By the time you’ll read this article, India will know their target to hunt down for a historic win. Jasprit Bumrah has been synonymous with “unplayable act.” He almost claimed a fifer but a no-ball denied him. Regardless, Bumrah weaved his magic by clinching 200 Test wickets, doing it with the best-ever bowling average. Apart from this, we had an update on the ICC Champions Trophy Indian squad. As for the ICC, it released the nominations for the ICC Men’s T20I cricketers of the year but the list excluded Jasprit Bumrah’s name. It was shocking to see but Babar Azam, who had a horrible T20 World Cup 2024, was included. On that note, let us look at the top stories from December 29.
ICC Champions Trophy squad when?
The Indian cricket team’s squad for the England series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is expected to be announced after the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). The team will play five T20Is and three ODIs against England from January 22 to February 6. Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the ODI team, returning from a month-long break. The squad submission deadline for the Champions Trophy is January 12, with a final deadline of February 12.
Rohit Sharma, “cry baby”?
The Australian media has targeted Rohit Sharma, labeling him “Captain Cry Baby” after he expressed anger when Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped a catch. A Western Australian newspaper published a photo of Rohit with a pacifier, also referencing Virat Kohli as “Clown Kohli” following his recent shoulder-barge incident. The media’s behaviour has been criticized for crossing the line and using Indian superstars as commodities for laughs.
No Jasprit Bumrah for Best T20I player
The ICC has announced its shortlist for the best T20I player of 2024, with Travis Head, Sikandar Raza, Arshdeep Singh, and Babar Azam making the cut. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah was excluded despite winning the Player of the Tournament at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Bumrah’s unmatchable stats, including 15 wickets at an average of 8.26, have left most of the fans wondering about his omission from the shortlist.
WTC Finalist: South Africa confirmed!
South Africa has become the first team to qualify for the 2025 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final. Their two-wicket win over Pakistan in Centurion sealed their spot in the summit clash, scheduled to take place at Lord’s next year. South Africa right tops the WTC standings with seven wins from 11 Tests, boasting a 66.67% win percentage. With this, scenarios have changed for India as well to qualify for the WTC Final. But is South Africa deserving finalists?
Jasprit Bumrah, take a bow!
Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s savior in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, taking 29 wickets in the series so far. His magical spell on day 4 of the 4th Test at Melbourne turned the game in India’s favor, dismissing Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Alex Carey. Bumrah’s ability to break opening partnerships in every innings has been crucial, saving India from huge scores and boosting his fellow bowlers’ confidence. His 29 wickets are the best figure by an Indian pacer in Australia in a single series.
New PKL winners: Haryana Steelers!
The Haryana Steelers won the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2024 title, defeating the Patna Pirates in the final on December 29. The Steelers dominated the game, taking a 3-point lead in the first half and outplaying the Pirates in the second half. They outscored the Pirates in both raiding (13-11) and defending (16-11). Gurdeep and Devank were top performers for the Steelers, scoring 6 and 5 points, respectively.
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