No squad announcements came on July 16, but there were plenty of reports. We heard that Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah are being requested to participate in the India vs Sri Lanka ODI series by new head coach Gautam Gambhir, and Hardik Pandya is expected to leave the white-ball Sri Lanka tour midway. The PCB has made a baffling demand from the BCCI and warned their own players to stop the infighting amongst them or face wrath. Amit Mishra has claimed Virat Kohli changed after being famous, but not for good. Lastly, Gambhir has released a video montage for his franchise, KKR, as he leaves them.
Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah to play India vs Sri Lanka ODIs?
A week ago, we heard that the BCCI had decided to rest Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming India vs Sri Lanka ODIs. However, newly appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir wants the trio to play in all three fixtures as they already rested for a month following their T20 World Cup title run and will get more time to relax after the series with the Bangladesh Test series starting on September 19.
Hardik Pandya to skip 2nd leg of Sri Lanka tour
India’s premier all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, will soon be crowned as the new T20I skipper. With the India vs Sri Lanka T20I series starting on July 27, Hardik will lead the team, taking over Rohit Sharma’s mantle. However, he won’t be available for the ODIs, as he’ll leave the tour midway due to some personal reasons.
PCB makes ludicrous demand from BCCI for Champions Trophy 2025
Talk about an outlandish demand. Following reports coming out that India won’t travel to Pakistan for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants the BCCI to deliver official written proof from the Indian government to the ICC as to why they won’t travel to the neighbouring nation.
Rohit Sharma better than Virat Kohli?
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s former India teammate, Amit Mishra, has highlighted how the two leaders are different from each other. He claimed that Rohit remained the same person throughout his career, while Virat changed after he gained fame and power.
PCB lays down the law
Following rumours of potential rifts in the Pakistan cricket team, the PCB Chief, Mohsin Naqvi, has issued a strong statement. He’s clearly stated that there will be a new ‘zero-tolerance’ policy in effect, by which no player will be spared if they resort to grouping in the dressing room.
Gautam Gambhir bids KKR adieu
As he ventures on to new beginnings (India’s head coach), the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain and mentor has bid the city of Kolkata and the franchise goodbye. In a heartfelt post shared on his social media, Gambhir shared what the city and fans have given him throughout the years and wished KKR luck as he starts the next chapter of his career.