Cricket now

Lalchand Rajput(PC: X.com) On Tuesday, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for 14, playing for India A against Sri Lanka A in the ongoing tri-series in the Island nation. Suddenly there was a bit of a noise. As weird as it may sound, it probably wasn’t unexpected. Non-achievers revel in schadenfreude and social media gives poison a platform. There would be a section, keyboard warriors, who would like to see the teenager fail at the international level just to have the satisfaction of predicting it right. It’s deplorable, but unavoidable. Serious cricket minds will obviously not take such trolls seriously, and like Lalchand Rajput said, it would be preposterous to talk down a player as talented as Sooryavanshi on the basis of a few innings in international cricket. “I feel that a guy who has done so well and then one game you cannot judge it because he has not performed,” Rajput, India’s T20 World Cup-winning coach from 2007 who now guides the UAE team, said, speakin...

Richa Ghosh (Image: BCCI) For years, Richa Ghosh has been viewed as India’s designated finisher. The batter who walks in during the final five overs and clears the ropes from ball one. It is a role she has performed admirably and one that has earned her a reputation as one of the cleanest strikers in women’s cricket. But what if India are leaving runs on the table by using her solely as a finisher? A closer look at Richa’s numbers in 2026 suggests exactly that. India’s final warm-up game against England in Cardiff provided another reminder of a trend that has repeatedly appeared in Richa Ghosh’s numbers this year. Chasing 172, India were in trouble when Richa walked in with work still to do. She responded with a counter-attacking innings that almost dragged India across the line before England eventually held on for a five-run win. It was a reminder of something that has repeatedly appeared in the numbers this year: give Richa time and she becomes exponentially more dangerous. At ...

Team India’s practice session ahead of the ODI against Afghanistan (Image: Subhayan Chakraborty) While the Women’s T20 World Cup is on, India’s men’s team also start their quest for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, with a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. India haven’t won a 50-over World Cup in a decade and a half, and 2023 still remains a very painful memory. At the moment, there are quite a few missing pieces to the ODI puzzle. Fitness concerns rank at the very top of the pile, and the question that needs to be asked is: should India have back-ups for every spot? While Rohit Sharma is ready for the Afghanistan series, Virat Kolhi and Hardik Pandya are both out. While Yashasvi Jaiswal will step in for Kohli, who is to step in for Hardik? Will it be Nitish Kumar Reddy or someone else? Do India have a Hardik back-up? How will Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir shape the ODI team in the next 14 months? What’s the template? In T20 cricket, India had a clear plan in the ...

Stokes has found himself at the centre of yet another controversy. (PC: X/ICC) England skipper Ben Stokes is likely to step down as captain and could also call time on his international career following the nightclub incident involving him and Gus Atkinson. Two days ago, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) launched an inquiry into Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson over their involvement in a nightclub incident that breached team protocols. The incident took place after England’s 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s. An ECB statement read: “The ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first Men’s Test against New Zealand. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place. We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course. The Cricket Regulator has be...

Ben Stokes (Image: @stokesy) With the Stokes incident, the English cricket reset has taken a significant hit. It is expected to give fresh momentum to the argument that there is a drinking problem in English cricket, and Ben Stokes could be held accountable for it. Now that the dust has settled somewhat, there is widespread speculation in the British media about whether Ben Stokes is likely to take the extreme step of retiring from all forms of cricket following the incident in the pub on Sunday night and Monday morning. If that does happen, it would be extremely unfortunate. Stokes remains one of the best in the business and, as a cricketer, is a hugely inspirational figure in world cricket. Just last year during the India series, he elevated himself to the level of the extraordinary, doing things that seemed almost superhuman. He defied pain and injury, and it was a genuine case of leading from the front. But sport is not just about what happens on the field. It is also about life...

Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya (Image: BCCI) With the BCCI Centre of Excellence clearing Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya for the ODI series against Afghanistan, India regain two of its most formidable match-winners. However, the narrative of this series extends far beyond their immediate return or Virat Kohli’s absence due to a hamstring injury. For Indian cricket, the implications are strong. As the team meticulously starts building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, the durability of its veteran core is under an unforgiving microscope. The transition phase is in full swing in Indian cricket, and the focus has drastically shifted from past laurels to future sustainability. Rohit, now 39, is navigating the twilight of a legendary career. His mandate under Shubman Gill is to provide explosive, seasoned stability at the top of the order. Yet, the 50-over format remains ruthlessly demanding, requiring eight hours of sustained physical intensity. The reality of ageing in elite sport means...