Ben Stokes Ruled Out for Three Months with Torn Hamstring
England’s Test cricket captain, Ben Stokes, has been confirmed to be out of play for at least three months due to a torn left hamstring. The injury, which he had previously sustained in August during The Hundred domestic competition, recurred during the third Test of England’s recent series against New Zealand, where Stokes played a significant bowling role. Despite this setback, Stokes remains optimistic, expressing his determination to overcome the injury on social media. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that Stokes will have surgery in January. England’s next Test matches are scheduled against Zimbabwe in May and a five-match series against India in July and August.
Marvel Stadium’s Surface Criticized After BBL Match
Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges criticized the condition of Marvel Stadium’s wicket and outfield following their two-wicket loss to the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League (BBL). He described the outfield as “substandard” and the bat flip as heavily influencing the game’s outcome. Cricket Australia stated that the ground had been inspected and deemed safe, though concerns were raised due to recent events held there. The Renegades’ players, including English import Jacob Bethell, found the wicket acceptable. Australian cricketer Lisa Sthalekar and former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin also criticized the surface. Despite the challenging conditions, the Renegades’ international players adapted and led their team to victory. The stadium will not host another game until January 2, giving time for potential improvements.
India to Play Champions Trophy Matches in UAE
India will play their Champions Trophy matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next year, as Pakistan has chosen the Gulf country as a neutral venue due to the sour political relations between India and Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided against sending the team to Pakistan, following government advice. India has not visited Pakistan since 2008, and the teams have only faced each other in multi-team tournaments. The PCB spokesperson Amir Mir confirmed the choice of UAE via email. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has mandated that matches between these two countries should be played at neutral venues for tournaments it organizes. This rule will apply not only to the men’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan but also to the women’s ODI World Cup in India, the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, and women’s T20 World Cup in 2028. The Champions Trophy will take place in February and March of next year.
England Coach Criticizes Women’s Ashes Schedule After Naming Squad
England’s head coach has criticized the tight Women’s Ashes schedule while announcing the squad, highlighting the challenges it presents for the team. Ryana MacDonald-Gay has received her first call-up; at 20, she’ll join the squad for the series starting January 12 in Australia. The Ashes includes seven matches across five cities in three weeks, concluding with a historic day-night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The coach expressed the difficulty of the congested schedule and emphasized the need for more spacing between games, especially given the current emphasis on T20 cricket. The coach also advocates for the introduction of multi-day domestic cricket to better prepare players for Test matches. This three-week tour is crucial for England as they aim to reclaim the Ashes and prove their resilience and adaptability.
R Ashwin Hits Bullseye, Explains Difference Between MS Dhoni And Other Captains
Ravichandran Ashwin simply put the characteristic in the light, which sets the iconic MS Dhoni apart as a captain from the rest. Dhoni, considered among the top captains that grace the field, hung down his boots after lifting every trophy he laid his eyes on. In 2007, Dhoni turned a young Indian side into T20 World Cup champions in the tournament’s inaugural edition. Four years later, he became the first captain to inspire India to an ODI World Cup title since the Kapild Dev-led 1983 World Cup-winning team. In 2013, when the odds were stacked against the Indian side, Dhoni captained the Indian team to the ICC Champions Trophy with immeasurable calmness. As the duo prepare to reunite at the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025, Ashwin emphasised Dhoni’s simplicity of sticking to the basics makes him different from others.
Virat Kohli-Babar Azam Comparisons Laughed Off By Ex-Pakistan Star: Even Joe Root, Steve Smith
Days after announcing his retirement from international cricket, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir labelled India star batter Virat Kohli as the greatest player of the current generation. Amir, who has been one of Kohli’s biggest admirers throughout his career, has laughed off such comparisons. Amir insisted that the likes of Babar Azam, Steve Smith and Joe Root can’t be compared to Kohli, saying that it is hard to match the former India captain’s numbers across formats. “Virat Kohli is the greatest player of this generation. I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith, or Joe Root. We cannot compare Virat Kohli to anyone because he has won so many matches for India, which seems impossible for any one player. Not just in one format, but in all three formats, Virat is the greatest batsman of this generation,” Amir said on the Cricket Predicta show.
India reveal squad for the upcoming U19 Women’s T20 World Cup
India have named their outfit for the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025. The Asian side are the defending champions of the event, having won the inaugural edition under the leadership of Shafali Verma in 2023 in South Africa. Niki Prasad leads the side, while Sanika Chalke is her deputy. Kamalini G, and Bhavika Ahire are the named wicket-keepers in the squad. Three standby players have also been selected. Recently, India participated in the Women’s U19 T20 Asia Cup, and won the tournament after defeating Bangladesh by 41 runs in the final. G Trisha (159 runs) and Aayushi Shukla (10 wickets) were the respective leaders in the runs and wickets tally for the tournament. The duo are also a part of the U19 T20 World Cup squad.
Ponting analyses Gill’s overseas struggles
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting broke down the India opener’s struggles with replicating his home form overseas. India opener Shubman Gill is one of the brightest talents in the game, but while his performances at home have been exceptional his overseas record has room for improvement. Australia legend Ricky Ponting, speaking in the latest episode of The ICC Review, believes the opener can improve his fortunes in Australia with minor tweaks to his approach. “I love watching him play. When you’re watching him bat and bat well, he looks as good as anyone in world cricket,” Ponting said. “But the numbers don’t really stack up, do they, away from home?”
Further Stokes blow as Test captain learns injury fate
England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes to miss significant time with torn hamstring. England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of action for at least three months after confirmation of a torn hamstring sustained on tour in New Zealand. The all-rounder broke down with the injury during the third Test in Hamilton, with further post-tour assessments confirming its severity. The 33-year-old will undergo surgery in January though there are hopes that his Test career is largely unaffected, with the team not playing red-ball cricket until late May, when they host Zimbabwe for a one-off Test at Trent Bridge. Stokes had already been left out of England’s ODI squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in February. “Something else to overcome … go on then!” Stokes posted to X on Monday night. “I’ve got so much more left in this tank and so much more blood, sweat and tears to go through for my team and this shirt.”
Rohit Sharma Troubled By Part-Timer Devdutt Padikkal In Nets, Video Viral
India captain Rohit Sharma and other members of the batting unit had to begin their nets session in Melbourne on ‘not-so-useful’ pitches. The training surfaces on offer to the Indian team were much different in comparison to the actual wickets that are prepared for the match. With the ball keeping low, Rohit even found it difficult to deal with the bowling of part-timer Devdutt Padikkal. On the bowling of pacer Akash Deep, Rohit was also hit on the knee once. The video featuring Rohit and Padikkal spread like wildfire on social media, with fans highlighting how difficult the India skipper is finding facing a part-timer on the practice wicket.
