‘Rishabh Pant’s Recovery on Track’ India Hopeful for Pant’s Return in 2nd Test

Rahul Chaube
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‘Rishabh Pant’s Recovery on Track’ India Hopeful for Pant’s Return in 2nd Test

Indian assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has come up with breaking news on Rishabh Pant’s recovery from the knee injury and his availability in the IND vs NZ 2nd Test.

The hosts endured an 8-wicket loss to New Zealand in the 1st Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, October 20. With this dominant win, the Kiwis secured their first Test victory on Indian soil in 36 years, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Matt Henry
'Rishabh Pant's Recovery on Track' India Hopeful for Pant's Return in 2nd Test 3

Rishabh Pant, the left-handed wicket-keeper batter, pulled an injury in the first test against New Zealand. While keeping wickets, he re-injured the same knee that had undergone surgery after a devastating car accident in December 2022. The near-fatal crash and the resulting injuries forced Pant out of the game for over a year and a half, leaving him sidelined during a critical phase of his career.

Despite the long road to recovery, Pant’s gritty return has been supported by the team management, who are carefully managing his workload to ensure he stays fit. His perseverance through rehabilitation and his determined comeback have been a source of inspiration, as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.

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Rishabh Pant hurt his right knee during the third day of the 1st India vs New Zealand Test-Match | Image: Associated Press

Pant injured his knee while keeping wickets on Day 2 of the Test match and had to leave the field. He was unable to keep wickets on Day 3 but returned to bat for India in their second innings. During New Zealand’s second innings on Days 4 and 5, Dhruv Jurel replaced Pant again behind the stumps.

Pant played a superb knock of 99 runs in India’s second innings, leading a strong fightback after their disastrous first innings, where they were bowled out for just 46 runs. He teamed up with Sarfaraz Khan, who hit his first-ever Test century, to help India recover and put up a much better total of 462 in the second innings.

Pant’s fitness remains a key concern as the hosts aim to level the three-match series in the upcoming Test starting Thursday in Pune. Speaking about his recovery, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate reassured reporters, saying, “Rishabh’s pretty good.”

“He was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed he’ll be good to keep in this Test as well,” he added.

READ: IPL retention rules sight a revolutionary change; franchises might see a massive deduction in auction purse

SOURCE: CRICit BY Hindustan Times

India vs New Zealand: Will an injury-hit Rishabh Pant take part in the 2nd Test-Match in Pune?

Aryan Malik
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India vs New Zealand: Will an injury-hit Rishabh Pant take part in the 2nd Test-Match in Pune?

Rishabh Pant: A knee injury suffered by India’s elite wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has created a lot of difficulties for the Rohit Sharma-led team ahead of the 2nd-test versus New Zealand in the city of Pune. The 27-year-old sustained a blow on the third day of the 1st Test-Match in Bangalore, which the Men in Blue lost by a margin of eight-wickets.

Despite suffering an injury, the explosive Pant walked out to bat in Team India’s second inning and played a fantastic knock of 99 runs with the assistance of five maximums and and nine good-looking fours.

However, he didn’t come out to keep the wickets in the second inning of the Kiwis. His injury is really worrisome as it affects the same knee that required surgery last year after a major vehicle-accident in December of 2022.

What did Rohit Sharma say regarding the injury of Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant?

In the post-match press-conference of the 1st Test-Match between India and New Zealand, skipper Rohit Sharma expressed the need of being watchful about the recovery of Pant, acknowledging the multiple-surgeries the Delhi Capitals skipper has gone through on his knee since his accident.

“His knee has undergone extensive surgery. We need to exercise caution regarding his whereabouts and his relationship to us. He wasn’t feeling comfortable while running between the wickets, even when he was batting out there in the middle. With someone like him, we just need to be extra careful, because he’s had a lot of minor-surgeries and one big-surgery on his knee. You know, he was trying to hit the ball out of the ground”, the Indian captain said

Sharma also insisted on the physical-demands of wicket-keeping and also gave an explanation regarding the team-management’s decision to rest Pant from those wicket-keeping duties in the 1st Test-Match.

Do Read: IND vs NZ 2nd Test Date, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue and Pitch Report

He also emphasised on the difficulties faced by Rishabh while batting out there in the middle, often choosing to play big shots rather than relying on securing one’s and two’s by running between the wickets.

“In the past one and a half years, he (Pant) has, to be honest, experienced a great deal of trauma. So, it’s just a matter of exercising additional caution around him. Given the wicket and the fact that you have to bend your knee down while you’re keeping the wickets, we felt that he should remain inside and then prepare himself fully for the next one,” Sharma added.

Pant’s participation remains doubtful for 2nd Test-Match versus New Zealand

Rishabh Pant’s participation in the upcoming 2nd-Test-Match in the city of Pune remains doubtful. The final conclusive decision will be taken by the duo of head-coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma. According to some news-reports, The team’s management has reportedly postponed the final decision in order to allow for flexibility dependent on Pant’s fitness prior to the game.

With barely two months to go before the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Pant’s fitness is essential for India. The Indian team’s management is reportedly considering resting the 27-year-old for the upcoming 2nd-Test-Match versus the Black Caps. A final call is anticipated to be taken soon.

Also Read: Pakistan’s Predicted Squad for the upcoming Tour of Australia | Babar in, Rizwan as captain?

IPL retention rules sight a revolutionary change; franchises see massive deduction in auction purse

Subhomoy Datta
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IPL retention rules sight a revolutionary change; franchises see massive deduction in auction purse

The IPL retention rules have seen a major change ahead of the IPL mega-auction, which has been much anticipated ahead of the IPL. The newly made retention rules have allowed up to five direct retentions, along with having a Right To Match card, to retain a player during the auction.

Also, there remain no restrictions over the number of retentions of overseas players for every franchise. The IPL purse has seen a huge rise in the auction money amount, as INR 120 crores will be the set auction purse amount.

Reports from Sportstar confirmed that IPL authorities have now brought a change in the IPL rules, as they would look to differ from the practice of reducing only the amount of designated kitty from the IPL purse.


Instead of reducing these lesser amounts, if a player’s retention amount surpasses the designated price slot, then the equal amount will from now onwards be reduced from the total amount.

As a piece of example, previously in the IPL, if likely the highest slot for a player retention would range at 15 crores, then any likely player retained for even INR 17 crores would see only the lesser amount of 15 crores deducted from the purse. As of now, the new rule suggests otherwise. SRH has hinted at retaining their three players, Klaasen, Cummins, and Abhishek, for INR 55 crores, which exceeds the retention slab amount of 43 crores; as a result, they will face a deduction of this huge 55 crore amount from the auction purse.

SRH possible retentions min 1
SRH and MI might face the biggest deduction from the purse amount ahead of the mega-auction (Image Credit: X.com)


The new rule would add up to the Match Retention rule as well, which would result in the Indian cricketers looking to retrieve much bigger amounts than the anticipated slots for the franchises.

ALSO READ: Parthiv Patel is about to join the Gujarat Titans as a batting mentor ahead of IPL 2025; reports

Hence, this would cause the likes of big Indian stars like Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, and lastly, the likes of Arshdeep Singh to try their hands at the auction pool. The Mumbai Indians management has hinted at retaining their big four, which would be a big blow to their auction purse; hence, they would look to reach out for an agreement with the quartet.

Again, the likes of the Punjab Kings or Gujarat Titans might enter the auction with purses over a whopping amount of INR 100 crore, as these teams are reportedly to retain uncapped players for the Punjab Kings and Shubman Gill alone for the Titans.

Parthiv Patel is about to join the Gujarat Titans as a batting mentor ahead of IPL 2025; reports

Subhomoy Datta
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Parthiv Patel is about to join the Gujarat Titans as a batting mentor ahead of IPL 2025; reports

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman and veteran player for the Chennai Super Kings is all set to be named as the batting mentor for the Gujarat Titans ahead of the IPL mega-auction.


The Gujarat Titans made their debut back in 2022 when they were named among the two new sides alongside Lucknow Super Giants. The Titans who won the IPL title in their debut season had the likes of Head coach, Ashish Nehra, Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki and great Gary Kirsten serving as their batting consultant.

Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki to remain with the Gujarat Titans
Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki to remain with the Gujarat Titans for IPL 2025 (Image Credit: Circle of Cricket)


Kirsten joined Pakistan as their head coach for limited-overs cricket, and as a result, he left his previous role as Gujarat Titans batting consultant. After Kirsten left the Titans side, they faced a sheer setback as they were placed in the 8th spot, after the team had made two final appearances with a title win in the first two seasons.

The unavailability of Hardik Pandya, the skipper who moved to the Mumbai Indians, Mohammad Shami, who missed an entire season, while also Rashid did not have a fully fit display. After this dismaying performance, reports claimed Nehra would part ways with the franchise.

However, Cricbuzz reports suggested that Ashish Nehra, after the initial win of the title, had signed an extension of 3 years of his contract with an annual salary close to INR 8 crore. The Titans executive decided to not part ways with the former coaches, and Indian legendary cricketer Yuvraj Singh was most likely considered for Kirsten’s role in the side.

Kirsten was supposed to be replaced by Yuvi min
Garry Kirsten was likely to be replaced by Yuvraj – However, Parthiv Patel emerged for the role (Image Credit: X.com)

ALSO READ: Pakistan’s Predicted Squad for the upcoming Tour of Australia | Babar in, Rizwan as captain?

The former Gujarat State cricketer did an exemplary job as a scout for Mumbai, and now he can be effective for the Gujarat Titans as well. Patel has tremendous knowledge of domestic cricket, and hence he will be useful to the Titans for building a new side with newer players in the mega-auction.

The team would surely retain the likes of Indian superstar Shubman Gill and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan, though retention of the second player would depend on whether he wants to remain with the side.

Pakistan’s Predicted Squad for the upcoming Tour of Australia | Babar in, Rizwan as captain?

Aryan Malik
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Pakistan’s Predicted Squad for the upcoming Tour of Australia | Babar in, Rizwan as captain?

Pakistan: After suffering an embarrassing group-stage exit from this year’s T20 International World Cup, Pakistan will be looking to make a strong comeback when they travel to Australia to take part in six white-ball contests.

Keeping in mind the National Team’s recent abysmal form, the nation’s Cricket Governing Body, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering making some drastic-changes to the team’s limited-overs setup.

According to some emerging news-reports, veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is likely to take over the limited-overs leadership duties of Pakistan from Babar Azam. The 32-year-old has performed well for the Shaheens on a regular basis and he can help the team turn around their fortunes with his game awareness and tactical-skills.

As per the report of Cricket Pakistan, the experienced duo of Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman might get dropped from the Shaheens’ squad for the T20i and ODI series versus Australia. While Zaman is not on good terms with the PCB following the support he showed towards Babar Azam, Shadab will likely not get a chance to feature in the squads due to his lengthy poor run of form with the ball.

The news-report also claims that the Pakistani selectors are thinking of dropping Iftikhar Ahmed, their main finisher in limited-overs Cricket. In such a scenario, the One Day International and T20 International squads of the Green Shirts are likely to feature a lot of new faces.

Do Read: IPL 2025: 3 key-reasons why Hardik Pandya should continue as the captains of Mumbai Indians

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam And Naseem Shah To Return?

In what proved to be a dramatic and bold move, the PCB decided to exclude the trip of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam & Naseem Shah from their Test-Squad midway through the test-series versus England, citing the players will be rested keeping in mind the upcoming Australian tour in November.

So it’s highly likely that these three experienced players will make their comebacks in the One-Day International series versus Australia and the duo of Shaheen & Babar will also be featuring in the T20 International squad.

Developing Young Players The Sole Focus of PCB Ahead of Australian tour

If the news-reports are to be beloved, then it’s likely that the Pakistani Cricket Team selectors are keen on giving chances to promising youngsters and will be including several young guns in the T20 International and One Day International squads for the tour of Australia.

While the spin bowling duo of Mehran Mumtaz and Sufiyaan Muqeem are likely to be handed their maiden-call-ups to the national squad, the likes of Qasim Akram, Yasir Khan, Kamran Ghulam and Arafat Minhas are likely to be given chances to prove themselves on the International stage.

Pakistan’s predicted squad for the T20 International series versus Australia

Babar Azam, Zaman Khan, Abbas Afridi, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqueem, Mohammad Rizwan (Captain & WK), Arafat Minhas, Yasir Khan, Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan and Qasim Akram.

Pakistan’s Predicted Squad for the One-Day International Series versus Australia

Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (Captain & WK), Abdullaah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Qasim Akram, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Mehran Mumtaz and Haris Rauf.

Also Read: PCB set to drop Fakhar Zaman from ODI Squad vs Australia following his support towards Babar Azam – Report

For more information, visit the official website of Pakistan Cricket

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Date, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue and Pitch Report

Rahul Chaube
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IND vs NZ 2nd Test Date, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue and Pitch Report

IND vs NZ 2nd Test: After a historic test match won by New Zealand, the eyes will be on the India vs New Zealand 2nd Test starting October 24. Here we are with the Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue, and Pitch Report for the IND vs NZ 2nd Test.

Despite the joy brought by Sarfaraz Khan’s impressive 150 and Rishabh Pant’s electrifying performance, India suffered a bitter defeat, losing the Test match in Bengaluru by eight wickets. This was some team game and performance by the Blackcaps in the Bengaluru test.

Batting first, India recorded the lowest total at home. New Zealand overtook India’s 46 without losing a wicket and then summed up a big 1st innings total of over 400 runs.

Will Young and Rachin Ravindra help NZ win first Test
Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years (Image: India Today)

India’s bowling, which usually thrives in home conditions, fell short this time. Rohit Sharma’s selection choices were questionable, and the overall bowling performance was underwhelming, particularly during Tim Southee and Rachin Ravindra’s partnership on Day 3.

However, India powered a strong comeback in the first two sessions of Day 4 but the last session saw another middle-order collapse and took the match out of India’s palm. New Zealand needed just 107 runs in the second innings to seal the match and the kiwis did something they haven’t been able to do since 1988. After 36 years, NZ defeated India in a test match in India and that too by 8 wickets.

IND vs NZ: Ravindra and Young led New Zealand to an iconic Test victory after 36 years; Match Summary, Updated WTC Standings and many more
Kiwis script iconic history after Test victory in India after 36-years (Image: India Today)

Now, both teams will be preparing for the second test of the series. India would try to check a couple of boxes around the playing11 while New Zealand would be looking to be more precise with their plans.

Let’s take a look at the Overview, Full Squads, Probable Playing11s, Venue, and Pitch Report for the IND vs NZ 2nd Test.

Match Overview

Series: New Zealand tour of India 2024
Match: IND vs NZ 2nd Test
Date: 24 Oct- 28 Oct
Venue: Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Timing: 9:30 AM IST

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Full Squads

India Squad for 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar.

New Zealand Squad for 2nd Test: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke, Kane Williamson, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy

IND vs NZ 2nd Test Probable Playing11s

India Probable Playing11: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav/ Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

New Zealand Probable Playing11: Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William ORourke

IND vs NZ 2nd Test MCA Stadium, Pune Pitch Report

Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium typically offers a favorable surface for batters. However, with a black soil pitch, the ball tends to come onto the bat more slowly. There’s a strong possibility of a turning track, especially with India adding Washington Sundar to the squad for the remainder of the series.

Sundar’s inclusion suggests a spin-friendly surface, and the black soil will likely enhance the spinners’ impact. While batters may enjoy some freedom early in the game, the pitch is expected to favor spin as the match progresses.

READ: ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test

ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India-A vs UAE

Aryan Thakur
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ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India-A vs UAE

India A’s excellent performance continues in the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, first in the league stage, India A defeated Pakistan-A and now against the United Arab Emirates by seven wickets and remains at the top of the points table. Down below this article gives you the: ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India-A vs UAE 8th Match

Tilak Verma-led India-A started the campaign by defeating Pakistan-A by seven runs in the first match of the tournament. In the second match, the Young Men in Blue defeated United Arab Emirates by seven wickets in a one-sided match.

In the India-A vs United Arab Emirates match played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, UAE captain Basil Hameed won the toss and elected to bat first and were all-out for 105 runs in just 16.5 overs. Rahul Chopra scored a half-century in 50 balls for the team while captain Basil Hameed scored 22 runs in 12 balls. Eight UAE players failed to score even in double digits.

India-A chased the small target of 107 runs in just 10.5 overs and registered their second win of the tournament. Abhishek Sharma played a brilliant innings of 58 runs in just 24 balls with the help of five fours and four sixes, while captain Tilak Verma also played a controlled innings of 21 runs.

Down below is the main content: ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India vs UAE

ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India vs UAE

ACC Mens T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 Points Table after India vs UAE
Points Table | Pic: ESPNCricInfo

In the points table of Group-A, Afghanistan-A team is at the first position with two wins in two matches and four points, whereas in Group-B, India-A is at the first position with four points.

In the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, Afghanistan-A and Hong Kong will face each other in this morning’s match, while Sri Lanka-A and Bangladesh-A will play in the second match.

READ: Mohammad Shami has dropped a major on his return to the red-ball side before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

For More Visit Official Site of BCCI

Mohammad Shami has dropped a major on his return to the red-ball side before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Subhomoy Datta
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Mohammad Shami has dropped a major on his return to the red-ball side before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Legendary Indian pacer Mohammad Shami has hinted at his return from injury. Shami stated in a recent tweet that he is pain-free now and he wants to bowl a few overs in a domestic circle before the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The legendary pacer supposedly informed that he would look to feature for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy games to deck himself as Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

To quote Shami, “I am pain-free now. I want to make sure I bowl enough before going to Australia. And for that, I’m targeting 1-2 Ranji games.” (Revsportz).

Mohammad Shami has been one of the most successful bowlers for India in the longest format of the game. Known widely for his accuracy and impeccable seam position, Shami can often seam the ball under any conditions.


If the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is to be taken into consideration, India would need an experienced campaigner like Shami in the side to spearhead bowling alongside Jasprit Bumrah. India, who are now in need of winning the BGT to secure their entry into the third WTC final, this duo would be an asset for the side.

Mohammed Shami was last seen for India in the ODI World Cup

Shamis World Cup campaign
Mohammad Shami’s breathtaking World Cup campaign (Image Credit: ESPNcricinfo)

Mohammad Shami last stepped onto the cricket field with the white ball in hand back in 2023, where he was a surprise package, as he kept picking wickets for India at an amazing rate. After the World Cup, he suffered from an ankle injury post-surgery; he has been in rehabilitation.

Some reports claimed that he might miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches, and he responded strongly against the rumours.

Meanwhile, the veteran pacer said, “The only thing on my mind is to ensure that I am fit and how strong I can be for the Australia series. I can see what kind of attack we need in Australia. I have to spend more time on the ground.”

This remains a concern about whether Shami would be fit on time before the five-match series against Australia begins in November.

ALSO READ: ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test

IPL 2025: 3 key-reasons why Hardik Pandya should continue as the captains of Mumbai Indians

Aryan Malik
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IPL 2025: 3 key-reasons why Hardik Pandya should continue as the captains of Mumbai Indians

Indian Cricket Team’s Premier Fast Bowling All-Rounder Hardik Pandya made his highly-anticipated return to five-time winners Mumbai Indians in the 2024 Edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), rejoining the franchise that had been his home between 2015-2021 before leaving MI in favour of Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 and he even led the franchise to their maiden trophy-triumph in the same year as well.

His comeback to Mumbai as the skipper brought along big-expectations, considering the success he had as the captain of GT. However, the 2024 edition of the cash-rich T20 league proved to be a challenging one for both MI and Pandya. The team struggled to win matches on a consistent basis and finished at the bottom of the overall standings and along with these issues, the internal-structure of the franchise appeared to be unsteady.

Hardik Pandya’s lacklustre performance for MI in the 2024 Edition of the Indian Premier League

In the recently concluded 2024 season of the IPL, junior Pandya’s contribution with the bat was below par, as he managed to score a total of 216 runs in 14 encounters, with a best score of 46 runs next to his name and an embarrassing average of 18.00. His strike-rate of 143.05 suggests that he wasn’t able to make any significant contributions, with 0 fifties next to his name.

In terms of fielding, the 31-year-old took just 4 catches, indicating his minor influence on the game. Pandya dismissed 11 batters with the ball, averaging 35.18, but his economy rate of 10.75 prompted questions about his consistency. Though he struggled to live up to expectations during the season, his best bowling stats of 3-31 demonstrated glimpses of his potential.

A captaincy change on the cards for Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2025?

The franchise’s struggle to perform well in the previous season of the competition sparked discussions about whether the team-management of the Mumbai Indians should think of handing over the leadership duties to someone else.

According to some rumours, the Mumbai based team may consider handing over the captaincy reins back to former skipper Rohit Sharma, the most successful captain in the history of the tournament or potentially try a new-approach by appointing Indian Cricket Team’s newly appointed T20i skipper Suryakumar Yadav as the new captain of Mumbai Indians, who is known for his explosive-batting and captaincy potential.

Elite seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who is well-known for keeping his head cool under-pressure, is another name being discussed for the leadership post of the five-time champions.

3 important-Reasons why Hardik Pandya should continue as the skipper of the Mumbai Indians

  1. Regular All-Round Contributions in the Past Seasons

Junior Pandya’s performance as an all-rounder has proven to be a vital-asset, contributing with both ball and bat. In IPL 2022, the GT skipper managed to score 487 runs at a really good average of 44.27 and a decent strike-rate of 131.27.

His ability to deliver with the bat, especially when his side needed him to perform, played an important role in Gujarat Titans’ success in their debut season. Hardik also scored four fifties, showcasing his versatility as an anchor and aggressor according to the demands of the situation.

In the following season of the tournament, his batting-form continued to remain good, as he amassed 346 runs at a decent average of 31.45 and a better strike-rate of 136.75, proving his dominance and versatility in the middle-order. His match-winning contributions with the bat proved to be vital as he played a crucial role in finishing off matches for the Titans.

In terms of bowling, he played an important role in leading Gujarat’s bowling-unit, dismissing eight batters in 2022 but in IPL 2023, he picked up just three scalps which was not a typical Hardik Pandya performance. He maintained a consistent economy rate of nine in both the seasons of the tournament and his disciplined bowling-displays in crunch-situations allowed the Gujarat Titans to get crucial breakthroughs and keep the scoring rate of the opposition teams in check.

The 31-year-old’s ability to perform in both roles as a skipper and a dependable all-rounder, is a perfect fit for the leadership role. The Mumbai Indians would gain a lot from his consistency and ability to change games with the bat and the ball.

  1. Robust Legacy for the Mumbai Indians and an extensive experience in the IPL

Before plying his trade for the Gujarat Titans, Hardik had established a distinguished career with MI, participating in their supremacy from 2015 to 2021. Pandya was a vital component of MI’s core during this time, helping them lift four IPL titles. He frequently finished games for the franchise with his fiery hitting down the order throughout those six-seasons, amassing 1476 runs at an excellent strike-rate of 153.95. One of the league’s most deadly lower-order batters, he could clear boundaries whenever he wanted.

With the ball, the elite all-rounder managed to pick up 42 wickets for the five-time winners, frequently stepping up in crucial-situations, whether they were in the middle overs or the death-overs. His track record of winning matches and his experience with the Mumbai Indians franchise indicate that he can easily step up in the MI-system as a skipper with ease. He has a winning mentality and an understanding of the Mumbai Indians culture which can be matched by very few players.

His recent leadership-glory with the Titans has improved his captaincy skills, game-awareness and player-management skills, making his case of continuing as the skipper of MI even stronger.

His familiarity with the setup of the Mumbai based team combined with his high captaincy experience, will allow him to guide MI back to their glory days with a brand-new perspective and aggressive-captaincy style.

1 . Proven Captaincy skills with the experience of leading India and winning multiple IPL titles

Junior Pandya has a proven track-record of captaincy and his excellent leadership and tactical-skills were evident during his time with the Gujarat Titans. In the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, the 31-year-old led the new franchise to their maiden IPL title glory in their debut-season in the cash-rich T20 league, an achievement which conveyed a significant message about his skills to lead a team under significant-pressure.

Under his leadership, the 2022 winners secured victories in 10 games out of 14 and also dominated the playoff encounters. In the following season, Hardik’s captaincy took the Titans to the finals once again, which cemented his legacy as one of the most-successful captains in the IPl in recent-years.

His calm and cool nature on the field, coupled with his elite understanding of the game, helped Gujarat win 10 matches out of 14 once again but they finished as the runners-up, losing to MS Dhoni-led CSK in the final.

He has led the Indian Cricket Team in the past as well, captaining the Men in Blue in 16 20-20 International Matches and out of these 16 games, he has won 10 games as a captain and has registered five defeats.

These stats just go on to show how capable Hardik Pandya is as a skipper and despite having a difficult season with MI as their skipper, the team-management should give him a long rope and should not replace him as the captain of the Mumbai Indians.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Players Mumbai Indians might retain for IPL 2025

PCB set to drop Fakhar Zaman from ODI Squad vs Australia following his support towards Babar Azam – Report

Aryan Malik
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0
PCB set to drop Fakhar Zaman from ODI Squad vs Australia following his support towards Babar Azam – Report

Fakhar Zaman: Pakistan’s explosive batsman Fakhar Zaman continues to get scrutinised and his recent-actions could potentially lead to him getting dropped from Pakistan’s One Day International squad for the upcoming limited-overs tour of Australia.

Earlier this month, the Southpaw wrote a supportive tweet for Babar Azam on his X handle after the former Pakistani skipper was dropped from the Playing XI for the 2nd Test-Match versus England.

In what proved to be a viral-tweet, Zaman criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and questioned the decision-making of the Cricket Governing Body. However, the PCB later sent the 34-year-old a show-cause notice to clarify his actions, indicating that the board was not pleased with his public criticism.

More issues for Fakhar Zaman prior to the Australia tour

In addition to Fakhar Zaman’s issues with the PCB over the freshly issued show-cause notice, the fiery Pakistani batsman also appears to be dealing with knee related issues. The 34-year-old recently wasn’t able to pass his fitness-test upon returning from the recently concluded 2024 season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to a news report of Cricket Pakistan, the left handed batter was asked to complete a two-kilometre run in eight minutes but he was unable to finish the task.

While multiple news reports suggest that Zaman is dealing with his knee-related problems, he recently participated in Pakistan Television Team’s Cup Grade – l (one-day) match, thus putting further strain on his knee and increasing the risk of damage.

Fakhar Zaman apparently made some direct comments on PCB’s stringent new rules of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) to players for participation in international T20 leagues during a connection camp not too long ago.

While supporters and Cricket Experts consider the 34-year-old as a potential replacement of Babar as the skipper of Pakistan in the limited-overs formats, as of now, even the spot of Zaman in the white-ball squads of the Green Shirts is not a guarantee and he might end up getting dropped for the upcoming Australian tour.

The Shaheens will be travelling to Australia in November of this year to participate in a three match One-Day International Series and a three-match T20 International series as well.

Also Read: ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings Latest Updated After IND vs NZ 1st Test

For more information, visit the official website of Pakistan Cricket and ICC

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