Sports

Old social-media posts of Team India’s new head coach Gautam Gambhir have once again triggered discussion online. These posts from 2019 and 2020 show Gambhir’s strong endorsement of Sanju Samson, whom he had then termed India’s best wicketkeeper-batter and a leading contender for the No. 4 spot in the World Cup lineup. Now, as Gambhir takes charge as head coach and Samson continues to battle for a consistent place in the playing XI, these remarks are going viral across platforms. Gambhir’s Old Posts Show Unwavering Support for Sanju Gambhir had repeatedly backed Samson’s talent and potential. Some of his old posts include: 22 September 2020:“Strange that Sanju Samson doesn’t find a place in India’s playing XI. Everyone else is ready to take him with open arms.” 22 September...

New Delhi: Following Shubman Gill being handed the captaincy in both Test and ODI formats, the BCCI is reportedly planning to revise his contract category—potentially affecting the earnings of senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as captain in Test cricket after Rohit’s sudden retirement mid-IPL 2025 and also assumed ODI leadership ahead of the Australia tour. Now, according to reports, the young star could surpass Rohit and Kohli financially as the BCCI prepares to upgrade his contract grade. Contract Revision on the Agenda The BCCI Apex Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) is scheduled for 22nd December, where the revision of player contracts, including women cricketers, is on the agenda. The report claims that Rohit and Kohli could see their a...

New Delhi: With the IPL 2026 mini-auction scheduled for 16th December in Abu Dhabi, the fate of nearly 40 wicketkeeper-batsmen will be decided. Out of 1,390 players who registered for the auction, 359 have been shortlisted, including a mix of international stars and promising uncapped Indian talent. Every IPL team requires at least two wicketkeepers, making this category highly competitive. Here’s a look at five wicketkeepers who could fetch significant money in the upcoming auction: 1. Kartik Sharma The 19-year-old Rajasthan-based Kartik Sharma has played 11 T20 matches, scoring 334 runs at an average of 30 with a strike rate of 163. In List A cricket, his strike rate stands at 118. Kartik is seen as a potential finisher for any IPL team, capable of handling high-pressure situations...

New Delhi: Rivaba Jadeja, wife of Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, has sparked nationwide discussion after making sensational claims against fellow Indian cricket players. Her remarks, praising her husband while criticizing others, have gone viral and could ignite significant controversy. Rivaba’s Statement Speaking at a public event, Rivaba highlighted her husband’s discipline, saying, “My husband travels to countries like London, Dubai, and Australia to play cricket, yet he has never indulged in any vices. Unfortunately, other players in the team engage in misconduct abroad.” She emphasized that Ravindra Jadeja could have easily followed the same path, but he chooses not to due to his sense of responsibility. Her comments came in the context of lauding her husband’s dedicatio...

New Delhi: Shubman Gill, the current Test and ODI captain of India, has long been earmarked for leadership responsibilities. However, in the IPL T20 format, the young star holds only the vice-captaincy. The story behind this decision reveals careful long-term planning by the team management. Gill’s Rise to Leadership When Rohit Sharma unexpectedly retired from Test cricket midway through IPL 2025, Shubman Gill was entrusted with the captaincy for India’s England tour. Management also had options like Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, but Gill was chosen due to his consistent performance and maturity. Ahead of the Australia tour, Rohit was also relieved of his ODI captaincy, and Gill was handed the reins. Despite struggles in T20s, Gill continues to be seen as the future captain in all...

New Delhi: Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma was known for his fiery pep talks on the field, often playfully scolding players to motivate them—a style that even became popular as memes. Recently, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opened up about how young players feel when Rohit doesn’t chide them during matches. Speaking at the Agenda Aaj Tak Summit, Jaiswal said, “Whenever Rohit Bhai scolds us, there’s a lot of care and affection hidden in it. Honestly, if he isn’t scolding, it feels strange—something must be wrong. Did I do something to upset him?” Mentorship from Legends Jaiswal, who shared significant partnerships with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during his maiden ODI century in Visakhapatnam, described how their presence changes the dressing room dynamics. “When they are arou...

New Chandigarh: India will look to continue their dominant form as they face South Africa in the second T20 International of the five-match series. India secured a comprehensive 101-run victory in the opening match, setting the stage for an exciting second encounter. Match Details Date: Thursday, 11 December 2025 Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh Time: Match starts at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 PM IST Live Broadcast & Streaming Fans can catch all the action on Star Sports Network. For online streaming, the match will be available on JioHotstar. Team Line-Ups South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Ma...

New Delhi: With less than a week to go for the IPL 2026 auction, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are preparing to strengthen their squad. The mega-event will be held on 16 December at Abu Dhabi, where 359 shortlisted players will go under the hammer from a pool of approximately 1,400 entries. CSK, holding the second-largest purse, aims to acquire up to nine players, including four overseas stars, with ₹43.4 crore at their disposal. CSK Squad Overview Current squad members include: MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Khalil Ahmed, Ramkrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj. Focus on Overseas All-Rounders CSK’s most pressing requirem...

New Delhi: The IPL 2026 mini-auction is set to take place on 16 December at Abu Dhabi, featuring several key players and team management figures. Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer, having recovered from a recent injury, is expected to lead his team’s bidding efforts at the auction. Iyer Ready to Lead According to BCCI sources, Shreyas Iyer will be present at the auction despite recovering from a splenic injury sustained during India’s recent ODI series against Australia. Iyer’s leadership last season guided Punjab Kings to the final, making his presence at the auction highly significant for his franchise. Under IPL rules, each team can have up to eight members inside the auction hall, with six additional members allowed outside. Ponting’s Absence On the downside, PBKS ma...

New Delhi: The IPL 2026 player auction is just around the corner, scheduled for 16 December at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This mega event will feature 350 players, with the first batch of six top stars going under the hammer in Set-1, generating high anticipation among franchises and fans alike. Set-1 Players and Base Prices The opening set includes: Devon Conway (NZ) – ₹2 crore Jake Fraser-McGurk (AUS) – ₹2 crore Cameron Green (AUS) – ₹2 crore Sarfaraz Khan (IND) – ₹75 lakh David Miller (SA) – ₹2 crore Prithvi Shaw (IND) – ₹75 lakh All eyes are expected to be on Cameron Green, who has registered only as a batsman this season. After missing last season’s mega auction due to injury, Green’s base price of ₹2 crore positions him as the potential most expensive...