IPL 2021: Shane Bond backs Alex Hales to get an IPL contract in 2021.



Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021: The right-handed English Cricketer, Alex Hales has been out of the International format since April 2019. Even though he is not the part of England?s national side, Hales has proved that he is worth noting for the IPL contract. In the recently concluded Big Bash League, Hales playing for Sydney Thunders emerged as the highest run-getter for his side.



New Zealand former pacer and Sydney Thunders head coach, Shane Bond has backed the right-handed batsman to get the IPL contract in the coming IPL 2021 auctions. The auctions of the IPL 2021 are scheduled to take place on 18th February in Chennai.



Interestingly, Shane Bond is one of the prominent members of the Mumbai Indians management. Bond praised the English cricketer for his batting in the BBL and said he is batting better than ever.



Alex Hales was earlier picked up by Mumbai Indians in 2015 IPL but didn?t feature in a single game for the side.?



?He?s playing as well as I have ever seen him. We have a good team in Mumbai, but he?d give me a few shakes if we came up against him. It?s a great time to showcase your skills in the BBL (given the IPL auction is soon after). I always enjoy the auction; it can be a very exciting and life-changing night for a few people,? Bond said to cricket.com.au.



<h2>Alex Hales BBL 10 stats:</h2>



In the Big Bash League season 10, Alex Hales for Sydney Thunders did 15 outings in which he amassed 543 runs at an impressive strike rate of 161.61. He even smashed a century in the season to power Sydney Thunders to the finals.



If Hales gets a contract by Mumbai Indians, he can pair alongside with Quinton de Kock for a strong opening. Hales didn't play a single international game for the last two years after he was caught of using recreational drugs.



Talking about the IPL auction, Shane Bond said, its completely random and anything can happen that day.



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IPL 2021: Shane Bond backs Alex Hales to get an IPL contract in 2021

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ICC WTC Finals: Shane Bond and Ian Bishop predicts the winner of the ICC World Test Championship.



ICC WTC Finals: Former kiwi pacer Shane Bond backed his countrymen to lift the coveted trophy of the test championship against star-studded India. The pacer also said that he foresees Kane Williamson will win the toss and his quicks will wreak havoc after that.



The much anticipated and exciting clash of the year is slated to begin on June 18th, Friday. The excitement amongst the fans and the cricket pundits has already skyrocketed for the marquee summit clash at Ageas Bowl, Southampton.



Bond feels that the game practice is going to play its part in the finals. New Zealand has played against England and outplayed them in a two games test series.



"I think New Zealand are going to win. Game practices going to have a massive impact. I think India have got a balanced bowling attack. I think they'll play three seamers and two spinners," Bond said in a virtual press conference arranged by Star Sports.



New Zealand has dominated with all its seamers on the ground. They have the likes of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry in their arsenal.



"I think New Zealand will play five seamers, and I think they'll win the toss and they'll bowl first," he added.



"If New Zealand win the toss and bowl as well as they have. I think they'll they'll bowl out India cheaply and that ain't a bad thing," Bond said.



The 46-years old pacer expresses his concerns if New Zealand failed to bowl out India cheaply. He said India have two world-class spinners and they are always in the game to change its fate.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/new-zealand-revealed-its-squad-for-the-icc-world-test-championship-final/">ICC WTC Final: New Zealand Revealed Its Squad For The ICC World Test Championship Final</a>



"So, it's the toss that is going to be huge. And that first innings is going to be huge," he pointed out.



<h2>Ian Bishop's take on the possible winner of ICC World Test Championship:</h2>



Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop was also part of the conversation, said Indian skipper Virat Kohli will be desperate to pick up the glorious trophy.



"It will be huge for Virat. He has led from the front which is one of the important things for a captain. He's a batsman who is at the top of his game along with Kane and a select few," he said.



Bishop seemed to have a balanced approach while he emphasized more on India?s heroics against Australia despite being hit-hard by the injuries.



India conquered the test series on Australian soil earlier this year despite several senior and prominent members of the team were sidelined due to multiple injuries.



"After what they accomplished in Australia with all the injuries. They're a team that can achieve the impossible," Bishop said?



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/india-announced-a-15-men-strong-squad-for-the-icc-wtc-finals/">ICC WTC Final: India Announced A 15-Men Strong Squad For The ICC World Test Championship Finals</a>

ICC WTC Finals: Shane Bond and Ian Bishop predicts the winner of the ICC World Test Championship

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T20 World Cup 2021: Shane Bond joins New Zealand coaching group ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021.



T20 World Cup 2021: Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond will join the kiwi setup as a bowling coach for the T20 World Cup 2021 and the following T20I series against India.



Bond who has been contributing to Mumbai Indians (MI) success with his bowling lessons will now be seen donning the New Zealand jersey as a coach. He will be in the UAE with Mumbai for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and subsequently join the New Zealand team to provide valuable insights to the bowlers for the showpiece event of the ICC.



The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is all set to be staged in the UAE and Oman starting October 17. The first Super 12 match will be held on October 23.



"Shane's been in our environment before and understands what we're about," head coach Gary Stead said. "Being in the UAE immediately prior to the World Cup ? he'll hopefully bring some tactical insight into what's been happening in the competition.



"He'll be an extra set of hands especially around the bowlers, working with the spin and the pace bowlers and developing their plans in a tournament that moves pretty quick - so we need to be one step ahead of other teams.



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Stead further said that the former pacer is associated with the kiwi bowlers for a long time and his addition to the setup will be unmatchable.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/team-india-inks-history-at-lords-against-england-amid-on-field-tension/">ENGvsIND: Team India Inks History At Lord?s Against England Amid On-Field Tension And Heat</a>



"Shane's been working away with New Zealand players for a long time and he's been involved in our recent camps so it's been good for him to reacquaint himself with our guys. He's held in high regard and I know he'll bring a lot of knowledge and opinions to the group."



It is noteworthy that Shane Bond, earlier this year, stepped down as Sydney Thunder coach in Australia?s Big Bash League (BBL) and is constantly working with the New Zealand men and women team in the winter camp for their upcoming tours and tournaments.



He will join the likes of Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen and Luke Ronchi in the kiwi coaching staff for the tour of India and T20 World Cup 2021.



New Zealand has earlier confirmed their squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and became the first team to do so.&nbsp;



<h2>Complete New Zealand squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021:</h2>



Kane Williamson ?, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Devon Conway, Tim Seifert (wk), Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne* (injury cover).



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/icc-t20-world-cup-2021-complete-schedule-and-fixtures-match-date-teams-venue/">ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Complete Schedule And Fixtures, Match Date, Teams, Venue</a>

T20 World Cup 2021: Shane Bond joins New Zealand coaching group ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021

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Vivo IPL 2021: Mumbai Indians (MI) kiwi signings Trent Boult and Shane Bond have arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the upcoming second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The duo landed on Saturday and was straight away sent into seven days isolation before they could join their IPL franchise.?



Most of the members of the defending champions have already reached the venue and have begun training with the coaching staff of the team.&nbsp;



The franchise shared the news with the fans by posting a social media post of the kiwi duo.



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ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ben-stokes-remain-doubtful-for-the-upcoming-t20-world-cup-2021/">England all-rounder Ben Stokes remain doubtful for T20 World Cup 2021</a>



The Kiwi pacer Trent Boult has done a tremendous job for Mumbai Indians. The pacer was drafted into the squad in a trade from Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL 2020 and it turned out to be a game-changing move for the five times title-winning team.?



The left-arm speedster scalped 25 wickets in the last IPL edition in the UAE and has picked up eight wickets in the current IPL 2021, having played seven matches.



Shane Bond has spent quality time with the most successful IPL franchise. He was roped in by MI back in 2015 as a bowling coach and since then the franchise has won four IPL titles.



<h2>Mumbai Indians (MI) first half of IPL 2021:</h2>



Rohit Sharma and Co. had a mixed first half of the fourteenth edition of the IPL. The franchise managed to win four matches in seven games and are placed fourth in the points table with eight points.&nbsp;



Most of the matches Mumbai played were in Chennai which was a tricky surface to be at. No assistance to the batter and the complete domination from the bowlers was witnessed. The upcoming matches will be crucial for the defending champions as they look to make it three in a row.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/vvs-laxman-predicts-the-winner-of-the-england-vs-india-4th-test-at-oval/">ENGvsIND: VVS Laxman predicts the winner of the England vs India 4th Test at Oval</a>

Vivo IPL 2021: Trent Boult and Shane Bond arrive in the UAE for IPL 2021

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Rohit Sharma's captaincy will be tested in the IPL 2022: Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg reckons Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma?s captaincy skills will be tested in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the franchise has depleted firepower in the squad.



Mumbai Indians (MI) doesn?t have an extremely daunting lineup this season with their middle-order getting disbanded after the exclusion of Hardik and Krunal Pandya. Moreover, the pace and spin department no longer looks threatening to the opposition.



The four-time IPL winner, Mumbai Indians (MI) retained its core group including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. The franchise managed to pick Ishan Kishan from the auction table at a very expensive price tag.



Middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav is currently unavailable for selection due to his wrist injury. The onus will completely be on the shoulders of Rohit and Ishan Kishan to provide stability to the entire batting unit.



When we talk about the middle order, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya are missing there. Mumbai?s biggest advantage in all these years was the experienced and consistent middle order, but now it looks excessively thin. The franchise has the likes of Tilak Verma, Tim David and Fabian Allen, but their consistency will be crucial for the team.



In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah will be an overly loaded player due to the exclusion of Trent Boult. Though MI has Jofra Archer, he will be available from the next IPL season.?Jaydev Unadkat and Tymal Mills are other players who are experienced, but their consistency is a major question.



ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/gujarat-titans-gt-reveals-its-anthem-song-for-the-upcoming-tata-ipl-2022/">Gujarat Titans (GT) reveals its anthem song for the upcoming Tata IPL 2022</a>



"Rohit Sharma is going to be tested this year with the Mumbai Indians (as a captain) because he doesn't have that dominant middle-order that he has had in previous years and the bowling stocks are a little bit depleted because we have gone to ten teams," said Hogg on his YouTube channel.



With less gun powder in the squad, it will be interesting to watch how Rohit Sharma marshalls its troops to succeed in the Tata IPL 2022, starting 26th March.



?Mumbai Indians have been a dominant force, but now they are going to be tested with their stocks," he added.



Mumbai Indians (MI) will face Delhi Capitals (DC) in its first match on March 27th in the Brabourne Stadium.



Meanwhile, Shane Bond, Mumbai Indians bowling coach, has expressed his faith in the bowling unit to excel and produce healthy results. He said that all the speedsters are ready to take the IPL sphere by storm.



?It was a great session for the boys. And, yeah, we are looking forward to the first game. We are ready to go. We understand how we want to go about our work in the first match. Our bowling captain Booms [Jasprit Bumrah] was keen to keep the boys into a nip, particularly focusing on death bowling??said Bond.



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ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/rishabh-pants-captaincy-resembles-rohit-sharma-says-ricky-ponting-ahead-of-ipl-2022/"> Rishabh Pant?s captaincy resembles Rohit Sharma, says Ricky Ponting ahead of IPL 2022</a>

Rohit Sharma's captaincy will be tested in the IPL 2022: Brad Hogg

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Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) have made a new signing for the IPL 2024. The winners of the inaugural edition of the league have roped in former Mumbai Indians bowling coach Shane Bond as their new assistant bowling coach.&nbsp;



Shane Bond last week parted ways with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwir9YHM9ouCAxVI3jgGHV8ADU8QFnoECCEQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mumbaiindians.com%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw22jUanUbKYxSKWLHIfN8Ty&amp;opi=89978449" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwir9YHM9ouCAxVI3jgGHV8ADU8QFnoECCEQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mumbaiindians.com%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw22jUanUbKYxSKWLHIfN8Ty&amp;opi=89978449">Mumbai Indians</a> and he immediately joined Rajasthan Royals. The former New Zealand pacer had a long stint with five-time champions and had great success with the team, playing an instrumental role in their success.?



Shane Bond joined Mumbai Indians in 2015 and under him team won 4 titles. His tenure saw the team turning young pacers into big superstars. He played a staggering role in shaping Jasprit Bumrah and many other pacers. &nbsp;



Rajasthan Royals would be hoping for him to make a similar kind of impact in the team and take them to glory. Shane Bond, who is considered as one of the greats of the game, will be working with the likes of Prasidh Krishna, Navdeep Saini, Sandeep Sharma, Kuldeep Sen, Obed McCoy, KM Asif and Kuldip Yadav.?



Read Also: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2024-to-be-held-in-india-amid-rumours-of-tournament-moving-out-of-india-due-to-elections-reports/" data-type="post" data-id="121653">IPL 2024 to be held in India amid rumours of tournament moving out of India due to elections ? Reports</a>



Rajasthan Royals didn?t have a great outing in the IPL 2023 as they didn?t qualify for the playoffs. They started the tournament on high as they won consecutive games in the first half. But after that, nothing went their way. They would be hoping to change things in IPL 2024.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians rope in Lasith Malinga as their bowling coach&nbsp;</h2>



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As Mumbai Indians parted ways with Shane Bond, they acquired the services of Lasith Malinga and made the official announcement. The former Sri Lanka pacer ironically served as bowling coach of Rajasthan Royals for the last seasons and him coming to Mumbai and Bond going o Rajasthan looks like a sort of trade.?



Lasith Malinga has been the internal part of the Mumbai Indians. He played a player for them till 2021 and is their leading wicket-taker in the IPL. However, this time he will be coaching the team. He did a similar job in 2019 as well when he was their mentor but came back to play in 2020.

IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals rope in former Mumbai Indians player as their new ?bowling coach

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India captain Rohit Sharma bid adieu to 2024 in a staggering Instagram post. The senior batter posted a video on Instagram on Tuesday, December 31, of his best and worst moments of 2024. This comes amid the talks related to his retirement. 
Rohit Sharma had a roller coaster ride in 2024 as the captain had his best and worst part of his career. The India captain started the year on high as under him India won the Test match at Centurion and went on to draw the series. After that, he was at his best in the Test series against England. 
Rohit Sharma with the team full of youngsters won the Test series against England. Under his leadership, India won the five-match series by a massive margin of 4-1. He led from the front and also slammed two centuries in the series, helping the team win. 
After that, Rohit Sharma was at his best in the IPL as he was amongst the highest run-getters for Mumbai Indians. He also slammed the century there. He also returns to the T20Is before the Tests as slammed a century there as well. 
<h2>The best moment for Rohit Sharma was in June when under his leadership India won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.</h2>
The best moment for Rohit Sharma was in June when under his leadership India won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He was the leading run-getter for the team in the tournament as he top-scored and helped the India team end their ICC title drought. 
Things didn't go well for Rohit Sharma after that. Since then has been going through a rough patch in the Tests. The India captain has failed to get going and under his leadership team faced the whitewash first time at home as they lost the series to New Zealand by the margin of 3-0. 
He is currently in Australia but things have been poor for him as well. The batter has scored just 31 runs in the three games and also under him India is behind in the series by 2-1. He has registered scores of 3, 6, 10, 3 and 9 and following this, there have been a lot of talks related to his retirement as well. 
He posted the video with caption: "For all the ups &amp; downs, and everything in between, Thank you 2024."
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEPoz8Ah2oV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">You can watch video here: </a>
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-changes-india-must-make-to-win-the-scg-test-to-retain-the-border-gavaskar-trophy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 changes India must make to win the SCG Test to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a>

"For all the ups & downs" - Rohit Sharma bids adieu to.....

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India is all set to lock horns with England in the three-match ODI series. This will be the only series for the Men in Blue before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and it will be extremely important for the team as they would want to look at their combination for the tournament. 
The ODI series between England and India will get underway from 6th February at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. The second game of the series is scheduled to take place on 9th February in Cuttack, followed by the last match to be played on 12th at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 
There have been several reports that have claimed that India will be playing the series in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah. This is because BCCI wants their premier players to be rested and fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2024, which will be a crucial event for the team. 
If the reports emerge to be true, then it will be a massive problem for the Indian team that they will be playing without their captain. This has raised speculations about who will be leading the team in the three-match ODI series against the full-strength England team at home. 
<h2>Who will captain India in the absence of Rohit Sharma during England ODIs </h2>
With Rohit Sharma being rested for the three-match ODI series, it is expected that Shubman Gill will be captaining the team against England. The young batter was recently appointed as the vice-captain of the team in the white-ball format after the team went through the transition. 
It is expected that the squad for the England series will be similar to what India will be named for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Therefore, it will be a great opportunity for the young players who will be picked to make their case strong for the tournament. 
Shubman Gill, since the last few years, has been the best batter for India in the ODIs. He has shown his real class with the bat and would want to carry on the same form. He also was captain of the team during the T20I series against Zimbabwe and will be keen to replicate the same performance.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-changes-india-must-make-to-win-the-scg-test-to-retain-the-border-gavaskar-trophy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 changes India must make to win the SCG Test to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a>

There have been several reports that have claimed that India will be playing the series in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah

Who will captain India if Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli will be rested for England ODIs

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Team India are currently in Australia for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The fifth and final test will end on January 7; after that, India will play three T20Is and three ODIs against England at home between January 22 and February 12.
This will be the last three ODIs for India ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, and India will look to prepare for the upcoming mega event. However, there has been news that India might rest Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
Being India's premier pacer, Bumrah has been doing too much in Australia, but resting out-of-form Virat and Rohit might not be ideal. Hence, we will talk about three reasons why India should not rest Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from England ODIs.
<h2>Three reasons why India should not drop Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from England ODIs ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025</h2>
1. Form of both players
Dropping a player who is struggling with form might not do good for the team. Both Virat and Rohit have struggled in Australia, and they are searching for runs badly. Consistent failures must have hurt their confidence as well. Hence, at home on Indian batting pitches, it can be ideal to get back to form. But if India rest them, they won't have the time to get back to form and will enter the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after a string of low scores.
2. Only ODIs to prepare for Champions Trophy 2025
Since the ODI World Cup 2023 at home, Rohit and Virat have only played three ODI matches. Though they have played test cricket consistently, ODI format is a different game altogether. Hence, to get back into rhythm, the upcoming ODI series against England can be perfect. At least England are going with the same team that will feature in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. That is why India must need to do and give the game time to their main batters whom you expect to fire in the mega event.
3. Managing Replacement
The form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is under scrutiny, and many questions have been raised about their position in tests. However, ODI cricket is a totally different format. But loss of form can sometimes hurt the confidence, and it can affect other formats as well. Hence, India should play them in England ODIs because if they fail, then they can pick the backup batters for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. That means if these two don't score runs against England, then India can take some hard decisions and pick other players as replacements.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-changes-india-must-make-to-win-the-scg-test-to-retain-the-border-gavaskar-trophy/">3 changes India must make to win the SCG Test to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a>

The Indian management is looking to rest Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from England ODIs ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025.

3 Reasons why Resting Virat and Rohit from England ODIs can be blunder ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

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Batting great Sunil Gavaskar gave a massive suggestion to the Indian team going forward in Test cricket. He said that the Rohit Sharma-led should keep an eye on Venkatesh Iyer for the red-ball cricket as he can be handy for the team. 
India hasn't been blessed with as many fast-bowling all-rounders as they would've wanted. After Kapil Dev, it was Hardik Pandya who took the mantle and has been doing a staggering job for the team in the white-ball cricket but his fitness hasn't supported him at all. 
Hardik Pandya played a few Tests for India but couldn't carry on in the format. The all-rounder last played in 2018 and, after that, has been focusing on white-ball cricket after that, India tried Shardul Thakur, and although he did a decent job, the quality wasn't there, and he was dropped. 
India now has included Nitish Kumar Reddy in the team and the all-rounder has been doing a great job in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He has shown great promise with the bat as he also slammed a magnificent century and helped the team tackle the trouble. 
But it's fair to say that the quality of the ball still has been lacking. Nitish Kumar Reddy hasn't been the best with the ball and hasn't bowled well, which has put an extra burden on Jasprit Bumrah, who has bowled around 140 overs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. 
<h2>India must also keep an eye on Venkatesh Iyer, who can be another fine all-rounder and is a left-hander to bat - Sunil Gavaskar</h2>
Amid the debate around all-rounder, Sunil Gavaskar has suggested the name of Venkatesh Iyer, claiming that he can be a fine all-rounder for the team. He also pointed out that he played in the county. Writing in his column, he explained: 
"India must also keep an eye on Venkatesh Iyer, who can be another fine all-rounder and is a left-hander to bat. His bowling too can do with some work, but he has played in England and can be a very good option to have there," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. 
Venkatesh Iyer has already made his India debut, having played two ODIs and nine T20Is. He also played for Lancashire in the England summer earlier this year.
Also Read:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/indian-cricket-team-india-s-full-test-cricket-schedule-in-2025-they-will-face-these-teams/#google_vignette"> </a><a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/indian-cricket-team-india-s-full-test-cricket-schedule-in-2025-they-will-face-these-teams/#google_vignette">Indian Cricket: Team India's full Test Cricket schedule in 2025, they will face these teams</a>

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar gave a massive suggestion to the Indian team going forward in Test cricket.

Not Hardik Pandya or Nitish Reddy, Sunil Gavaskar wants this fast-bowling all-rounder for Tests

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After the end of the 2025 IPL Mega-Auction, a lot of teams have strengthened their respective batting units. The dominance of the batters is going to increase even more this time around in the Biggest T20 tournament in the entire world and it's going to be really interesting to see which teams walks out on to the field with the strongest batting unit. 
Every year, the batsmen create new records in the IPL and now the runs figure of 250 is looking pretty common these days. Not just this, scoring centuries has also become pretty common for the batters. In such a situation, let's take a look at 3 teams who have the strongest batting-unit in IPL 2025
<h3>Three IPL Teams who have the strongest batting-unit in IPL 2025:</h3>
<h3>1. Sunrisers Hyderabad</h3>
Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad will once again walk out on the field in the IPL with the strongest batting unit. The likes of Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen are a part of the squad of SRH and these players have the potential in them to dominate any opposition bowling unit. 
While Kishan is a new addition, the other four players were a part of the Hyderabad team in the previous edition of the tournament too and they wrecked havoc in the 2024 edition of the IPL as they crossed the 260 run mark twice verus the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and five time winners Mumbai Indians (MI).The presence of these four players and the addition of hard hitting Indian batter Ishan Kishan makes the IPL 2024 runners-up a force to reckon with. 

<h3>2. Kolkata Knight Riders</h3>
IPL 2024 winners and reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are blessed to have a solid and a strong batting unit ahead of IPL 2025. The presence of the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Quinton de Kock and Ajinkya Rahane can target any bowler from the word go. The aggressive batting nature of Gurbaz, De Kock, Narine and Venky Iyer along with the solid middle order presence of the duo of Russell and Rinku make the team of KKR look like a complete and a really formidable one. The Reigning Champs are surely going to be a dangerous side to bowl against.

<h4>3. Delhi Capitals </h4>
After the conclusion of the 2025 IPL Mega-Auction, the Delhi Capitals managed to include some really incredible batters in their squad which consists of the likes of KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, Jack Fraser McGurk and Harry Brook. Besides them, the presence of experienced all-rounder Axar Patel provides a lot of stability to their middle-order. This time around, the Delhi franchise have set up themselves as a batting-heavy team, which will create a lot of difficulties for the opposition bowlers.

Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-csk-s-strongest-playing-11-if-conway-and-ravindra-miss-the-start-of-ipl-2025/">IPL: CSK's strongest Playing 11 if Conway and Ravindra miss the start of IPL 2025</a>

Many IPL teams have strengthened their squads after the end of the 2025 Mega-Auction and three teams have the strongest batting-unit ahead of IPL 2025. We will be taking a look at those three teams in this article.

IPL 2025: 3 Teams who have the strongest batting unit, they can blow away any bowling attack

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It has been a great year for India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, as he has been at the top of his game and has proved it in all three formats. The ace pacer played a big role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, winning the Player of the Tournament award. Bumrah has taken the most wickets in 2024 across all three formats.
But his best came in the red-ball cricket, where he has taken most wickets in 2024. That is why Cricket Australia (CA) has honored him and picked him as the captain of the Test XI of 2024. Interestingly, CA has not picked Pat Cummins and has picked Bumrah to lead the team.
CA has picked three English players, two each from Australia, India, and New Zealand, and a player each from South Africa and Sri Lanka. Apart from Bumrah, the Indian opener Yashavi Jaiswal also features in the exclusive Best Test XI by Cricket Australia.
<h2>Jasprit Bumrah picked as captain to lead Best Test XI of 2024 by Cricket Australia</h2>
Indian ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah led India in the first game of the ongoing BGT series in Perth and played a crucial role in winning. Hence, CA has picked Bumrah to lead this exclusive Test XI. The 31-year-old has taken 71 wickets in just 13 games at an average of 14.92 and a strike rate of 30.16, with five fifers.
Jaiswal and Ben Duckett have been picked to open the innings. Both left-handers had a tremendous year. Jaiswal has scored 1478 runs and is the second-highest scorer in 2024, while Duckett has scored 1149 and is below Jaiswal at three for this year. Former English captain Joe Root, who is leading the run scoring chart with 1556 runs in 17 tests, is picked to bat at no. 3.
<h2>Harry Brook to lead the middle-order batting in the Best Test XI by Cricket Australia</h2>
The middle order is filled with some exceptional performers. Harry Brook, who was the No. 1 ranked test batter, has scored 1100 runs this year in just 12 games with four centuries, including a triple hundred, and is at No. 4. He is followed by New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra, who has 984 runs in 12 tests.
At no. 6, Sri Lanka's emerging star Kamindu Mendis, who became one of the fastest to reach 1000 test runs. Mendis has scored 1049 runs in just nine tests, with five centuries and three half-centuries. Australia's Alex Carey is picked as the wicketkeeper, who has scored 440 runs in nine tests.
Bumrah will lead the team. The other two pacers are England's Gus Atkinson and New Zealand's Matt Henry. Atkinson has taken 52 wickets in 11 tests, while Henry has taken 48 wickets in nine tests. South Africa's Keshav Maharaj is the only spinner in the team, who has 35 wickets in seven tests.
Cricket Australia's Best Test XI of 2024: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Rachin Ravindra, Harry Brook, Kamindu Mendis, Alex Carey (wk), Matt Henry, Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Keshav Maharaj
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/mitchell-starc-ruled-out-of-sydney-test-australian-coach-makes-a-big-revelation-ahead-of-5th-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitchell Starc ruled out of Sydney Test? Australian coach makes a big revelation ahead of 5th Test</a>

Cricket Australia announced the Best Test XI of 2024, picking two Indian players. Jasprit Bumrah has been picked as the captain of the team.

Cummins dropped as Jasprit Bumrah to lead as Cricket Australia released Best Test XI of 2024

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Rohit Sharma, the current captain of the Indian Cricket Team is set to take the big decision of retiring from Test Cricket following the conclusion of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series versus the Australians. According to a media report, Rohit will be taking a big decision regarding his career after the conclusion of the ongoing series. 
Let us tell you that the Men in Blue have failed to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, a series which the Indians have won on the previous four occasions. On the other hand, the personal performance of the 37-year-old with the bat have been poor too, managing to score just 31 runs in five innings versus the Aussies in the current edition of the BGT. 
According to the news report of Times of India, the top officials of thr BCCI and the National Team selectors have already talked to Rohit and it looks like the 'Hitman' will not be changing his decision of retiring. While the date of his retirement has not been revealed yet, some news reports suggest that the 37-year-old will be taking the tough decision after the conclusion of the Sydney Test-Match. 
If the two time WTC runners-up manage to qualify for the 2023-25 WTC Final, then Rohit can carry on as the captain of the team for some more time and he will most likely have a discussion with the selectors regarding staying on as the skipper. 
Following the team's defeat in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test, the Indian captain was deeply hurt by the defeat. On one hand, elite seamer Jasprit Bumrah has single handedly dismissed Australian batters 30 times in the ongoing series while Rohit on the other hand, has managed to amass just 31 runs. It's possible that the retirement of the 'Hitman' is not that far but he won't be moving away from Red-ball Cricket without fighting back in the Sydney Test-Match.
<h2>What did Indian Captain Rohit Sharma say following the team's embarrassing defeat in Melbourne? </h2>
The Indian Team fell to an embarrassing 184 runs defeat in the Melbourne Boxing-Day Test-Match versus the Australians and this defeat meant that the home team have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. After the defeat, Skipper Rohit Sharma that there are many things that are not happening according to his wishes. He also said that this defeat is mentally disturbing. 
"It's evident that we have had a few unfavorable-outcomes, and as captain, I find this disheartening. Many of the things I'm attempting to do as a batter are not working out and it's upsetting to the mind," the Indian captain said.
Do Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/mitchell-starc-ruled-out-of-sydney-test-australian-coach-makes-a-big-revelation-ahead-of-5th-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitchell Starc ruled out of Sydney Test? Australian coach makes a big revelation ahead of 5th Test</a>

A dejected Rohit Sharma walks back to the dugout after getting dismissed for yet another low score in the BGT 2024 series | Image: Associated Press

Reportedly, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has decided to retire from Test Cricket and the announcement is likely to be made by the BCCI after the end of the Sydney Test-Match versus the Australians.

Team India: Captain Rohit Sharma decides to retire from Tests, BCCI likely to make an announcement soon

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The Indian Men's National Cricket Team is currently in Australia where they are taking part in the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Post the conclusion of the Australian tour, they will head back to Indian where they will be participating in a limited-overs Bilateral Series versus England, which will consist of five T20 International contests and three One Day International games. 
Ahead of England's tour of India, a big update has come out regarding the three-match One Day International series and it says that the duo of Virat Kohli &amp; Rohit Sharma are not going play in the Odds versus the Three Lions. Besides these two players, elite seamer Jasprit Bumrah will also miss the ODI series. 
The One-Day International series versus the Three Lions is the Men in Blue's final series before the commencement of 2025 Champions Trophy and this series will be acting as a preparatory ground for the 2023 ODI World Cup runners-up. 
The White Ball assignment versus the Jos Buttler-led team will start from the 22nd of January, 2025 with the five-match Twenty-Twenty series. Then the 50-overs event of three games will kick off from the 6th of February, 2025.
It's worth noting that both Virat &amp; Rohit have retired from the shortest format of the game and both will be seen playing in just the One-Day International matches but now that seems very unlikely too.
According to a news report of Sports Tak, the trip of Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli &amp; Rohit Sharma will be missing the England ODI series due to the workload-management policy of the BCCI. Bumrah will also be absent from the England T20 International series. However, official updates regarding the trio's participation are yet to be revealed. 
<h2>The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will commence from the 19th of February</h2>
Let us tell you that the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will kick off from the 19th of February, 2025. On the other hand, the white ball series between England and India will end on the 12th of February. Champions Trophy (CT) will be played under the 'Hybrid-Model' policy.
While Pakistan will be acting as the host country of the tournament, the Men in Blue will be playing their CT fixtures in the city of Dubai, UAE. If the Rohit Sharma-led team manage to qualify for the knock out rounds and advance to the final too, then one Semi-Final and the all-important Final will be played in the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
Do Read:

India's Jasprit Bumrah (R) celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli (C) and captain Rohit Sharma after taking the wicket of Australia's captain Pat Cummins during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between India and Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai | Image: Getty Images

The Trio of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma are set to miss the England ODI series ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

IND vs ENG: Kohli and Rohit set to miss the England ODI series ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

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IND vs AUS: India are the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as they have won the last four editions and have a great record. Australia won the last BGT trophy back in 2014-15, but it looks like the long wait is all set to come to an end. After an emphatic win at the MCG, Australia are leading by 2-1.
They just need to win or draw the final test, which will help them to win the BGT trophy and also to qualify for the World Test Championship 2023-25 final. Australia have had great performance so far, and everyone has chipped in with valuable contributions.
The fifth and final test is all set to begin on January 3, 2025, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, ahead of the final game, Australia might suffer a big blow. Ace pacer Mitchell Starc can miss the game due to a fitness issue.
<h2>IND vs AUS 5th Test: "Mitchell Starc is carrying something of some description"- Australian head coach Andrew McDonald</h2>
Australia had to find the replacement for Josh Hazlewood when he was ruled out ahead of the MCG test. Though they had Scott Boland, who did pretty well. But they can have a big headache if Mitchell Starc also gets ruled out of the final test. Australian head coach Andrew McDonald is optimistic about Starc's availability for the SCG test.
The 34-year-old looked in discomfort during the Boxing Day Test in the second innings. He left the field during Day 3 due to a niggle and was seen stretching his back a few times in India's second innings as well. However, the pacer kept pushing hard and played a crucial role in Australia's victory. He took the wicket of Virat Kohli in the second innings and bowled consistently with a good speed of over 140 km/h.
His inclusion is still a question, and McDonald said, "Clearly, Starc is carrying something of some description. We’ll assess that. There was clearly a bit of discomfort early in his spells, but once he warmed up, he seemed relatively free. His ball speeds were good."
Notably, Australia have the option to go for Sean Abbott and Jhye Richardson if Starc gets unfit for the final game. These two pacers are with the team as backup options. Australia are one win away from regaining the BGT trophy and qualifying for the WTC final. So, they need Starc fully fit and at his best for the final game.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-changes-india-must-make-to-win-the-scg-test-to-retain-the-border-gavaskar-trophy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 changes India must make to win the SCG Test to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy</a>

Mitchell Starc was seen in discomfort while bowling in the Boxing Day Test. He had a niggle, and his participating in the final test at the SCG is in doubt.

Mitchell Starc ruled out of Sydney Test? Australian coach makes a big revelation ahead of 5th Test

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The finalists of both World Test Championship cycles in the history of Test cricket—once the number-one ranked team for a long time before the home series against New Zealand and a side brimming with some of the finest red-ball cricketing talent—have suffered as many as 11 batting collapses in their last 14 innings.
If we set aside a few individual performances from these 14 innings, the overall display as a unit reveals two more poor performances. Not to mention, India managed to win just one Test out of those seven, and that too only when the entire top order fired up and put up substantial runs.
The most disheartening aspect is that India faltered against New Zealand at home, on pitches they themselves had chosen to play on. New Zealand, on the other hand, executed their plans and tactics flawlessly, adapting brilliantly to subcontinent conditions. They not only outplayed India but also delivered a resounding statement by securing a 3-0 whitewash in the Test series on Indian soil.
Following the home humiliation, India embarked on their tour of Australia for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and started on a high note, winning the first Test in Perth. Despite being bowled out for just 150 in the first innings, a brilliant 161 from Jaiswal and an unbeaten century from Kohli (100*) secured a memorable victory for India.
While Indian bowling, led by Jasprit Bumrah, has delivered consistently and performed satisfactorily, the same cannot be said for the batting lineup, which continues to struggle with inconsistency.

The second innings at Perth was the last time Indian batting displayed solidity. In the pink-ball Test at Adelaide, the team suffered a double collapse, resulting in a defeat. At Brisbane, KL Rahul, Jadeja, and Akash Deep were the only players to score above 20, highlighting the lack of form and consistency within the batting order.
The latest disappointment came in Melbourne, where the story was no different. Despite promising starts, the batters threw away their wickets, leading to yet another collapse. Jaiswal, however, continued his excellent form and proved to be the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal batting performance, fully deserving the bit of luck that came his way.
<h2>Things Going Wrong With Indian Batting</h2>
<h3>Out of Form Captain</h3>
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Rohit Sharma, the Indian Test Captain, is just out of the knick and it looks like he is out of the mindset he used to have. If we talk on his numbers in the Border Gavaskar trophy 2024-25, he has scored only 31 runs in the three tests of the series. His total runs in the series are just one more than Jasprit Bumrah's wickets in the series.
The runs simply aren’t coming. While the statistics might provide material for laughs and social media memes, on a serious note, they paint a grim picture of Rohit as a batter. Not only has he struggled with his form, but his performance as a Test captain has also been far from tactically sound or proactive. The prolonged lean patch has seemingly further impacted his decision-making, compounding the issues for both himself and the team
<h3>Virat and the fifth Stump Love Affair</h3>
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‘Modern-day greats will figure out their way… you know… path,’ Rohit Sharma said with a smile when asked about Kohli's tendency to chase the fifth-stump ball ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Ironically, in both innings at the MCG, Kohli was dismissed chasing deliveries outside the off-stump, proving that the issue remains unresolved.
There seems to be a clear pattern emerging for both Kohli and Rohit, and opposing teams now know exactly how to send them back to the pavilion. The Australians, in particular, are enjoying testing Virat Kohli's patience, and it hasn’t taken much effort to reap the rewards. At this point, even someone like Mitch Marsh could dismiss Kohli by consistently bowling on the fourth or fifth stump line.
This issue needs to be addressed urgently. Kohli has earned his place among the greats over the years, but now it’s time for him to show how he can adapt and overcome this persistent fifth-stump vulnerability.
<h3>Rishabh Pant Being Over Aggressive </h3>
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Pant, known for his fearless and attacking style, has played key roles in many of India's victories. Yet, his tendency to go for high-risk shots has led to untimely dismissals, one of the most notable being a poor judgment call during the Melbourne Cricket Ground match, where he attempted an ill-conceived scoop shot.
Pant is putting in significant effort to get those valuable starts, and he’s been successful in doing so. But his aggressive instincts often take over, causing his well-earned starts to end in unfortunate dismissals.
READ: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/on-this-day-in-2014-the-legendary-ms-dhoni-played-his-final-test-and-retired-from-the-longest-format-of-the-game/">On this day in 2014, the legendary MS Dhoni played his final test and retired from the longest format of the game</a>

India’s recent struggles in Test cricket reflect inconsistent batting, with key players like Kohli and Rohit failing to find form. Despite strong individual performances, persistent issues, especially against Australia, remain unresolved.

India’s Test cricket woes continue with inconsistent batting and decision-making, despite individual brilliance, especially against Australia’s relentless pressure.