he smashed a stunning 100 in just his second international experience. Looking so promising, this was supposed to confirm that the SRH batting all-rounder will be seen in India colours on the Sri Lanka tour; however, he is not being picked, and probably the selectors have no reason to clarify their decision.
Gill appointed vice-captain; not needed
Shubman Gill has been appointed as the vice-captain in both T20Is and ODIs. This created a stir as the selectors overlooked several senior players for leadership roles, like Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant. Though the player is considered a great prospect, Gill has not been that promising in the recent past to ensure his spot in the India team across all formats, and the role of a deputy leader seems unnecessary and hasty a decision in his favour.
Gill as the new deputy of Sharma in ODIs (Image: India TV Hindi)
Unnecessary Parag Inclusion in ODIs
Riyan Parag, the Royals’ terrific performer, came to the limelight after a stunning domestic season and his unstoppable form in the IPL. He was picked up on the Zimbabwe tour, where he underperformed with just 24 runs batting with a strike rate below 89. However, he has been given a justified extended chance in the Sri Lanka T20s, though he is not likely to feature in the starting XI.
However, his selection in ODIs seemed very unlikely, especially when Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rinku Singh were denied a spot in the 15-man squad.
No place for Gaikwad and Samosn. You gotta be kidding me
Samson’s drop from ODIs and Gaikwad’s not being picked in any format are the most controversial decisions made by the new head coach, Gambhir, and the Agarkar-led selection committee.
Gaikwad has been the most promising batter for India, and he was considered the most likely player to replace the veteran Virat Kohli. However, he was not picked for just the next series after a 7, 77, and 49-run performance in the last tour.
Samson, who could have likely featured for India in the absence of Hardik and also could have replaced batters Iyer or Pant if needed, has been dropped despite his century in the last match he played in the ODI format. Indian selectors and Gambhir are yet to face the press, and they will be showered with questions for their unlikely moves, which do not seem to be beneficial for team India.
