After leading the Indian cricket team to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli has announced his next big goal - winning the ODI World Cup in 2027. Amid speculation about his potential retirement, Kohli made it clear that he is not looking to slow down anytime soon. Meanwhile, other Indian players, including Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, are set to retain their A+ grade contracts.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the central contracts for men's cricket in the near future, but questions remain over the eligibility of retired T20 stars for the top A+ grade. As Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja are no longer active in T20 internationals, their status for the elite contract is under debate. Meanwhile, Axar Patel's vice-captaincy for the T20I series against England could potentially earn him a promotion from Grade B to A, while the exclusion of retired player Ravichandran Ashwin is also expected.
In the ninth match of the Indian Premier League 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) showed a dominant performance against the Mumbai Indians (MI). After being sent to bat first, GT's openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan put together an impressive 78-run partnership before Gill was dismissed by MI's Hardik Pandya. Sudharsan top-scored with 63 runs, leading the team to a solid total of 196/8. In their chase, MI lost their captain Rohit Sharma early and will need their top-order batsmen to anchor the innings.
Despite being one of the most sought-after players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell continued his streak of poor form, registering a golden duck in the opening match of the season for Punjab Kings against Gujarat Titans. With this dismissal, Maxwell now holds the record for the most number of ducks in IPL history, surpassing Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik. This adds to an already extensive list of 35 ducks in his T20 career, making him the fourth-highest in this category among all batters.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell's recent golden duck against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 match not only led to his team Punjab Kings' defeat, but also made him the batsman with most "zeros" in the league. Maxwell has 19 ducks to his name in 135 IPL matches, followed by Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik with 18 ducks each. Meanwhile, PBKS's top performer in the match, Shreyas Iyer, remained unbeaten on 97 runs and added 57 runs with Marcus Stoinis for the fifth wicket after Maxwell's early dismissal.
Mumbai Indians' former captain Rohit Sharma falls for a duck in his IPL 2025 debut against Chennai Super Kings, due to a spectacular bowling performance by left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed. Despite being a prolific player and the most successful IPL player with 6 trophies, Rohit has struggled against Ahmed in the past, with a poor strike rate and average against him. This disappointing start for Rohit has put MI in a precarious position as they face off against CSK at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
In January 2025, Yuvraj Singh made history by scoring the most hundreds in India vs England ODIs. The former Indian all-rounder has four centuries to his name in 37 matches, surpassing Joe Root and Virat Kohli who hold the second and third positions respectively. The top 10 also includes former English players Robin Smith, Marcus Trescothick, and Ian Bell, along with current Indian captain Rohit Sharma and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
MI captain Hardik Pandya will miss their IPL 2025 opener against CSK due to a one-match ban for slow over-rates. Pandya has named Suryakumar Yadav, current India T20 captain, as his successor for the match. With experienced leaders like Yadav, Rohit Sharma, and Pandya, the team looks to bounce back after a disappointing season last year.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma's selection of spinners, including Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy, proved to be the decisive factor in their win against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final. Despite facing a setback with an injury to Patel, Rohit's strategic use of spin bowlers and their stellar performance limited New Zealand to a manageable total, ultimately leading to India's victory.
Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has brushed aside retirement rumors and stated that he is keeping his options open for his future in the sport after winning the Champions Trophy 2025. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has given his opinion on whether Sharma will be able to play in the ODI World Cup 2027 or not, stating that he and Virat Kohli will have to maintain a strict and disciplined fitness routine for the next two years if they want to play in the tournament.