India has selected talented all-rounder Tanush Kotian to join their squad for the fourth and fifth tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series. The series is currently tied 1-1 with India winning in Perth and Australia responding with a victory in Adelaide. The action now moves to Melbourne and Sydney for the final two tests. Kotian, who has had a successful season with Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, will replace R Ashwin in the squad as he joins the team in Melbourne on Tuesday. This will be his first appearance in the Indian Test squad.
Former India captain Virat Kohli wrote a heartfelt post on the retirement of his longtime teammate Ravichandran Ashwin from international cricket. Kohli mentioned that he only found out about Ashwin's decision on Wednesday, but a video that went viral on social media showed Kohli hugging Ashwin, possibly after finding out about his retirement. However, captain Rohit Sharma revealed that he had known about Ashwin's decision since the Perth Test in November, indicating that there may have been previous conversations about retirement within the team.
Senior Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket following the conclusion of the third test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 at the Gabba. The 38-year-old conveyed his decision to captain Rohit Sharma during the Perth test, but Sharma convinced him to wait for the pink-ball test in Adelaide, which Ashwin played. After being dropped for the Gabba test, Ashwin broke the news of his retirement during the post-match press conference, saying that he is proud to be a part of the "OGs" in the Indian dressing room.
After dominating in the mid-fifties for years, Virat Kohli's Test average has now dropped to 47.49, the lowest it has been in eight years. This puts him in third place amongst the 19 players who have scored 9000 runs in Tests. Despite flashes of brilliance, including a recent century in Perth, Kohli has struggled to perform consistently in the past few years, leaving fans and critics uncertain of his future form. With the Border Gavaskar Trophy currently underway, all eyes are on Kohli to see if he can make a comeback and reclaim his title as the top Test batsman.
Rain played a major role on the first day of the third Test match between Australia and India in Brisbane, with only 13.2 overs being bowled. The hosts, led by openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney, were able to score 28 runs without losing a wicket before the day's play was called off due to the weather. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with Australia winning the day-night Test in Adelaide and India winning the first game in Perth. India will have to win at least two of the remaining three Tests to qualify for the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
After making his debut in Perth, Nathan McSweeney had a tough time facing India's fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. But the Australian opener is enjoying the challenge and is hoping to continue his success against Bumrah in the third Test at Brisbane. Despite getting trapped lbw twice, McSweeney showed resilience and played a crucial role in Australia's series-levelling win in Adelaide. The 25-year-old is looking forward to using his knowledge of playing on the Gabba pitch, known for its true bounce, to showcase his skills and hopefully score big in the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
As the Indian cricket team dominates in Perth, former captain Kapil Dev cannot hide his pride and admiration for their performance. He credited stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah for his record-breaking feats and excellent leadership. Despite the team's early setbacks, Kapil remains optimistic and amazed by their resilient comeback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. He also praised the corporate support for the ongoing Vishwa Samudra Golden Eagle Golf Championship.
Nitish Reddy, a cricketer from India, recently debuted in the Perth Test match against Australia. In this interview with BCCI.tv, he recalls his childhood dream of playing alongside his idol, Virat Kohli. He also shares an anecdote of how he clicked a selfie with Kohli when he was a young player at the NAMAN awards, never imagining that he would later bat alongside him in a Test match. Reddy also reflects on his journey to the national team and his impressive performance in his debut match, highlighting his batting and bowling skills.
It all started when a man ran behind the sight screen with a beer snake, distracting Labuschagne as Siraj was about to bowl. Angered by this, Siraj threw the ball in frustration and exchanged words with the batsman. However, in the end, Labuschagne had the last laugh as he and Nathan McSweeney remained unbeaten at the end of the day. This is not the first time the two players have clashed in the series, as they also had a fiery exchange during the Test match in Perth.
Mitchell Starc's sledge towards Yashasvi Jaiswal during the Adelaide Test match led to his dismissal on the very first ball. Despite Starc's denial, Jaiswal later revealed that the BTS chart-buster had been exchanging banter with the Australian pace bowler. Jaiswal had been on a verbal roll, targeting the slow limbs and age of his opponents leading up to the Perth match, where Starc retaliated with his own taunt. The tension between the two players added an element of spice to the Test match, which culminated in a memorable performance by Jaiswal with the bat and Starc with the ball.