No marquee cricket match took place on Monday, July 15, with Team India now going on a almost two weeks break before embarking on another white-ball series against Sri Lanka. However, history was created in football, where Lionel Messi shook hands with paradise once again, successfully defending his Copa America title as Argentina beat Columbia 1-0. Lautaro Martinez bagged the winner in the extra time. Having said that, there were many other stories as well that gained huge traction. The likes of Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Gautam Gambhir were amongst some huge developments on Monday.
Shubman Gill – A clueless captain?
Veteran spinner Amit Mishra highly doubts Shubman Gill’s captaincy credentials after Gujarat Titans’ poor IPL 2024 season under his leadership. Gill, who took over as captain for the Titans’ third season, failed to impress. The team won only 5 games and finished outside the playoffs for the first time. Regardless, he recently led the Indian national team to a 4-1 T20I series win in Harare. Mishra, however, went on to say that “I will not make Shubman the captain because I have seen him in the IPL; he does not know how to do captaincy, he has no idea of captaincy.“
LSG to look for a better skipper than KL Rahul?
In a recent podcast appearance of Amit Mishra, the Indian tweaker has disclosed that LSG franchise will definitely look for a ‘better captain’ than KL Rahul. He said the role demands a leader with a strong T20 mindset. At 17 crores, Rahul was LSG’s priciest pick, but his captaincy may be on the chopping block. Mishra, is himself with LSG since 2023, has dropped a bombshell by giving this insights of the franchise.
DC their own on Gautam Gambhir
After parting ways with Ricky Ponting, DC are now seeking a hands-on coach who follows the game obsessively, like who else but Gautam Gambhir, the new Team India head coach. The franchise wants a coach who can bring stability and success, unlike Ponting’s tenure which ended without an IPL trophy. Sourav Ganguly, Director of Cricket, had criticized Ponting’s performance previously. However, his double duty of being coach and DOC isn’t likely as well. A fresh start is on the cards!
Bhajji and Raina issue apologies!
Following India Champions WCL 2024 win, Indian veterans Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Raina uploaded a funny video on social media, where they walked rather wackily. However, they received severe criticism about their post, with people questioning that why are they making fun of differently abled individuals. After this, Bhajji and Raina took to their social media accounts and issued apologies, stating that they didn’t intend to harm anyone’s sentiments.
No Cummins for Australia!
Australia will rest Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc (for T20s) for their limited-overs tour to UK in September. This aims to manage workloads for the Champions Trophy next year. Mitchell Marsh will captain the T20 squad, with young talents like Jake Fraser-McGurk getting a chance. This tour allows Australia to experiment in the absence of veterans Warner and Wade, while preparing players for upcoming challenges.
MESSI. THE. COPA AMERICA 2024. WINNER.
Argentina secured their third consecutive major trophy with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final. Lautaro Martínez’s goal in extra time settled a tense encounter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Lionel Messi, playing what could be his final international tournament, was forced off with an injury in the second half but Argentina held strong to secure their record-extending 16th Copa America title.
