The killing of two village defence committee (VDC) members by terrorists in the forest areas of J&K's Kishtwar district has sparked outrage, with political leaders such as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta condemning the act. The VDC members, who were initially given .303 rifles, have now been equipped with automatic weapons to better defend against the terrorists. However, this has made them targets for the terrorists, with incidents like this highlighting the ongoing security concerns in the region.
As the IPL 2025 retention deadline wrapped up, Punjab Kings made headlines with their strategic retention of uncapped players Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh, leaving them with a whopping 110.5 crore in their auction purse. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals raised some eyebrows by letting go of star skipper Rishabh Pant, opting to retain experienced players Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel. While DC's decision sparked some debate, co-owner Parth Jindal assured fans that the team is determined to build a strong and balanced squad that will bring home the elusive IPL trophy.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is gearing up for its 2025 auction with major changes in the player retention process. Under the new rule, franchises will face larger deductions if they choose to retain marquee players, impacting their financial planning. This has led to speculation among players, with Rishabh Pant hinting at his auction interest and asking about his potential value. Other players like Shreyas Iyer and Kuldeep Yadav could also opt for the auction, hoping for a better deal. This year's auction could see aggressive bidding from teams with larger purses and the Right to Match card system playing a crucial role in retaining players.
The BCCI has announced the 18-man squad for the upcoming Australian tour, including new names like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, while leaving out familiar ones like Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami. However, fans were disappointed to see Chennai Super Kings' Ruturaj Gaikwad missing from the squad, with some accusing BCCI of "favouritism". While the team remains strong, it will be interesting to see how they fare without Gaikwad's explosive batting in the middle order.
In a surprising move, Washington Sundar was included in the Indian squad for the second Test against New Zealand, replacing wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. However, former India player and coach Sridharan Sriram reveals that the decision was actually not that shocking, as Gambhir had always believed in the all-rounder's potential and versatility. His career-best 7/59 performance in his first Test match in four years proved Gambhir right, as Washington's spin bowling led India to a dominant victory. Despite facing a string of injuries and confusion about his role, Washington's comeback to Test cricket was a smashing success thanks to Gambhir's faith in him.
Washington Sundar, filling in for injured Kuldeep Yadav, impressed with career-best figures of 7-59 on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also picked up 3 wickets to bundle out the visitors for 259. Sundar credited his fellow spinners for their guidance and hoped to play more games with them in the future.
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar defended Rohit Sharma's decision to leave out spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the second Test against New Zealand. He supported the inclusion of in-form seamer Akash Deep and spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar in the playing eleven for the crucial match, stating that Kuldeep's artistry would not be needed on a pitch offering a lot of assistance to the bowlers. However, former Indian great Sunil Gavaskar expressed disappointment with Kuldeep's exclusion and viewed the addition of Washington as a panicked move. The Indian team, led by Sharma, will have to win this Test to maintain their unbeaten home record in the last 12 years and stay in the race for a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals.
India's second test against New Zealand has already seen its fair share of drama, with the Kiwis taking an early lead in the three-match series. Ahead of the crucial match, India's team changes have come under scrutiny, particularly the omission of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and the inclusion of Washington Sundar. While India's legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his disappointment with the decision, the hosts will look to prove their critics wrong and even the series.
Indian left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has struggled to secure a permanent spot in the playing XI, has been dropped from the Indian team for the second Test against New Zealand. Despite consistently outshining his spin bowling counterparts in the limited opportunities he gets, Yadav has been left out in favor of spin all-rounder Washington Sundar, who excelled in the recent Ranji Trophy match against Delhi. Many former players, including Sunil Gavaskar and Murali Kartik, have expressed surprise and disappointment at the decision to drop Yadav.
In the recent test match between India and New Zealand, Mohammed Siraj, India's front-line seam bowler, failed to live up to expectations and was unable to take wickets with the new ball. Despite this, the team management chose to stick with him for the second Test, even though the in-form Akash Deep had to make way for Kuldeep Yadav. Former India cricketer Saba Karim believes that Siraj may be under pressure and the team needs to have a discussion with him. In the first Test, New Zealand's seamers outplayed India's and set up a comfortable victory for the visitors.