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BCCI prioritise ODIs ahead of packed schedule until February 2027

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Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav (PC: X) Following their triumph at the T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian cricket team will now turn its attention to the 50-over format leading up to next year’s World Cup in South Africa. The next 12 months promise to be extremely demanding for Indian players due to a packed international and domestic schedule. The immediate focus will be the Indian Premier League 2026. Soon after the IPL, India will host Afghanistan for a short series comprising one Test and three ODIs between June 6 and 20. The solitary Test will take place in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10. The ODI leg of the series will follow with matches in Dharamsala on June 14, Lucknow on June 17, and Chennai on June 20. The Indian team will then travel to the United Kingdom for a white-ball series against England between July 1 and July 19. The tour includes five T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals. The T20Is will be played at the Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street (Jul...
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What next for Suryakumar Yadav?

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Suryakumar (PC: BCCI) What is that one shot which indicates Suryakumar Yadav is in very good form? Perhaps his unique range of strokes behind the wicket. Or could it be something else? What about Suryakumar cracking lofts off the back foot and into the downtown territories? Here, the answer could be a Yes. The lofted stroke probably gives confidence to Suryakumar that his game is more in order. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be landing enough of that signature shot in the recent past. It could give an inkling that he isn’t exactly in good nick with the willow. There is also a school of thought that he has been troubled by a wrist problem, which might be one of the reasons why he is grappling with down-the-ground hits. Just check his T20I average in the last 15-18 months and it doesn’t make for a good reading either. Suryakumar averages 26 in 35 T20Is since the start of the England series. And his average of 26 is mainly based on his very good run against New Zealand this year. ...
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Suryakumar Yadav’s Next Target: Olympic Gold at LA 2028

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  Suryakumar Yadav (PC:X) Suryakumar Yadav has made his intentions clear: he is now setting his sights on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Cricket’s return to the Olympic Games is a momentous occasion, and the elusive gold medal will be fiercely contested. Surya is right to say that it should be the next target, along with a potential hat-trick of titles at the next T20 World Cup. The question, however, is whether he can achieve it and whether he can remain at the top level until 2028. As a batter, Surya had a modest World Cup. While he played a masterclass against the United States, his performances thereafter were not the best. He did make key contributions against Pakistan and Zimbabwe, but he was also dismissed at critical moments in the matches against the West Indies and England. In the final, when the slog was on, he fell first ball attempting to clear the ropes – something that can happen to any batter. Can Surya, who now represents India primarily in this one format...
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BCCI Downplays Crisis Talk Around IPL 2026

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IPL 2026 will begin on March 28. (PC: X/IPL) Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, has downplayed concerns regarding the staging of the 19th edition of the IPL amid the current situation in West Asia, where a war involving Iran, Israel and the USA is ongoing. Recently, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal addressed questions regarding the impact of an LPG shortage in the country on the cash-rich league, as it could affect the hospitality sector. In response, Dhumal urged patience and described the situation as evolving. Saikia was quick to brush aside the concerns. “There is nothing in the current situation that would raise an alarm. We have announced the IPL schedule. We are thinking positively and believe everything will go smoothly,” Saikia told Hindustan Times. Since the 2024 World Cup, India have won five ICC tournaments, including three in 2025 — the Champions Trophy, the Women’s World Cup and the U19 Women’s World Cup. The most recent was the 2026 T20 World Cup. Such a feat has never h...
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Cricket back at the Chinnaswamy – Visualising the festive atmosphere for RCB-SRH game

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Chinnaswamy_Stadium (PC: X) Who is an archetypal Indian cricket fan? One way to gauge that would be to visit the Chinnaswamy Stadium during an international or an IPL game. Just near the main gate, one would observe hundreds of fans whistling, chatting and holding flags of either RCB or CSK. Along that stretch of road, those passionate supporters would be fervently waiting for the team buses to arrive. Just a glimpse of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni sitting inside the bus would be enough for the fans to jump up and down and wave their hands. A few metres away, near a couple of massive peepal trees, with fans walking back and forth, the footpath might get congested. Yet one would observe children and elders alike performing a balancing act in order to walk past the trees. Once an IPL match begins, the atmosphere inside the stadium becomes so fervent that, a decade ago, the writer recalls travelling along that stretch of road in a taxi and faintly hearing chants of “AB, AB, Kohli”. That gi...
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MS Dhoni Set for Full IPL Season as CSK CEO Shuts Down Rumours

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Dhoni is likely to play all the games of the upcoming season. (PC: BCCI) Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan has quashed rumours that MS Dhoni will limit his role by not playing all the matches in the upcoming IPL season. Sanju Samson’s addition to the CSK squad has ignited speculation about Dhoni possibly not being a regular part of the playing XI. Ahead of the start of the season, Viswanathan confirmed that Dhoni will play all the matches. “He will play the matches, all matches,” said Viswanathan while speaking to reporters. At 44, Dhoni is no longer the captain of the team. There is growing uncertainty regarding his role in the side. When asked about this, Viswanathan said: “That I cannot say. That is a cricketing decision which will be taken by the cricketing staff, not by the administrative staff. So they will decide whether he is going to play as a batsman, as a wicketkeeper-batter, or as an impact player.” Viswanathan also congratulated India for winning the T2...
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“The World Cup Was Over by 7:30 pm”: Sourav Ganguly on India’s White-Ball Dominance

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Sourav Ganguly on Team New Zealand in the World Cup final. Images: Debasis Sen “New Zealand had lost the World Cup by 7:30 pm,” said Sourav Ganguly. “How can teams ask this Indian side to bat first? It is a recipe for disaster.” Speaking cricket with Sourav is a real pleasure when he isn’t looking at his phone and when he is alone at home. With 20 people around, answers become monosyllabic and routine. Yesterday was a rare day when the conversation started like this: “Let’s just catch up for the first few minutes and then you can record the interview. We hardly get to chat beyond work these days.” And may I say, time just flew by. We had given each other 30 minutes. He had to catch a flight in the evening, and I had to go to a social event organised by Sharmistha for my birthday. At the end of an hour and ten minutes, we needed to stop. It was getting late for both of us. “New Zealand lost the World Cup by 7:30 pm itself,” said Sourav with a smile. “The match started at 7 pm and...
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