Team India?s fast-bowling-all-rounder Hardik Pandya is anticipated to make himself available for selection for Baroda?s Domestic-Cricket Season of 2024-2025.



According to a top source of the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA), the chances of Junior Pandya making a return to red-ball Cricket are high, keeping in mind the home Test-Series versus New Zealand and the upcoming tour of Australia later in December this year.



Recently, Hardik posted some pictures on his social media account where he was seen practising with the red-ball. The 30-year-old is also likely to play limited-overs Domestic Cricket for Baroda.



Junior Pandya hasn't participated in First-class-Cricket for Baroda since their Ranji Trophy encounter versus Mumbai way back in 2018.



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The 30-year-old last played a Test-match for the Men in Blue way back in 2018 versus England at the Rose Bowl Cricket Stadium of Southampton.



Having participated in 11 Test matches where he has a best score of 108 runs versus Sri Lanka and a five-wicket haul versus England at Nottingham's Trent Bridge Cricket Ground,&nbsp;Pandya has done well in the limited- chances he has been given.



In 2023, right before the Indian Cricket Team?s WTC final against Australia, Hardik said that it wouldn't be fair for him to be a part of the Men in Blue?s playing 11 after not playing Test Cricket since 2018.



The 30-year-old talked about the hard work he needed to do to make a comeback in the longest format of the game.



?I haven't done anything deserving to take part in the WTC-Final versus Australia. I am not even a part of one percent. So, me coming directly into the playing 11 and replacing a well deserved player won't be fair and it doesn't sound good either,? Hardik said.



?If I want to play Test-matches for the nation, I will grind, work hard and earn my rightful place. Thus, due to this particular reason, I will not be taking part in the final (WTC) or future bilateral test-series till I don't feel that I deserve to play in a fair manner,? he added.



The junior Pandya doesn't have a lot of time available with him to prepare as Baroda?s first Ranji Trophy 2024-2025 match is versus last season's winners Mumbai on the 11th of October.



The India vs New Zealand test series kicks off from the 16th of October onwards while the Border-Gavaskar series will begin from 22nd November.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-dominates-bangladesh-in-chennai-test-ashwins-century-bumrahs-four-wicket-haul-lead-hosts-to-commanding-position/amp/">India Dominates Bangladesh in Chennai Test: Ashwin?s Century, Bumrah?s Four-Wicket Haul Lead Hosts to Commanding Position</a>



For more information, visit the official websites of <a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/">ICC</a> and <a href="https://www.bcci.tv/news">BCCi</a>

Hardik Pandya is set to return to Test Cricket, will play in the Ranji Trophy after 6 years

hardik-pandya-is-set-to-return-to-test-cricket-will-play-in-the-ranji-trophy-after-6-years

The IPL 2025 Mega-auction recently got over and fans across the globe are really excited for the forthcoming edition of the best T20 League in the world. While there is still a lot of time left for the next edition to start, some star players of the Indian Cricket Team are taking part in the currently ongoing edition of the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and they are wrecking havoc. 

The likes of Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami are playing in this competition and while the duo of Iyer and Rahane played some aggressive knocks on Wednesday, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was seen at his vintage best, playing a quickfire knock of 69 runs in just 30 deliveries. 

Representing the team of Baroda, Junior Pandya's stormy-inning helped his side secure a thrilling nail-biting win versus Tamil Nadu in the Group E encounter. 

During his inning of 69 runs, the 31-year-old smashes four good-looking fours and seven huge maximums. Five of these huge sixes were hit off the bowling of two new players acquired by five-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for huge amounts in the recently concluded Mega-auction. 

Hardik Smashed Gurjapneet all over the park

The team of Tamil Nadu, batting first, put up a mammoth score of 221 runs for the loss of six-wickets in 20 overs. Wicket-keeper batsman scored a brilliant fifth, while Fast bowling all-rounder Vijay Shankar played a good looking quick fire inning of 42 runs in 22 deliveries. Shankar's services have been acquired by the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team for a price of 1.20 crore Indian Rupees in the recently concluded Mega-auction. 

However, despite the Shahrukh Khan-led team putting up a 200+ runs score on the scoreboard, Hardik didn't give up. At one point in the match, Baroda were struggling at 152/6 but following the destructive batting display of the Junior Pandya, Baroda managed to execute a comeback and got themselves back in the match. 

The duo of Atit Seth and Raj Limbani guided the Krunal Pandya-led team to victory. The former hit a magnificent boundary on the final delivery of the contest. Pandya smacked the duo of Gurjapneet Singh and Vijay Shankar, the new signings of Chennai Super, to all parts of the ground. CSK signed seamer Gurjapneet Singh in the recent Mega-auction for a sum of 2.20 Crore Indian Rupees

Baroda ride on Hardik's quickfire half-century to seal the victory

Pandya hit a total of four big maximums and a boundary off the bowling of Gurjapneet Singh and a total of 29 runs were scored off the bowling of the youngster. 

Following this, Pandya didn't disable his rampage mode and continued to wreck havoc as he smashed 18 runs off the bowling of Vijay Shankar and these overs helped the Baroda based team make a comeback in the match. The 31-year-old was also in a good Nick with both bat and ball in Team India's recent T20 International series versus South Africa.

Hardik Pandya smashed CSK's Gurjapneet Singh for 29 runs in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Image: Jio Cinema

Hardik Pandya destroys new CSK bowler, slams 4 continuous sixes, scores an excellent fifty

hardik-pandya-destroys-new-csk-bowler-slams-4-continuous-sixes-scores-an-excellent-fifty

Just three months are left for the start of The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) and many teams are still searching for their new captains. Three time runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is one of them and they had taken the big call of releasing their skipper Faf Du Plessis ahead of the Mega-Auction. 
They didn't even buy him in the auction and this means that they are in search of a new captain. A captain who can potentially help them win their maiden IPL Trophy. 
Ahead of the upcoming IPL season, a new update has come out regarding the next captain of the franchise. According to some news reports, hard hitting Indian batter Rajat Patidar is likely to become the next skipper of the Bengaluru based team. Before this update, some rumours were suggesting that the RCB team management want Virat Kohli to lead the team again but the franchise has not given any official update yet regarding the same. 
<h2>Patidar was captaining this team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament</h2>
Rajat Patidar was recently seen leading the team of Madhya Pradesh (MP) in India's Domestic T20 league, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He led his team in a fantastic way and helped them reach the final of the tournament. However, he wasn't able to help MP lift the trophy. 
In the previous edition of the SMAT, the 31-year-old performed in a brilliant manner with the bat, scoring three quickfire fifties. He's in good form at present and he will be expected to once again show his aggressive batting nature in the IPL and possibly help RCB lift their maiden IPL Trophy. 
Ahead of the Mega-Auction, a lot of websites were claiming that Kohli will be seen donning the captain's hat once again for Bengaluru but since no action has been taken by the franchise, a new rumour is being spread that Patidar will become the new skipper of the franchise. It will be interesting to see who ends up becoming the next captain of the three-time runner's up in the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
<h2>IPL 2025: Full player list of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) </h2>
<table border="1" style="width: 101.098%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th style="width: 36.4384%;">Player Name</th>
<th style="width: 40.5479%;">Role</th>
<th style="width: 23.0137%;">Price</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Virat Kohli</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">Retained</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Rajat Patidar</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">Retained</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Yash Dayal</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">Retained</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Liam Livingstone</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹8.75 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Phil Salt</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Wicketkeeper-Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹11.50 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Jitesh Sharma</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Wicketkeeper-Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹11 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Josh Hazlewood</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹12.50 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Rasikh Dar</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹6 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Suyash Sharma</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹2.60 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Krunal Pandya</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹5.75 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Bhuvneshwar Kumar</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹10.75 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Swapnil Singh</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹50 Lakh</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Tim David</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹3 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Romario Shepherd</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹1.50 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Nuwan Thushara</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹1.60 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Manoj Bhandage</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹30 Lakh</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Jacob Bethell</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹2.60 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Devdutt Padikkal</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹2 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Swastik Chhikara</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Batsman</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹30 Lakh</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Lungi Ngidi</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹1 Crore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%;">Abhinandan Singh</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%;">Bowler</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%;">₹30 Lakh</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36.4384%; text-align: left;">Mohit Rathee</td>
<td style="width: 40.5479%; text-align: left;">All-Rounder</td>
<td style="width: 23.0137%; text-align: left;">₹30 Lakh</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Do Read:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2025-predicted-rcb-playing-xi-and-top-3-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> IPL 2025: Predicted RCB Playing XI and Top 3 Combos</a>

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have still not announced their new skipper yet for IPL 2025 and as the tournament approaches closer and closer, the franchise will have to act on a quick note

IPL: This player might become the new captain of RCB, was seen captaining in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

ipl-this-player-might-become-the-new-captain-of-rcb-was-seen-captaining-in-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy

After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the focus of the cricket world will shift to the ICC Champions Trophy. India had a horrible last few months, where they lost a home series to New Zealand and now lost the BGT trophy as well.
Hence, India can erase all the bad memories by winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. But most of the Indian players are not in good form, which will be a big headache for the management. That can be one reason that we might see some surprise pick in the Indian squad.
India's premier ODI tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, is underway, where some brilliant performances have been recorded until now. Hence, we might see some inclusions on the basis of that form. Below, we will talk about three potential names that can make it into the Indian squad after doing well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.
<h2>Three players who can join the ICC Champions Trophy squad on their good performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25</h2>
3. Varun Chakravarthy
India will play their matches in Dubai, where spinners do pretty well. Kuldeep Yadav is not completely fit, and India will need some mystery in their spin. That's where they can add Varun Chakravarthy. The 33-year-old recently made his comeback in T20Is after doing well in the IPL.
Since his return, he has taken 17 wickets in seven T20Is. Even in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, he is doing pretty well. Varun has taken 13 wickets in five games at an economy rate of 4.05. Hence, if India don't have the option of Kuldeep, they can look for Varun with his mystery spin.
2. Arshdeep Singh
There is news that India might add Arshdeep Singh to the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The left-arm pacer is India's premier bowler in the T20I format but has played only 8 ODIs since his debut in November 22. But he has been performing pretty well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25.
Arshdeep has taken more wickets in the tournament so far. He has 17 wickets in just six games with two four-wicket hauls and one fifer. He can swing the ball and also bowl in the final overs. There is already concern over the availability of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. That's why Arshdeep can be a perfect guy for the team.
1. Abhishek Sharma
The Punjab opener Abhishek Sharma has been on fire in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. The left-handed opener, who is part of India's T20I setup, is known for his aggressive skills and has capitalized on them in the ongoing tournament.
He has scored 448 runs in seven innings at an average of 64 and an incredible strike rate of 130.99. He is also a pretty handy spinner and can be useful in the UAE. India can look at him as a possible backup opener and add him into the squad.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-pacers-who-can-replace-jasprit-bumrah-if-he-gets-ruled-out-of-the-icc-champions-trophy-2025-due-to-injury/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 Pacers who can replace Jasprit Bumrah if he gets ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury</a>

India will play their first game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on February 20 against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

3 Surprise players who can be picked for India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad after doing well in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25

3-surprise-players-who-can-be-picked-for-india-s-champions-trophy-2025-squad-after-doing-well-in-vijay-hazare-trophy-2024-25

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is one of the trending topics in Indian cricket. The speedster experienced back spasms during the last Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. 
After bowling just 10 overs in the first innings in Sydney, Jasprit Bumrah walked off the field and underwent scans. He didn't take the field again as India was without their captain in the last innings of the match. This no doubt cost India but also sent a sense of scare among the Indian fans. 
Jasprit Bumrah didn't look in great shape either, and now his fitness has raised massive concerns over his availability for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This is because there is no clarity over the seriousness of the injury that the premier fast bowler has faced in his back during the match. 
As per the reports in Sports Tak, it is learned that Jasprit Bumrah will be consulting a personal doctor as well along with the BCCI medical team. The fast bowler will be having a chat with the doctor in New Zealand who operated on him during the back surgery he faced in 2022. 
It is learned once Jasprit Bumrah meets that doctor, there will be a lot of clarity over his injury. It will be the doctor only who will be deciding what the fast bowler has to do to return to action. This raises a lot of concern over his fitness, especially with big events like the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 
<h2>Jasprit Bumrah is all set to be rested for the three-match ODI series against England.</h2>
Bumrah is all set to be rested for the three-match ODI series against England. This is because BCCI wanted the fast bowler to be fit and be at 100% for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. If the pacer remains unfit for the tournament, it will turn out to be a big blow for the team. 
The pain in the back for Jasprit Bumrah arises due to his workload in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The fast bowler bowled 151 overs in the five games and picked 32 wickets. He gave his best for the side but ended up on the wrong side of the result. However, more than that his fitness was the main concern. 
Bumrah is very unlikely to play any T20I game this year, meaning that he won't be part of the T20I series against England. Another section of the reports added that he might play one ODI against Three Lions to get into the rhythm for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Read Also:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/preview/icc-champions-trophy-2025-bcci-orders-selectors-to-keep-an-eye-on-this-kkr-spinner-for-ct-/"> </a><a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/preview/icc-champions-trophy-2025-bcci-orders-selectors-to-keep-an-eye-on-this-kkr-spinner-for-ct-/">ICC Champions Trophy 2025: BCCI orders selectors to keep an eye on this KKR spinner for CT</a>

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's fitness is one of the trending topics in Indian cricket

Massive injury for Jasprit Bumrah? Fast bowler to consult the personal doctor in New Zealand

massive-injury-for-jasprit-bumrah-fast-bowler-to-consult-the-personal-doctor-in-new-zealand-

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy is in contention to be picked in the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As per the reports in RevSportz, it is learned that the BCCI has asked the selectors to keep an eye on the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner. 
Varun Chakravarthy has impressed the selectors and the BCCI with the way he made his comeback in the Indian setup after the IPL 2024. The mystery spinner set the stage on fire with the ball in the T20Is against Bangladesh as well as South Africa. 
In both series, Varun Chakravarthy turned out to be the game-changer for India. The mystery spinner helped India win both the series and was the key performer for the team. He was applauded a lot by fans and pundits for the way he made a comeback to India. 
The BCCI reportedly has told one of the selectors to watch the fitness, moments and progress of Varun Chakravarthy, who is playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. The India spinner has been shining with the ball in the domestic tournament, making his case strong for the team. 
Varun Chakravarthy is making strong performances for Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. The spinner has taken 13 wickets at an average of 13.62 in the tournament so far, and with the way he is going strong, he surely would've taken the interest of selectors. 
<h2>The Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to be announced next week</h2>
The Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to be announced next week. Before the tournament, India will be taking on England in the three-match ODI series. There are chances that Varun might be picked for that series. 
The mystery spinner is yet to make his debut for India in the ODIs. But with the kind of form he is going through, there are high chances that he might be picked in the England series and might even play in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/-youngster-will-maintain-a-batting-average-of-25-30-virat-kohli-asked-to-leave-team-india-/#google_vignette">"Youngster will maintain a batting average of 25-30"- Virat Kohli asked to leave Team India</a>

India spinner Varun Chakravarthy is in contention to be picked in the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: BCCI orders selectors to keep an eye on this KKR spinner for CT

icc-champions-trophy-2025-bcci-orders-selectors-to-keep-an-eye-on-this-kkr-spinner-for-ct-

Jasprit Bumrah has become the biggest match-winner for Team India across all three formats. He has been at the peak of his skills, and he has taken the graph of his performance to a whole new level. After winning the Man of the Tournament award in India's successful campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024, he recently ended as the top wicket-taker for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Bumrah ended with a record 32 wickets in five tests at an exceptional average of 13.06. But his performance went in vain as Australia won the series 3-1, and Australia regained the BGT trophy. Bumrah sustained a back spasm and didn't bowl in the second innings. That has raised concern in the Indian camp. There is no official update on his injury, and India might look to give them a proper rest.
But the biggest question is on his availability in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The upcoming event will start in five weeks time on February 19, and Jasprit Bumrah will be India's key man. India can't afford to miss him. But with his career on the line, India won't take a risk to hurry him. So, who will be the bowlers who can replace him for India, if he gets ruled out?
<h2>Three bowlers whom India can pick as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement if he gets ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
1. Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh has become India's go-to bowler in the T20I format, and he took the most wickets in the T20 World Cup 2024. He played a crucial role along with Bumrah in India's triumph. But since his ODI debut in November 2022, he has played only 8 ODIs. But with the way he is going, India will certainly want to cash in on his form and bring the freshness of his left-arm swing to the table for the coming event.
2. Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna is another good option to have. He played in the fifth and final test at the SCG and took six wickets in the match. He has good pace, and his tall figure helps him to get bounce from the surface. India will play their matches in Dubai, where you want a bowler like him that can bounce the batter out. Krishna has an incredible ODI record as well. He has played 17 matches and taken 29 wickets at an average of 25.28. He can also be a good replacement for Jasprit Bumrah.
3. Mayank Yadav
India have three group matches, and then there are two more if they qualify for the finals. That means there can be a maximum of five games with proper rest in between the games. That is where India can unleash the raw pace of Mayank Yadav. The 22-year-old superstar made his name in the IPL 2025 for his sheer pace, which earned him his T20I debut. He has four wickets in three T20Is for India. Though he has not played an ODI game for India, he can be a great asset for the side. He can add his extra pace to the bowling unit of India, which will add new dimensions to the Indian attack.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/jasprit-bumrah-to-replace-shubman-gill-as-vice-captain-for-the-icc-champions-trophy-2025-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasprit Bumrah to replace Shubman Gill as vice-captain for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Report</a>

Jasprit Bumrah didn't bowl in the final innings of the fifth test at SCG due to a back spasm. He is likely to miss the England series as well.