Lucknow Super Giants, led by Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh, put up an impressive batting and bowling performance to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets in their first win of the 2025 IPL. Despite facing a strong SRH team, LSG's confident captain Rishabh Pant put them to bat first and his bowlers restricted them to a below-par score. Pooran and Marsh's explosive fifties helped LSG chase down the target with ease, making a statement win for the team.
In a thrilling IPL 2025 match, newcomer Ashutosh Sharma shocked fans and experts with his explosive batting, leading Delhi Capitals to a one-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. With the game seemingly out of reach at 65-5, Ashutosh's heroic 66 off just 31 balls secured a famous win for DC. After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant's intense conversation with team owner Sanjiv Goenka sparked social media buzz and comparisons to a similar controversial chat in IPL 2024. New captain Axar Patel promised an unpredictable and exciting season for Delhi after their nail-biting victory.
In a surprising announcement, the Delhi Capitals have named veteran cricketer Axar Patel as their captain for IPL 2025. The decision was made after a tough battle for the captaincy between Patel and KL Rahul. With this, Patel becomes the 14th captain for the Capitals and has big shoes to fill after Rishabh Pant led the team in the previous season. With his impressive track record in the IPL, Patel is set to lead the team to success.
After the departure of Rishabh Pant from the Delhi Capitals, India all-rounder Axar Patel has been announced as the new captain for the team for IPL 2025. The 31-year-old has been with Delhi since 2019 and was retained for a massive sum of INR 16.50 crore. Though his IPL captaincy experience is limited, Patel has led Gujarat in domestic cricket and served as India's T20I vice-captain earlier this year. Fans eagerly await to see Patel's leadership skills and performance as he takes on the role of captain for the Capitals.
Former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni and his wife Sakshi were seen at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, having attended the wedding ceremony of fellow cricketer Rishabh Pant's sister. The recently married Pant was also present at the event, along with many other current and former cricketers. Dhoni and Pant were captured on video singing and dancing together at the celebrations.
In an exciting and jubilant victory, Team India defeated New Zealand in the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai on Sunday. Led by captain Rohit Sharma, the team celebrated their win with energetic dance moves. In a viral video, Rohit could be seen trying to convince ICC Chairman Jay Shah to join in, but to no avail. The celebrations also included players like Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir dancing with former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu and showering Rishabh Pant with champagne.
With the final deadline for the Champions Trophy squad looming, India made some last-minute changes to their team, including the return of Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja. However, the exclusion of Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube came as a surprise to many. Shami, who made a strong comeback after a long injury layoff, will be crucial for the team's success in the upcoming three-week-long tournament. India will rely on their experienced batters and spinners, as they aim to lift the trophy once again.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has endorsed all-rounder Axar Patel for a spot in the upcoming Champions Trophy, suggesting that he could potentially fill the crucial role of a left-handed batter in the middle order. Manjrekar highlighted Axar's impressive batting performance in the first ODI against England, where he hit a quickfire 52 off just 47 balls, and praised his ability to play spin. He also hinted that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant may have to wait for his chance due to Axar's emergence. The Indian team could potentially make a couple of changes for the 2nd ODI, with captain Virat Kohli returning from injury and potentially pushing young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal down the order.
During the second ODI between India and England, captain Rohit Sharma was frustrated with KL Rahul's failure to opt for a review which would've dismissed England's Harry Brook. The incident has highlighted the importance of getting DRS calls right, especially for captains who cannot solely rely on their own judgement. Rahul's exclusion from the playing XI in the upcoming matches may be a possibility, with Rishabh Pant waiting as a younger alternative behind the stumps.
The Indian cricket team faces a tough decision in choosing a wicketkeeper for the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. Former India coach and commentator Sanjay Bangar has weighed in on the debate and chosen KL Rahul as the first-choice wicketkeeper over Rishabh Pant. Bangar credits Rahul's performance both as a batsman and wicketkeeper in the 2023 World Cup for his pick. Rahul, who has played 77 ODI matches, has an impressive record of 2851 runs at an average of 49.15 whereas Pant has struggled in the format, with an average of 33.50 in 31 games.