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Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa opined Hardik Pandya’s return to the Test team will be a big boost for just the team, but for the all-rounder as well. The Baroda cricketer last played a Test way back in 2018 following which he has restricted himself to white-ball formats only. Uthappa pointed out that Hardik was fit enough to resume playing Tests while explaining why India needed Pandya in the longest format of the game. Should Pandya return to Tests? In a video on his YouTube channel, Uthappa claimed that it would be wonderful to see Hardik return as India’s number 7 in Tests. He pointed out that the BCCI wouldn’t stop the all-rounder from playing Tests if he wants to, while adding that all-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy weren’t bowling 20 overs at present. Uthappa said that Hardik could very well bowl 12-15 overs given his current fitness, but admitted that it was left up to the all-rounder to decide if he wants to return to Tests. “If Hardik Pandya returns to the number 7...

India cricket team are eyeing to keep their best talents fresh for the T20 World Cup 2026 which will start in February 2026. This means the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah wil not feature in the IND vs NZ ODI series. Round 3 of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26 saw some of the Team India regulars like Risabh Pant anf Abhishek Sharma disappoint while some young IPL talents had good outings. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has been advised to take notes from Ranji Trophy coaches in order to improve his track record as coach in the red-ball format. On that note, let’s take a look at some of the top headlines from Monday (December 29). Cricket 11 mins DC strongest playing XI for IPL 2026: KL Rahul to open with Prithvi Shaw, will David Miller find spot? Bumrah, Pandya to skip ODI series To manage the workload of X-factor players, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to prioritize certain players for certain formats. In a major development, ...

England’s Ashes tour has claimed another victim. Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test in Sydney with a left hamstring injury, leaving Ben Stokes staring at an attack that now looks nothing like the pace-heavy group he arrived in Australia with six weeks ago. Atkinson picked up the injury on the second morning of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG while delivering the final ball of his fifth over. He immediately grabbed his hamstring, walked straight off the field and never returned. Scans later confirmed the damage, officially ending his tour. That makes him the third English fast bowler to break down in this series, following Mark Wood’s knee injury in Perth and Jofra Archer’s side strain after Adelaide. England’s injury list deepens Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Wood and Archer all arrived believing raw pace could rattle Australia. Wood lasted one Test. Archer found his best rhythm of the series in Adelaide before his body shut him down. Atkinson, the attack leader o...

BCCI is expected to make a few changes in India’s ODI squad and the central contracts. The board has backed Gautam Gambhir, contrary to rumours that would have you believe otherwise. Shreyas Iyer has been given a clean bill of health. Smriti Mandhana has entered the history books. And Virat Kohli has been urged to reconsider his Test retirement. Cricket 5 mins Probable India ODI squad for NZ series: Call-up for Devdutt Padikkal? Shreyas Iyer & Ishan Kishan to return? Gambhir to continue as Test coach Devajit Saikia has labelled reports suggesting Gautam Gambhir’s potential removal as India’s Test coach as baseless . It was reported that BCCI had approached VVS Laxman, asking about his desire to coach India. It also suggested that BCCI might take a call on Gambhir depending on the T20 World Cup results. BCCI central contracts 2025-26 BCCI is expected to announce central contracts for the 2025-26 season in the next couple of days. Virat Kohli and Rohit ...

India’s first ODI assignment of 2026 could mean a fresh beginning for some. With New Zealand arriving for a three-match series from January 11, the BCCI selection committee is likely to exclude Rishabh Pant from the setup and reward a consistent domestic performer. According to various reports, Ishan Kishan is likely to get the nod in the team that is touted to be announced in the first week of January . Cricket 33 mins Probable India ODI squad for NZ series: Call-up for Devdutt Padikkal? Shreyas Iyer & Ishan Kishan to return? Rishabh Pant to be axed? According to Sports Tak , Rishabh Pant will be left out of the ODI squad, with Ishan Kishan emerging as the front-runner for a recall. Pant’s last ODI appearance came in August 2024 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Pant hasn’t broken down white-ball cricket. He may be the best-ever keeper for India in Tests, he still lags behind in consistency in ODIs and T20Is. Due to his unfortunate accident, Pant has managed to p...

For Vishal Jayswal, Friday evening in Bengaluru will stay with him for a very long time. The Gujarat left-arm spinner not only produced the best spell of his List-A career against a star-studded Delhi side but also picked up the biggest wicket any domestic cricketer can dream of. The dismissal of Virat Kohli. What followed after the match, though, mattered even more for the budding cricketer, who has been guided by Axar Patel behind the scenes. The 27-year-old left-arm spinner was the standout performer in Gujarat’s narrow seven-run defeat to Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. His spell of 4 for 42 not only kept Delhi to a manageable 254, but also included the prized wicket of Kohli, who had looked in ominous touch after racing to his fifty in 29 balls. Cricket 2 mins Gujarat spinner Vishal Jayswal gets signed ball from Virat Kohli after bamboozling him in Vijay Hazare Trophy Jayswal tempted Kohli out of the crease in ...

BCCI has announced India’s Under-19 squad. The board might rethink its stance on continuing with an all-format coach. Shubman Gill will play 2 matches for Punjab. Shreyas Iyer has landed in Bengaluru for his rehabilitation. Cricket Australia will suffer losses despite Australia winning the 2025-26 Ashes. PSL is close to finalising new franchises. Cricket 27 mins Probable India ODI squad for NZ series: Call-up for Devdutt Padikkal? Shreyas Iyer & Ishan Kishan to return? New Test coach for India? BCCI isn’t sold on Gautam Gambhir as India’s Test coach. The board had approached VVS Laxman to enquire about his willingness to become India’s red-ball coach. But Laxman isn’t interested. The T20 World Cup 2026 could be make or break for Gambhir . If all doesn’t go well for India, he might be on his way out in red-ball cricket. Gill to play domestic cricket Shubman Gill will play two matches for Punjab in VHT. Against Sikkim on January 3 and Goa on January 6. ...