Latest news with #AjinkyaRahane
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First Post
7 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
No Karun Nair in Ajinkya Rahane's India playing XI for first England Test at Leeds
Veteran Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane sprung a surprise by not picking Karun Nair in his predicted playing XI for India. The first Test between India and England starts at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday. read more Ajinkya Rahane has picked Dhruv Jurel in place of Karun Nair in India's playing XI for the first Test against England at Headingley , Leeds, which starts on Friday, 20 June. While it has been reported by multiple media houses that Karun Nair is set to make a comeback to the Indian Team after a gap of over seven years, Rahane feels Jurel will be a better fit. Nair last played for India in 2017 before being dropped from the team. He, however, is in great form in domestic cricket and scored 863 runs in the recent Ranji Trophy season. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 779 runs and also smashed a double century in the practice match against England Lions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ajinkya Rahane's Predicted XI for the Headingley Test Rahane, however, doesn't seem convinced and opted for Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI. For the No.3 spot, Rahane went with Sai Sudharsan. Rahane feels the recent good form in IPL and domestic cricket would help Sai Sudharsan do well for India at No.3. 'I think so. Yes, he has been in very good form in T20 cricket as well as red-ball cricket. Whatever domestic matches he has played, he's done really well for his side and his technique looks really composed and calm whenever he is batting at the crease, so I think he should be given a chance to bat at number three,' Rahane said on his YouTube channel. Ajinkya Rahane's Predicted XI for Headingley Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh England's Confirmed Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir
News18
13 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Ajinkya Rahane Picks His India 11 For 1st England Test, Ignores Karun Nair
Last Updated: Ajinkya Rahane has excluded Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna from his playing 11 in the 2025 Ra Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna didn't find a place in Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane's predicted playing 11 for India's first Test against England, which begins on Friday (June 20) in Headingley. Rahane is currently out of favor from the Test side but has captained it to one of its greatest triumphs in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India will not only be without him, but several other key seniors like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Cheteshwar Pujara for the rubber. That leaves an opportunity for many new names, including Nair, who is making a comeback after eight years via stupendous form in all domestic tournaments in the past year. Prasidh was India's third seamer in Australia and the Purple Cap winner in the recently concluded IPL 2025. However, Rahane, in a video on his YouTube channel, went with KL Rahul as Yashasvi Jaiswal's opener, with debutant Sai Sudharsan for number three. He put new captain Shubman Gill at number four. For the number five spot, he went with Dhruv Jurel followed by Rishabh Pant and two all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur. For the third pacer, he chose another debutant, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. Ajinkya Rahane's predicted 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh. It needs to be noted that vice-captain Pant has already confirmed that he'll bat at five, leaving number three and six as the available spots, considering Rahul will open. Rahane also spoke about Gill's challenge to transition from T20 captaincy in the IPL to Test leadership for the first time, but also expressed confidence in the youngster's nous. 'I think it's going to be a challenging task for Shubman because in Test cricket I always believe you have to be proactive as a captain. I'm sure Shubman will do well, but it will take time because captaining in T20s and ODIs is completely different. In the Test format, sometimes you have to stay one or two steps ahead of your opponents, talk to your bowlers, and plan things with them. So, it's going to be a challenging task for him, but I'm sure he will do well as both a skipper and a batter," Rahane added in the video. First Published: June 20, 2025, 08:06 IST
India.com
11-06-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Travis Head On The Brink Of Breaking Ajinkya Rahanes ‘THIS' WTC Final Record Against South Africa
Travis Head, who played a match-defining knock in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final, is once again at the center of attention as Australia takes on South Africa in the WTC 2025 Final at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground. The Australian left-hander is on the verge of breaking a notable record held by Indian veteran Ajinkya Rahane. As the much-anticipated final gets underway, South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first, putting Australia's top order, including Head, under the spotlight from the very beginning. With Australia batting first, all eyes are on Travis Head, who needs just 19 runs to surpass Rahane and become the leading run-scorer in WTC Finals history. For context, Ajinkya Rahane has scored a total of 199 runs in four innings across two WTC Finals, making him the top scorer in summit clashes of the tournament so far. Travis Head, on the other hand, has already notched up 181 runs in just two innings, including a sensational 163-run knock against India in the 2023 final. That innings not only led Australia to a commanding victory but also earned Head the Player of the Match award. Players with the most runs in the WTC Final Ajinkya Rahane 199 Travis Head 181 Steve Smith 155 Rohit Sharma 122 Virat Kohli 120 Now, with form, confidence, and the opportunity on his side, Travis Head is well-positioned to rewrite the record books. If he manages to score at least 19 runs in the ongoing final, he will cement his place as the most prolific batter in WTC Final history, a remarkable achievement in the highest format of the game. As the final unfolds at Lord's, cricket fans around the world will be watching closely to see if Head can rise to the occasion once more and etch his name in WTC history.
NDTV
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
KKR Partners With IPL Broadcaster's For A Special Screening Of Mufasa: The Lion King
In a heartwarming initiative that blended cricket with cinematic magic, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions of the TATA IPL, collaborated with JioHotstar for a special partnership to host an exclusive screening of Mufasa: The Lion King at their camp. The initiative served as an opportunity for the players to unwind and spend some time together with their families after a high-octane season in the IPL. KKR players including Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje and Anukul Roy were a part of the special screening alongside their families. The movie, originally released in December 2024, is now available for streaming on JioHotstar. The family entertainer is also dubbed in Hindi with KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan lending his voice for the lead role, alongside his sons. Aryan Khan voiced Simba in the movie, while Abram Khan voiced young Mufasa. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) The screening served as a reminder of the powerful moments that take place off the cricket field, while also imparting plenty of learnings for the children. Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane shared his learnings from the movie, stating, 'This movie teaches kids about values, respect, legacy amongst other things. So, it was a lot of fun to watch with everyone.' Reflecting on the engaging experience with his teammates and family, Varun Chakaravarthy added, 'It's a brilliant movie. I saw it with my wife and my son, so we had a great time. My son also enjoyed the movie. It's the first time SRK, Aryan and Abram are lending their voices together, so cheers to them. They've done a great job.' Also expressing her thoughts on the initiative, Binda Dey, Chief Marketing Officer, Knight Riders Sports, 'Watching our Knights unwind and enjoy the film with their cubs was nothing short of magical. It was a beautiful reminder that sometimes, the most powerful moments happen off the pitch.'
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
KKR miss Gautam Gambhir's aura, Shreyas Iyer's midas touch; surrender meekly
Kolkata Knight Riders' Sunil Narine with captain Ajinkya Rahane and Harshit Rana. (PTI Photo) One of the biggest questions going into IPL 2025 was whether defending champions KKR could cope without their talisman Gautam Gambhir . The ex-India batter had resigned from his role as KKR's mentor to take on the responsibility of being the national team's head coach, throwing fans in a state of panic. The Kolkata-based franchise had earlier struggled massively following Gambhir's exit as captain, reaching the playoffs only twice. However, the ex-India batter's return as KKR's mentor in IPL 2024 transformed the franchise completely, converting them from an under-confident unit to one capable of beating the best. Unheralded players like Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora stepped up as the Kolkata-based franchise won the IPL for the first time since the 2014 season. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Gambhir's departure was further followed by the exit of KKR's IPL 2024 winning captain Shreyas Iyer , due to a disagreement over the retention sum. Losing such key figures in a short duration can be a stern challenge for the best which KKR soon realised. A paucity of proven candidates for the captain's role forced the franchise to attempt a left-field move by handing Ajinkya Rahane the captaincy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo KKR further assigned ex-West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo the massive responsibility of filling in Gambhir's shoes. Who's that IPL player? However, things certainly did not go in favour of the franchise despite Rahane attempting to encourage an aggressive approach. One of the biggest factors behind KKR's success in IPL 2024 was the focus on performing as a unit. However, the same simply went missing in IPL 2025. KKR recorded three wins in their opening seven matches, failing to step up even during the business end. Two consecutive wins against DC and RR sparked hopes of a turnaround, which never transpired as the Rahane-led side ended their campaign with a 110-run loss against SRH. One of the biggest factors behind KKR's dominance in IPL 2024 was the form of Sunil Narine, who smashed 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74, chipping in with 17 wickets. However, Narine's performance suffered a sharp decline as he barely managed to score 246 runs, accounting for 12 dismissals. KKR also badly missed the presence of opener Phil Salt, who'd scored 435 runs at a strike rate of 182.01 in IPL 2024, with the decision to pick Quinton de Kock failing miserably. Ajinkya Rahane reflects on KKR's inconsistent IPL 2025, backs under-fire Venkatesh Iyer Even the likes of Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Venkatesh Iyer had a forgettable campaign. Iyer was signed for Rs 23.75 crore in the auction, but finished with just 142 runs in 11 matches while Rinku accumulated 206 runs in 13 games. Ramandeep, who'd emerged as a reliable campaigner in IPL 2024, barely scored 47 runs in 11 matches. Russell's reputation as a match-winner further suffered a hit after accumulating 167 runs in 13 games, with a duck in the final clash summing up his season. Fans have also questioned head coach Chandrakant Pandit's inability to implement his philosophy in Gambhir's absence. While Vidarbha managed to pull off a win in the bleakest of situations under Pandit, the same certainly didn't reflect this season. Poll Will KKR be able to bounce back in IPL 2026? Yes, they have potential No, they need major changes Maybe, depends on the strategy Cannot predict KKR's fortunes with the ball seemed reliant on Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, who was the joint top-wicket taker with 17 dismissals. The franchise failed to find a suitable replacement for Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, with the likes of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana proving quite expensive, recording economy rates of 10.11 and 10.18 respectively. Arora and Rana's lack of penetration with vital dismissals especially raised eyebrows, despite finishing their campaigns with 17 and 15 wickets respectively. "There was a thrill factor that I miss. Gambhir has an aura in the way he carries the team forward," revealed Rana, showcasing the India head coach's impact. KKR will definitely need to rethink their approach and may well rue their decision not to retain Shreyas, considering his success at PBKS, who've reached the playoffs. "KKR have a lot of pieces to figure out. The fact that they've shelled out as much as they have for Venkatesh and not used him properly gives you a lot to think about. A lot of realigning needs to happen. There's been a lot of confusion," said JioStar expert Robin Uthappa, summing up the concerns plaguing the dethroned defending champions. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
