Mohammed Shami’s much-awaited return to top-flight cricket did not receive too many supporting signals during the seasoned pacer’s nearly hour-long stint of varying intensity at the India nets on Friday (January 25, 2025). Shami, whose last appearance in India colours was during the 2023 World Cup final, worked hard on finding his bowling rhythm at the Chepauk, but never really hit his flowing peak which makes him a tough customer for batters. Shami was expected to feature in the playing 11 during India’s first T20I against England at Kolkata on Wednesday, but the management decided to delay his comeback. Much like he did at the Eden Gardens, Shami was an active presence in the nets here too, starting with a light jogging session alongside assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Then the 34-year-old engaged in throwing drills for a few minutes with fielding coach T Dilip before hitting the bowling nets closer to the Madras Cricket Club stand. Shami, whose both legs were heavily bandaged, began with half run-up and worked up reasonable pace as well. After bowling a few deliveries with reduced run-up, Shami went back full distance but the renowned smoothness in his approach and release was lacking. He did hit the base of the stumps a few times as bowling coach Morne Morkel watched him closely while doing the wicketkeeper duties. Alongside Shami, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh too bowled at the nets but the Punjab man was sharp and accurate. The Bengal pacer then took a few minutes break from the nets to have a chat with Morkel and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Shami then returned to the nets to resume bowling. His rhythm and sharpness gradually hit a higher gear but the whole picture was one of rustiness. It’s quite perplexing too because Shami was selected to the India squad for the series against England and the Champions Trophy after playing in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But here, he looked nowhere near his lethal best and initially, he did not bowl to any of his batting colleagues, who went outside to train at the MAC ‘B’ ground. Shami then bowled a couple of balls to Nitish Kumar Reddy, who returned to the main ground along with Hardik Pandya, before going back to follow fielding and catching drills.

A rampaging Iga Swiatek stormed into her second Australian Open semi-final with a 6-1 6-2 centre-court demolition of eighth seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday as the world number two underlined her title credentials once again at Melbourne Park. The quarter-final passed with a note of controversy, though, with Swiatek scooping up a drop shot that looked perilously close to a double-bounce in the fifth game of the second set, which proved a hammer blow for Navarro. A throbbing ball of energy from the first point to the last, Swiatek’s win at a sundrenched Rod Laver Arena set up another American match-up with Madison Keys, who overhauled Elina Svitolina 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the earlier quarter-final. “I think it was much more tougher than the score shows,” Swiatek said on court. The Pole has a 4-1 record against her next opponent Keys but expected a tough test against the American. “Madison is a great player and really experienced, so you never know. The match that I lost, she kind of killed me, so I think it can be tricky,” she added. After beating Ukrainian Svitolina, Keys had said she looked forward to cheering on Navarro as her compatriot took on the five-times Grand Slam champion. But she was left to ponder the scale of her task as she looks to secure her first Grand Slam final since the 2017 U.S. Open. Most eyes had been focused on the top half of the women’s draw, where favourite and double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka booked a semi-final with Paula Badosa on Tuesday. But it may be the free-swinging Swiatek in pole position for the title, having conceded only 14 games in her five matches. Though the scoreline suggested otherwise, Navarro gave Swiatek a proper battle in the second set and had a break point in the fifth game tinged by controversy. Swiatek bolted forward to retrieve a drop shot that appeared to have bounced twice on certain angles of the replay before her racket scooped it up. Play went on, though, with Swiatek winning both the point and the game with a passing shot, leaving Navarro to remonstrate fruitlessly with the chair umpire. Navarro could not recover from the blow, losing the next three games to bow out. While Swiatek squandered a first match point with a poor return into the net, she sealed it on the second when a desperate Navarro fired just wide of the line. A throbbing ball of energy from the first point to the last, Swiatek’s win at a sundrenched Rod Laver Arena set up another American match-up with Madison Keys, who overhauled Elina Svitolina 3-6 6-3 6-4 in the earlier quarter-final. “I think it was much more tougher than the score shows,” Swiatek said on court. The Pole has a 4-1 record against her next opponent Keys but expected a tough test against the American. “Madison is a great player and really experienced, so you never know. The match that I lost, she kind of killed me, so I think it can be tricky,” she added. After beating Ukrainian Svitolina, Keys had said she looked forward to cheering on Navarro as her compatriot took on the five-times Grand Slam champion. But she was left to ponder the scale of her task as she looks to secure her first Grand Slam final since the 2017 U.S. Open. Most eyes had been focused on the top half of the women’s draw, where favourite and double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka booked a semi-final with Paula Badosa on Tuesday. But it may be the free-swinging Swiatek in pole position for the title, having conceded only 14 games in her five matches. Though the scoreline suggested otherwise, Navarro gave Swiatek a proper battle in the second set and had a break point in the fifth game tinged by controversy. Swiatek bolted forward to retrieve a drop shot that appeared to have bounced twice on certain angles of the replay before her racket scooped it up. Play went on, though, with Swiatek winning both the point and the game with a passing shot, leaving Navarro to remonstrate fruitlessly with the chair umpire. Navarro could not recover from the blow, losing the next three games to bow out. While Swiatek squandered a first match point with a poor return into the net, she sealed it on the second when a desperate Navarro fired just wide of the line.

Seasoned India pacer Mohammed Shami has revealed that he was gripped by a sense of fear when he began his rehabilitation after a long injury layoff, but managed to overcome that phase by training his mind to stay focused on the national comeback. Following his inclusion in India’s Champions Trophy squad, his return has garnered national attention. He is also in the squad for the five-match T20I series against England beginning here later this evening. “I waited for an entire year and I worked very hard [to get back to full fitness]. There was a sense of fear [of getting injured during rehabilitation] even while running,” Shami said in a video posted by BCCI. It is difficult for any player to get injured after being in full flow, go the NCA [National Cricket Academy] for rehabilitation and then make a comeback,” he added. The cricketer, however, said an athlete is far more determined after deaking with an injury. “When you go through injuries, I feel you grow stronger as an athlete, this is what I feel. Because you have to repeat a lot of things while being mentally strong.” Shami went through the domestic grind, representing his home state Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq and Vijay Hazare but a swelling in his knee finally ruled him out of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series in Australia. On his competitive return in the Ranji Trophy, he guided Bengal to their first win of the season with a seven-wicket haul. He followed it up with impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (11 wickets) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy (five wickets). Shami’s T20I career has been sporadic, with just 23 appearances since his debut in 2014. His last outing in the format was against England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. The 34-year-old said he has overcome the setbacks and is raring to go. “Whatever is done, is done. I have crossed that (injury) phase. If you work hard you will get the results. That’s what I believe in. If you get injured you have to make a comeback for your team for your country. So fight and grow,” he said. “If you are strong and believe in yourself and you have confidence in your abilities, have self-belief, then I don’t think you will find any difference. Confidence is important for any task,” he added. Shami said he concentrated on improving his skills with a lot of focus on fitness during his rehabilitation. “The rhythm is very important. Everything in life has a flow. Whatever it is, your fitness, mindset and skill are important for bowling,” he explained.

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah continued to remain the undisputed No. 1 Test bowler, while Ravindra Jadeja maintained his top spot in the all-rounders’ category, in the latest ICC rankings released on Wednesday (January 22, 2025). Bumrah, who had made history ahead of the fifth and final Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia in January by recording the highest-ever ICC Rankings rating for an Indian bowler at 907 points, is currently on a career-best points tally of 908. Australia’s Pat Cummins (841) and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (837) are placed second and third respectively. Pakistan’s Noman Ali (761) broke into the top-10 after an impressive six-wicket haul in the first Test against the West Indies in Multan. There was no movement to the top-10 all-rounders list in the Test format, with Jadeja (400 ratings points) retaining the top spot, followed by South Africa’s Marco Jansen (294) and Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan (263).

Openers are the only ones with a fixed slot in the Indian T20 line-up and the batting order that follows will be made up of “multiple floaters”, new vice-captain Axar Patel said on Monday (January 20, 2025) while spelling out the team’s strategy ahead the five-match series against England. India will start their campaign against England in a five-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday (January 22, 2025). Asked about being a floater in batting order, the all-rounder replied: “…it’s not just about me; it applies to everyone in the team. “Right from the start of 2024, we had decided to have a fixed opening slot, and from No. 3 to No. 7, everyone has been told to be flexible based on the situation, combinations, and match-ups.” Axar, who is now a part of the team management for the series, spoke in a manner that reminded one of Rohit Sharma’s interaction before the 2023 ODI World Cup where he called for flexibility in the middle-order. “There is no fixed position where a particular batter will always play…it’s the same for everyone in that range (between Nos 3 to 7), depending on who is having a great day, which we assess during practice sessions. “In T20 cricket, it’s all about utilising the right batter in the right situation.” There is not much that changes for Axar as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy except for the fact that he will now also be a part of certain hard calls that are taken by the team management. “It’s been only one day. Yes, we (skipper Surya, head coach Gautam Gambhir and myself) have had a discussion. There is an extra responsibility on the leadership group. There is not much of a change. Obviously, we have a settled T20 side, there is not much pressure.” “When you come into the leadership group, obviously you have to take some harsh decisions. Those also we have spoken about. It is about having a genuine opinion and keeping trust on each other.” This is the national team’s first game after the Test debacle in Australia and the all-rounder doesn’t want to fret on the bygones. “Hum yeh bhi baat karte hain ki, jo ho gaya woh ho gaya, woh wapas nahin aanewala (Let bygones be bygones). It is about taking the positives into our next series,” he said. Axar also welcomed veteran pacer Mohammed Shami’s return to the national set-up for the first time since ODI World Cup final on November 19, 2023. Shami had been struggling with a knee niggle after recuperating from an ankle surgery. “It’s a very positive thing for the team. The last time he (Shami) played was in the ODI World Cup final, and since his recovery, he has performed well in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare tournaments,” he said, referring to Shami’s recent comeback in the domestic circuit. “Whenever a senior player makes a comeback, it gives a big boost to the team. We all know what Shami bhai brings to the table, whether it’s with the new ball or in the death overs. “His presence, especially with the new ball, is a huge advantage for the team. Hopefully, he continues the same form he showcased in the World Cup.”

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday (January 20, 2025) refused to read much into Virat Kohli’s prolonged lean run and hailed the batting maestro as the “greatest white-ball player” and “once-in-a-lifetime cricketer”. Kohli struck a second innings century in the opening Perth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but then managed only 85 runs in the next seven innings. With seniors such as Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma failing to deliver, India lost the series Down Under 1-3. Virat Kohli is a once-in-a-lifetime cricketer. To score 81 international centuries in a career is something unbelievable. For me, he’s probably the greatest white-ball player the world has seen,” Ganguly said during a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB felicitation programme for the state’s players. Reflecting on Kohli’s struggle after the Perth century, Ganguly said even he was surprised to see him not build on that hundred in the remainder of the series. “I was really surprised the way he batted after getting a 100 in Perth. With Kohli’s poor form being a topic of discussion, Ganguly expressed confidence and said he would be back at his best in the three-match ODI series against England and the ensuing Champions Trophy. “He will score runs in this tournament in Indian conditions, and I still feel there’s a lot of cricket left in Virat Kohli, the tour of England will be a big challenge for him. “I’m not too worried about his form in the Champions Trophy, because as I said, he’s probably the best white-ball player the world has seen for a long period of time.” ‘India are Champions Trophy contenders’ Ganguly further said India would be one of the contenders in the Champions Trophy, especially after their runner-up finish in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup title triumph last year. “I know India did not have a great series in Australia, but if you look at the last two World Cups, the T20 World Cup India won it unbeaten, and the 50-over World Cup India lost their final. “So if you look at India’s performance in the last two World Cups, they’ve just lost one game, in almost about 20 of them. So, I think it’s a phenomenal white ball team. For me, they will be the favourites in the Champions Trophy.” It will be a different Rohit come CT Ganguly also backed struggling Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to return to his best in the Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma in white-ball cricket is phenomenal, and you will see a different Rohit Sharma once the Champions Trophy starts. And as I said, they (India) will be one of the contenders in the tournament.” Ganguly, however, said India need to work on their Test cricket with their next series being in England in the coming summer. “Come England in July, they’ll have to really work hard to play well there because the conditions are different. The red ball and the seaming, swinging pitches, they’ll have to bat a bit better than what they have done,” Ganguly said. “I’ve always said that if you score 350 to 400 runs in first innings of Test matches away from home, you get yourself in a position to win Test matches.” “Now if you’re getting out for less than 200, then you’re always fighting from behind. And the reason they won in Perth is because they got 400-500 runs on the board in second innings.” Shami next best after Bumrah Ganguly was also excited to see pacer Mohammed Shami back on his feet and fully fit after a long injury layoff. “I’m happy to see Shami fit because I think he’s probably the best bowler after (Jasprit) Bumrah in the country. “I know he’ll be a bit nervous because he’s playing cricket after a long time, especially with a knee injury, but the good thing is that he bowled a lot for Bengal in the domestic cricket, which is going to help him in the games to come,” he said. Shami will return to international action in the series-opening T20I against England here on Wednesday. Ganguly also supported the idea of Shami returning to Test cricket, stating, “He’s as good as anybody in the world. Shami and Bumrah bowling at two ends is different than Bumrah bowling from one end. Both players are vital to each other’s success in Test cricket.” There has been a lot of criticism of Team India following their loss to Australia and Ganguly stressed the importance of focusing on performance and maintaining a strong mindset amid all the noise. “There’s so much at stake with sport these days, and there will be negativity and opinions. As an athlete, you need to find a way to keep yourself out of it,” he advised.

Dynamic keeper-batter Rishabh Pant was on Monday (January 20, 2025) named the captain of Lucknow Super Giants for the upcoming IPL and he vowed to give his “200%” to win the team’s maiden title. Pant was picked at the mega auction for an IPL record ₹27 crore by the franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka. “I will give my 200%. That’s my commitment to you. I will try whatever is there in my power to repay the faith. I am really excited and looking forward to new beginning and new energy. And have a blast out there with lot of fun,” Pant told mediapersons after being unveiled as the new skipper. “We start with new hope and aspirations. And most importantly, new confidence. I wanted to introduce you all to our new captain Rishabh Pant,” Goenka said.

Debutants Nigeria scripted the unimaginable as they stunned a formidable New Zealand by two runs for a historic win in a rain-interrupted low-scoring thriller of the ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in which both sides were restricted for under-70 totals in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (January 20, 2025). Nigeria scored 65-6 batting first, before producing an energetic display on the field derailed New Zealand’s run chase. The Kiwis were 57-5, needing nine runs with one over to go in the 13-over contest. However, tight bowling from pacer Lilian Udeh got them over the line with the Kiwis falling short by just two runs. Udeh (19) and skipper Lucky Piety (18) were the only ones to hit double figures in the game for Nigeria, while Anika Todd top-scored for New Zealand with a 19-run effort. Football and athletics are popular sports in Nigeria, unlike in the south of the continent (South Africa, Zimbabwe) where cricket has a big fan following. But the Nigerian girls placed the spotlight on their country’s cricketing growth by becoming the first West African country to qualify for a global tournament and then producing the biggest shock by upsetting an ICC full member nation in a Group C match.

India’s GenNext cricketers will be eager to extend their dominance in the global stage as they seek to defend the title of the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup beginning in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (January 18, 2025). Clubbed with the West Indies, Sri Lanka and hosts Malaysia in Group A, India will begin their campaign against the Caribbeans at the Bayuemas Oval on Sunday (January 19, 2025). India had won the last edition — also inaugural — held in South Africa in 2023, beating England by seven wickets in the final. The opening day’s fixtures will see last edition’s semi-finalists Australia taking on Scotland in Group D, while the 2023 runners-up England will face Ireland in Group B. Other matches on Saturday include Samoa versus Nigeria (Group C), Bangladesh against Nepal (Group D), Pakistan versus the United States (Group B), and New Zealand against South Africa (Group C). The tournament, featuring 16 teams, are divided into four groups, with the top three from each group progressing to the Super Six stage. From there, the top-two teams from each Super Six group will advance to the semi-finals, culminating in the summit clash on February 2. Shafali Verma-led India’s victory over England in the 2023 final in South Africa marked a historic moment for age group women’s cricket. Shafali had led by example, while the team, coached by Nooshin Al Khadeer, also had the likes of current India senior player Titas Sadhu, Shweta Sehrawat, and the spin trio of Mannat Kashyap, Parshavi Chopra and Archana Devi. With the ODI World Cup at home due later this year, the Niki Prasad-led squad will be eager to seize the opportunity and make the leap to the senior team. Among the promising players is Hyderabad’s Trisha G, whose top-order aggression guided India to victory in the U-19 Asia Cup last month. Having been a squad member two years ago also, Trisha is poised for an even stronger performance on the world stage. The team also boasts a lethal left-arm orthodox spin attack in Parunika Sisodia, Sonam Yadav and Aayushi Shukla — all emerged as key players in the triumphant Asia Cup here last year. India would face strong challenge from England, Australia and South Africa. This edition will see Samoa making their ICC tournament debut, alongside Nigeria, Nepal and Malaysia, all competing in their first U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. India Squad Niki Prasad (Captain), Sanika Chalke (Vice-captain), G Trisha, Kamalini G (WK), Bhavika Ahire (WK), Ishwari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, Joshitha VJ, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodiya, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Vaishnavi S; Standby players: Nandhana S, Ira J and Anadi T. The Groups Group A: India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, West Indies; Group B: England, Ireland, Pakistan, United States; Group C: New Zealand, Nigeria, Samoa, South Africa; Group D: Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Scotland.