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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Cheteshwar Pujara mocks Michael Vaughan's 4-0 prediction on Live TV, demands signature on failed post
Cheteshwar Pujara and Michael Vaughan NEW DELHI: Out-of-favour India batter Cheteshwar Pujara took a light-hearted dig at former England captain Michael Vaughan by asking him to autograph a framed copy of his incorrect prediction from the 2020–21 India-Australia Test series. The cheeky moment unfolded in the studio ahead of the first Test between India and England at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, June 20. Pujara surprised Vaughan by presenting him with a printed version of his old post on social media, in which Vaughan had confidently predicted a 4-0 whitewash of India in Australia. Both Pujara and Vaughan are part of the commentary panel for the ongoing five-match Test series. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The exchange left fellow commentators, including Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle, thoroughly amused. Vaughan's tweet had read: "Told ya … India are going to get hammered in the Test Series … #AUSvIND #4-0." India famously defied that prediction, clinching the series 2-1 despite the absence of key players like Mohammed Shami and captain Virat Kohli . The team drew the Sydney Test and chased down 328 on the final day at Brisbane to seal one of its most historic overseas series wins. In the first Test currently underway at Leeds, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl first. India handed a debut to Sai Sudharsan, while Karun Nair made his comeback to the Test team after eight years. England, meanwhile, fielded a relatively inexperienced bowling attack, with frontline pacers Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson unavailable due to injuries. True to form, Vaughan has once again backed England to win the series, but Indian fans remain hopeful under new Test captain Shubman Gill. Shubman's Big Test Begins! India's Probable XI & Stokes' Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview India's last Test series win in England came in 2007, when Rahul Dravid led the team to a 1-0 victory. Their most recent tour in 2021–22 ended in a 2-2 draw. While England has maintained an unbeaten home Test series record under Ben Stokes's leadership since mid-2022, the current challenge is compounded by their depleted bowling unit. India will be eyeing their first Test series win on English soil in 17 years, while England look to preserve their formidable home record under Stokes. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Virat Kohli called for a meeting with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and others in London, spoke to them for 2 hours: Report
June 20 will mark the dawn of a new era in Indian Test cricket, with young Shubman Gill leading the side in their first match since the sudden retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The five-match series against England begins at Headingley, Leeds, as India look to rebuild in the UK. While Rohit's decision was widely speculated since he had dropped himself in the Sydney Test against Australia earlier this year amid a horrid run over four months in red-ball cricket, Kohli's announcement came as a huge shocker. For the legend who has been synonymous with Test cricket, which he always held as the ultimate format even amid the changing dynamics in world cricket, Kohli's retirement at just 36, especially just a month before the series in England, was expected by only a few. Despite his retirement, Kohli is expected to keep an eye on the proceedings in the England series, which was evident from a report in a RevSportz video claiming that he invited the new Test captain Shubman Gill, his deputy Rishabh Pant and a few others to his residence in London just days before the opener in Leeds. India had an off day on Monday following the conclusion of the intra-squad match in Kent, so the players were available for a meet-up with Kohli. While the report did not clarify what the meeting was about, with speculations ranging from talks about the upcoming series, to how Gill and Pant could marshal the young troop, it did reveal that the discussion lasted close to two hours. The Indian team is expected to reach Leeds on Tuesday, where head coach Gautam Gambhir will meet the squad. The former India cricketer had left England to return home for a personal reason. The side will be expected to train in the city over the next two days. RevSportz had also reported on Monday that fast bowler Harshit Rana was asked to stay back in England after the intra-squad match. He was earlier overlooked for the five-match series, having made his debut in Australia, where he played just two matches. Rana was in England with the India A squad, and played just one game against the Lions, where he picked a solitary wicket and scored 16 runs.
News18
6 days ago
- Sport
- News18
'Done Far Too Well To Be Left Out': Big-Ticket Indian Politician Backs Sarfaraz Khan
Last Updated: Shashi Tharoor has urged Sarfaraz Khan's inclusion in India's Test squad vs England, highlighting the need for fresh talent post Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's retirements. Politician and author Shashi Tharoor has said that Sarfaraz Khan has done too well in the domestic circuit to be left out of India's main squad that will be playing against England in the upcoming five-match Test series, adding that India need new blood after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's retirements. Sarfaraz lost out in the middle-order race despite Kohli's recent retirement, leaving a vacancy in the batting order. Sarfaraz had to remain content with a spot in the India A team instead. He made a huge statement after scoring 92 runs in the first unofficial Test against the England Lions in Canterbury. 'It's a tough call for any selector, but I must say that we all have our favourites who ought to be there. I think that young Sarfaraz has done far too well in the domestic circuit to be left out," Tharoor said while speaking to RevSportz. 'Given no opportunity in Australia, given one innings here where he made a big score in the nineties and then was not played again. Rumours are that he did very well in the warm-up match against the regular Indian side," Tharoor added. On Saturday night, reports surfaced that Sarfaraz retired out on 101 during India's intra-squad game, which saw him feature for India A. 'Why do they leave out a player of this quality? It makes no sense. I think we should now give people a chance, we've lost the greats of Rohit and Virat one after the other, so we need to have fresh young blood for the next two years ahead, who have done well," Tharoor said. Sarfaraz had to wait for a long time for his international debut, too. India kick off their new WTC cycle with the five-match away series, under the captaincy of newly-appointed skipper Shubman Gill. India last played red-ball cricket in January, during the Sydney Test against Australia. Multiple cricketers in the current team, including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, will be featuring in their maiden Test series on English soil. India are playing a four-day intra-squad warm-up match against India A in Beckenham, which started on Friday. First Published: June 15, 2025, 15:35 IST
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First Post
16-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Kusal Mendis snubs PSL citing safety concerns, joins Gujarat Titans as replacement
Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis has opted out of PSL 2025 due to safety concerns and has joined Gujarat Titans as Jos Buttler's replacement for IPL 2025 playoffs. Mendis is all set to make his IPL debut now. read more Kusal Mendis has been named the replacement for Jos Buttler in the Gujarat Titans' squad. Image: AFP Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis has decided not to return to Pakistan for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025, due to perceived safety concerns. Instead, he will now join the Gujarat Titans (GT) for the IPL 2025 playoffs as a replacement for England's Jos Buttler. Kusal Mendis pulls out of PSL due to safety concerns Mendis had been playing for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL 2025 and last featured for them on 7 May before the league was suspended. However, Mendis chose not to travel back to Pakistan after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the resumption of the league, reportedly due to safety concerns. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to ESPNcricinfo, the Sri Lankan cricketer has now turned his focus to the IPL, where he is set to make his debut with GT. Mendis had entered his name in the IPL auctions several times in the past but did not find any bidders. He has now got the chance to play in the league as a replacement player. More from First Cricket Ravi Shastri says Rohit Sharma 'would have never not played' in Sydney Test under his coaching Buttler has been named in England's white-ball squads for their bilateral series against the West Indies. He will leave the GT team before the start of the playoffs on 29 May. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had granted no-objection certificates to English players until 25 May. Mendis has joined GT at a time when they are in top form, currently leading the points table with eight wins in eleven matches. Buttler has been a key player for GT this season, scoring 500 runs in 11 innings with an average of 71.43 and a strike rate of 163.93. His absence will be a big loss for the franchise. Mendis has been in good form too. In the PSL 2025, he scored 143 runs at a strike rate of 168 across five matches. While this will be his first time playing in the IPL, he brings a lot of T20 experience. For Sri Lanka, Mendis has played 78 T20 internationals, scoring 1920 runs with 15 fifties to his name. The IPL 2025 is set to resume on 17 May. Gujarat Titans will play their next match on 18 May against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
India Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Virat Kohli retirement: Timeline of events that led to end of decorated Test career
Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket has come as a bolt from the blue. Why? Because at a time when most observers expected him to carry on for a couple more years, the decision does appear rather abrupt. Granted, the selectors had reserved the right to drop him in the near future. After all, he had endured a lean run over the past five years-just one century in that period, with his average dipping from 54 to for a bona fide fighter, a cricketer who built his career by defying the odds and silencing critics, walking away in the face of an uncertain future seems while the retirement decision was Kohli's alone-not one taken by the BCCI-it would not be inaccurate to suggest that recent messaging from the selectors nudged him towards bringing his illustrious 14-year Test career to an end. Also Read: Test cricket will feel quieter without its gladiatorSo, what exactly transpired in recent months? What led a man who, until a month or two ago, was intent on touring England and scoring centuries on those challenging shores to suddenly step away from the format he had often described as his "favourite"?SECOND WEEK OF DECEMEBER 2024This is when the sequence of events truly began to unfold. India lost the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide under Rohit Sharma, after having won the opener in Perth under Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian selectors felt that the team lacked clarity and direction during the transition of captaincy between the two emerged about the team's mindset during the interim practice match in Canberra. Instead of strategising for the remainder of the series, players seemed to be in a holiday to sources close to Kohli, this is when he was informally sounded out about leading the Test side again in the short term, at least until a young captain could be identified. It's worth noting that this coincided with Kohli scoring a century in Perth-a reminder of his enduring class with the WEEK OF DECEMBER 2024India went on to lose the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, falling 2-1 behind in the series with only one match remaining. The chance of retaining the BGT was gone. Kohli, too, had a disappointing run with the bat across the last three with the selectors resumed, this time with a notable change in tone. Kohli was made aware that his place in the side was no longer secure. For a player of his stature, being under threat of the axe was a first-and a jarring the pressure, Kohli remained determined. He was convinced he could still deliver both as a batter and, if needed, as captain. That conviction was on display when he stepped in as interim skipper for the Sydney Test in Bumrah's WEEK OF JANUARY 2025Kohli turned out for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy fixture-his way of reaffirming commitment to the red-ball format. During that time, he reportedly told Delhi coach Sarandeep Singh that he was looking forward to the England tour and was determined to score multiple hundreds, silencing critics once WEEK OF APRIL 2025 Things began to shift once more during the IPL. In informal conversations, selectors briefed Kohli on the evolving situation: The team management had decided to back a young captain for the England tour, rather than appoint an interim Kohli's stature and past performances, he would now be assessed like any other batter-meaning poor form could lead to exclusion from the increasingly disillusioned, Kohli reportedly informed the selectors that he did not wish to be part of the England WEEK OF MAY 2025Close associates within Indian cricket and some officials from the BCCI made efforts to persuade Kohli to reconsider. But his mind was made up. 12 MAY 2025 Virat Kohli formally announced his retirement from Test cricket, stating: "It's not easy to step away from this format, but it feels right. I'll always look back at my Test career with a smile."And just like that, the curtains fell on one of India's greatest Test careers. The announcement has also triggered the search for India's next No. 4 in Tests-a position held with unmatched consistency by two legends, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, for over four InMust Watch
