We embarked on the trilogy of head coach Gautam Gambhir, skipper Rohit Sharma and talisman Virat Kohli. However, the chapter has begun on a dicey note, with India tying their first ever ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo. While the Lankan side played as a unit, one man that stood out was Dunith Wellalage. He was named the Player of the Match for his awesome all-round figures of 67* and 2/39, taking the prized wickets of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
Rohit Sharma ‘six-hitting’ machine
Rohit Sharma, the ‘Hitman’, lived up to his nickname in a blistering knock against Sri Lanka. His aggressive innings of 58 runs, including three sixes, was vital on Colombo’s tricky pitch. The highlight of Rohit’s knock was his 56th ODI fifty, achieved in a mere 33 balls with a six. However, the most significant aspect was Rohit equaling Eoin Morgan’s record for most international sixes as captain. Both now stand at 233 sixes, surpassing MS Dhoni’s 211. However, Rohit (134) has played way less innings as captain as compared to Morgan (180).
Kohli & KL Rahul are still rusty!
After his T20I retirement, all eyes were supposed to be on Virat Kohli. While Rohit dominated, this wasn’t the case with Kohli, who was out 24 off 32 balls. While he hit a couple of boundaries, Kohli was not at his best. KL Rahul, meanwhile, also made his return. He was making his international comeback after seven months but looked rusty as well. Similar to Kohli, Rahul also failed to convert his start and was dismissed at 31. Even Shreyas Iyer failed to deliver when India needed him to stay at the crease.
Ban on overseas IPL players?
IPL franchises have urged the BCCI to impose a two-year ban on players who skip the league after being auctioned. They also want mandatory registration for overseas players in all auctions, not just mini-auctions. Teams have cited past instances of players withdrawing at the last minute, disrupting strategies and forcing them to seek replacements from a limited international talent pool. Franchises emphasize the need for clear player availability at the auction stage, barring urgent commitments.
Lakshaya Sen soon to be ‘Golden Boy’ of India?
Lakshya Sen made history by becoming the first Indian man to reach the Olympic badminton semifinals. The 22-year-old sensation defeated Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling quarterfinal match at the Paris Olympics, with scores of 19-21, 21-15, 21-12. Sen’s victory sets up a mouthwatering clash against Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen. With the exit of PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, Sen now carries India’s hopes for a badminton medal.
Rishabh Pant in Delhi Premier League?
The Delhi Premier League (DPL) is set to debut on August 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, joining the growing list of franchise-based cricket tournaments. DDCA chief and league president Rohan Jaitely announced that star players like Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, and Harshit Rana are expected to headline the event. Pant’s participation, however, depends on his availability and national commitments. Other potential participants include IPL stars Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mayank Yadav, and Anuj Rawat.
Veterans > Youngsters in T20Is, says Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, veteran Indian spinner and Dindigul Dragons captain at TNPL, challenged the notion that T20 cricket is exclusively for young players. Ashwin emphasized the crucial role of experience in the sport. He argued that game awareness is becoming a significant challenge in T20s, and experience is key to addressing this issue.
