Using India’s aggressive approach in the ODI series against England as a case in point, skipper Rohit Sharma said players have the “freedom” to adopt their own methods and the management is not overly worried about occasional failures. India rounded off their preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy with 3-0 rout of England, and in the final match they demolished the visitors by a massive 142-run margin. “There is a bit of freedom in the squad to go out there and play the way you want. The World Cup (2023) was a perfect example of that. We want to continue to do that. There will be times it will not fall in place but that’s okay,” said Rohit in the post-match presentation.

He was very happy with team putting up a collective show and everyone putting up satisfactory performances.

“Very very pleasing (with the way the series went). We knew there would be challenges that we could face,” he added.

Without going into specifics, Rohit said India will be looking to further improve their game with the Champions Trophy, beginning on February 19, in mind.

“Obviously, there are certain things we are looking at and I am not going to stand here and explain those. It is our job as well to keep some consistency within the squad and the communication is clear.

“Obviously a champion team wants to get better every game and move forward from there,” he added.

Player of the match and series, Shubman Gill said the hundred was one of his better knocks because there was some help for fast bowlers initially.

“I was feeling good. I think this was one of the better knocks. The pitch was a bit tricky at the start so it’s satisfying. There was a bit for the fast bowlers.

“It was seaming, so the chat was to rotate strike and not lose wickets in Power Play, build on the momentum and take it from there,” he said.

Momentum for CT: Iyer

Shreyas Iyer said the team will take a lot of momentum from the series win to the upcoming Champions Trophy.

“The dressing-room is electrifying, a lot of energy, everyone in great form, momentum for the Champions Trophy,” he said.

“You could see in the three games how every individual stepped up for the team. Getting those crucial runs and wickets at the right time was important. We have worked a lot on that and as a unit, we are trying to deliver and create that breakthrough that the team needs in imperative time,” he added.

Shreyas, who made two fifties in the series including a 78 here, rued the fact that he could not get a hundred.

“I wish I could have got a hundred. In the first game, I wanted to take the momentum for our team. I played every ball on its merit. I backed my instincts in the second game before I got run out. But today I got the opportunity to go in on a good platform from Shubman and Rohit,” he added.

We were outplayed: Buttler

England skipper Jos Buttler said his side was “outplayed” by India throughout the three-match series.

“We were outplayed by a fantastic team. Our approach is a right one, just that we haven’t executed well. They (India) put a great score on the board. Shubman played a great innings,” said Buttler.

“We got off to a great start again but familiar story again for us. Need to find a way to bat longer. We were up against a really good side that keeps challenging,” he added.

Smriti Mandhana (left) and Rohit Sharma during BCCI Awards 2025.© X/@BCCI

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan sees the return of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to domestic cricket as a “fantastic” moment for Indian cricket. After failing to live up to the expectations in international colours, the top Indian stars returned to domestic format in a bid to find their lost form. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma were the prominent faces of the Indian team, who turned up to find the batting rhythm while sticking to the basic principle.

While Jaiswal, Gill and Rohit featured in the previous Ranji Trophy round, Kohli returned to the competition for the first time since 2012 on Thursday. He attracted thousands of fans while featuring for Delhi against Railways.

Fans filled up the empty seats in the Arun Jaitley Stadium to see the hometown hero take the field against Railways on the opening day. Virat kept the crowd engaged by asking the fans to cheer at their best.

Irfan expressed his delight about the young budding talents playing with and against the likes of Rohit and Virat. He wished that the trend of Indian regulars playing domestic cricket would continue in future.

“It’s great to see youngsters playing with or against players like Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma in domestic cricket. It wasn’t happening for many years, but it’s happening now. This is fantastic for Indian cricket. Hope the current Indian regulars make it a trend to play domestic cricket,” Irfan wrote on X.

It’s great to see youngsters playing with or against players like Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma in domestic cricket. It wasn’t happening for many years, but it’s happening now. This is fantastic for Indian cricket. Hope the current Indian regulars make it a trend to play domestic…

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 30, 2025

Rohit’s bid to resurrect his form came with a bag of mixed results. While featuring for Mumbai against Jammu and Kashmir, the seasoned opener returned with scores of 3 and 28 in his first Ranji Trophy game since 2015.

Jaiswal, who had his moments in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, opened the innings with Rohit. The young southpaw’s unblemished track record in red-ball cricket was tainted with scores of four and 26 runs in both innings.

Gill fared well in his Ranji Trophy match, considering the performances of his compatriots. His team slipped to a massive defeat by an innings and 207 runs to Karnataka. But the flamboyant Indian opener dug deep and struck 102 from 171 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes to hold the second innings together with his individual brilliance.

India captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday said that magnitude of T20 World Cup victory dawned on him only after witnessing a sea of blue ready to welcome him and his band of men at the Wankhede Stadium last July. At the twilight of his international career, the Indian captain wouldn’t mind getting immersed in a deluge of fans one last time if he can regain the Champions Trophy that he won in 2013. On Sunday, as Mumbai Cricket Association’s grand celebrations concluded for the completion of Wankhede Stadium’s 50 years, Rohit said sharing the joy of another such victory with the crowd here would be his wish.

“When I woke up the next day after the celebration here that’s when we realised,” Rohit said when asked at what point he truly realised India had won the World Cup.

“Because looking at what happened the previous day, when we did the parade with so many people on the roads watching the team, the next day I realised what we did was very, very special.” “Winning the World Cup and celebrating it with your people is a different thing; you celebrate anyway with your players and teams but celebrating it with your people is a different feeling and I knew that will happen only once we are back in Mumbai,” he said.

Rohit said the Indian team will soon be embarking on the Champions Trophy campaign and will try to bring another trophy to the iconic stadium here.

“We will embark on another tournament. I am sure when we reach Dubai (the wishes) of 140 crore people will be behind us, we know that. We will try and do everything we can to bring this trophy (ICC Champions Trophy) back here at the Wankhede,” he said.

The Indian captain said he always wanted to bring another World Cup trophy to Wankhede after witnessing similar celebrations of 2007 T20 World Cup win here.

“When we returned from South Africa after winning the (T20) World Cup, I dreamt about winning another World Cup and bringing it here,” he said.

“I remember, we were still in Barbados after winning the (T20) World Cup and we were stuck there due to a storm but planning was in process as to what we would do once we are back in India. It was planned that we would go to (New) Delhi (to meet the PM) but what after that?” “No one knew what to do after that but I wanted that World Cup (trophy) should come here at Wankhede. Each of the recent World Cups which we have won in 2007 and 2011 have been celebrated at Wankhede and bringing (the trophy) of 2024 was also very important for us,” he said.

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar said he still gets the feeling of “coming to home ground” when he visits the stadium.

“When the Wankhede Stadium was built in 1974, our dressing room was downstairs. When we stepped into the ground for the first time for a practice session, it was love at first sight,” he said.

“Prior to that, we were playing at the Brabourne Stadium, which belonged to a club (Cricket Club of India). But coming here, it felt like the home ground of Mumbai cricket. The feeling is always different when you have a home ground. I still get that feeling whenever I come for commentary. My chest swells with pride,” he added.

Sachin Tendulkar said he experienced the same emotions of playing his last Test here back in 2013 against West Indies.

“When the schedule for the series against West Indies was announced, I called up Mr N Srinivasan and requested whether the second and last match of the series could be played at Wankhede because I want my mother to watch me play my last match,” he said.

“In 30 years, she had never watched me play live and at that time, her health was not such that she could not travel to any other venue except Wankhede. The BCCI, very graciously, accepted that request and my mother and entire family could be at the Wankhede on that day. Today, when I stepped into the Wankhede, I am experiencing the same emotions,” he said.

Tendulkar remarked India, despite having reached the ODI World Cup final in 2003, crossed the hurdle only in 2011 here at this venue.

“It was without any doubt the best moment of my life,” he said while talking about a picture from World Cup winning night when Tendulkar was hoisted on their shoulders by his teammates.

“Their (referring to Gavaskar) 1983 victory inspired me that even I should have a trophy in my hand. We came close to winning the World Cup in 1996 in India and in South Africa in 2003. However, we crossed the final hurdle at the Wankhede Stadium at my home ground. Till that point, no host nation had won the World Cup,” he added.

Ravi Shastri recalled hitting his six sixes off Baroda bowler Tilak Raj by describing it as if he was commentating, while the ceremony also featured a glittering laser show and musical performances.

A coffee table book and a postal stamp were also released.

In the aftermath of India’s 3-1 loss to Australia Down Under, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly taking a tough stand on issues of indiscipline among Indian cricketers. The apex cricket body of the country is contemplating to bring new regulations to streamline player conduct and commitment, claimed multiple media reports. The players might also be barred from taking independent transport to commute during practice and matches. For a tour of 45 days, the family members of the players can only be with them for not more than 14 days, the reports added.

Amid the ongoing reports of the potential rules being discussed, expert and renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle took to X and proposed an idea of banning team members from having PR agencies.

“Reading of the changes the BCCI is apparently suggesting for the Indian team. I don’t know how much to believe but if I had to nominate one rule to be strictly applied, it would be to ban team members from having PR agencies,” wrote Bhogle on X.

He received a scathing reply from an account with the name of “Ritika Sajdeh”.

“With due regards Harsha, This is misleading. You are implicitly calling out my husband. You can’t disrespect the captain of ICT. Please, reconsider this,” wrote the person from the account.

The account is, however, a fake one. The real account of Ritika Sajdeh, wife of Rohit Sharma, has close to 250000 followers. In fact, a community note by X confirmed that the account from which Harsha Bhogle was slammed, was a parody account.

With due regards Harsha, This is misleading. You are implicitly calling out my husband. You can’t disrespect the captain of ICT. Please, reconsider this @bhogleharsha . https://t.co/xtWKnoNyTT

— Ritika Sajdeh (@imkaisar53) January 15, 2025

Meanwhile, during shorter tours in foreign countries, the immediate family members of a player can stay up to a week. Additionally, a senior player suggested a bold move during a recent meeting withholding match fees from players who choose to skip domestic tournaments.

The board’s stringent measures are aimed at ensuring a more professional and unified team culture while prioritizing the development of cricket at all levels.

(With ANI Inputs)

Close on the heels of India’s demoralising Test series defeat in Australia, captain Rohit Sharma has joined the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team’s nets session on Tuesday morning and batted alongside Ajinkya Rahane. Rohit, who managed just 31 runs across three Tests in the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under before “opting out” of the series-decider in Sydney, was part of a meeting that was held on Sunday to review the team’s performance along with head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI’s new secretary Devajit Saikia.

It was reported on Monday that Rohit had approached the head coach Omkar Salavi and made “inquiries about when they are going to train for the next Ranji match, which is still 10 days away,” a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Rohit Sharma is back where it all began—training with the Mumbai Ranji team! Preparation, passion, and focus in full swing.#RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/DWhqzyS1os

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 14, 2025

Rohit is scheduled to appear at a promotional event in Mumbai around noon on Tuesday.

Mumbai will play Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA-BKC ground when the Ranji Trophy resumes on January 23, and the match holds significance as far as advancing to the knockouts is concerned.

The 37-year-old, who endured a horror run with the bat in the national team’s tour of Australia recently, took part in a morning practice session at the Wankhede stadium here.

The past few weeks have been tumultuous for Rohit.

He managed just 31 runs across three Tests during his time Down Under and was forced to drop himself from the series-deciding fifth and final Test in Sydney due to his poor form.

With his future as a red-ball cricketer hanging by a thread, Rohit attended a review meeting on Sunday to assess the team’s performance.

He was joined by head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI’s new secretary Devajit Saikia during the deliberations.

Mumbai will play Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA-BKC ground when the Ranji Trophy resumes on January 23, and the match holds significance as far as advancing to the knockouts is concerned.

It isn’t yet known whether Rohit plays in Mumbai’s next match. He last played for Mumbai way back in 2015 against Uttar Pradesh.

With PTI Inputs

File photo of Rohit Sharma.© AFP

South African great Ab de Villiers hopes the BCCI will allow Indian players to take part in the SA20 in the near future as it will only raise the profile of the young franchise-based league. Dinesh Karthik is set to become the first Indian cricketer to compete in the SA20 but that was only made possible when he announced his international and domestic retirement last year. The BCCI doesn’t allow active players to take part in overseas leagues and as of now, the only way to play events outside India is by calling time on your career at home. Having said that, there is a growing trend of cricketers taking retirement in India to try their luck in the burgeoning overseas competitions.

“I would love to see more Indian players involved. We know Dinesh Karthik will be here this year which is fantastic and it’s great for the tournament.

“And hopefully the BCCI will allow us to get more Indian players in the future to come and join the fun of the SA20,” said de Villiers in a select media interaction ahead of third edition of SA20 beginning on January 9.

Having said that, he is fully aware that the BCCI is not going to make active Indian players available for overseas leagues anytime soon but he would love to his the likes of Virat Kohli being part of SA20.

”It would be nice to see some Indian players, especially in the peak form of their careers, come over and play. If I had to pick, I’d choose all the current players: Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Virat, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav.

“Imagine SKY playing here — that would be amazing! But if I think about past players, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, or maybe even Irfan Pathan come to mind. Some of these players already participate in Masters Leagues around the world. Who knows, maybe I’ll join them in the near future,” said de Villiers.

He also reckons that only way to keep a league ahead of its rivals is by attracting the best overseas talent like the IPL has done over the years.

“We (SA20) can just keep growing with regards to the overseas players. That’s a large part of the success of the IPL over the years and I’ve followed the IPL since 2008. It’s every year the overseas contingents seem to get stronger and stronger.

“You get the best players in the world and the best players in India and that combination makes for great cricket. So I think for Graeme Smith and his team moving forward it’s just to keep pushing hard, as hard as they can (to get the best overseas talent),” de Villiers said.

De Villiers not a fan of impact player rule

The contentious impact player rule in the IPL has been extended till 2027 but de Villiers is not a fan of the concept.

When asked if the rule should be introduced in SA20, he added:” “I’ve never been a big fan, to be honest, and I did speak about it at the IPL last season. I feel it’s a bit confusing, it also puts a bit of pressure on the all-rounders and their role in the teams.

“From the outside it looks exciting, but actually when the game takes place, I’ve never found it to be… a good thing to have in cricket. So, I mean, you can try it out. And the SA20, they’ve always been open to new ideas and new rules, which I find good,” he said.

India vs Australia 5th Test Live Streaming and Live Telecast: It will be a do-or-die game for the Indian cricket team when it faces Australia in the fifth and final Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The touring side started the series with a stunning 295-run victory but failed to maintain the dominance and went on to lose two of the next three matches. While star players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed with the bat, India’s bowlers, barring the mesmerising Jasprit Bumrah, too have had a poor outing. As things stand now, India trail 1-2 in the five-match series and they need to win the final game to keep their World Test Championship Final hopes alive.

On the other hand, Australia are only one win away from booking their WTC Final date with South Africa, who have made it to the summit clash for the first time.

When will the India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 start?

The India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will start on Friday, January 3 (IST).

Where will the India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 be held?

The India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Melbourne.

What time will the India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 start?

The India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will start at 5:00 AM IST. The toss will take place at 4:30 AM IST.

Which TV channels will show the live telecast of the India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25?

The India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will be telecast live on the Star Sports network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25?

The India vs Australia 5th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will live streamed on the Disney+ HotStar app and website.

(All details are as per information provided by the broadcaster)

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the only way a struggling Rohit Sharma can assert himself in the upcoming Brisbane Test is by throwing the first punch towards Australia as an opener. Rohit could only make nine runs in two innings as a number six batter in India’s ten-wicket defeat to Australia at the Adelaide Oval, as the hosts’ squared the five-match series 1-1. Those two scores meant Rohit is now averaging just 11.83 in his last six Tests. “That’s where he’s been at his best over the last eight or nine years. It’s not that he’s going to set the world on fire – he could – but that’s the place that’s best for him. To lead from the front. If he has to do damage, if he has to throw the first punch, that’s the best place from where he can do it.

“And it is important that India get their judgement right here, because 1-1 in the series, this is the moving Test match. I feel whichever team wins this Test match will win the series. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind. So it is very, very important that India get the balance right, because Australia have got the confidence back,” Shastri was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.

Shastri, who coached India to successive 2-1 Test series victories in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21, recalled about how Shubman Gill advised Rishabh Pant, who remained 89 not out, in scripting a memorable chase of 328 at the Gabba, to seal an unforgettable series win.

“I’ll never forget it. Last session, 140 runs to get. We had two different change rooms because of Covid. I went down from the coaches’ room to have a chat with either Rishabh or (Cheteshwar) Pujara. When I was about to reach the toilet, I heard a conversation between Gill and Pant.

“Seventy-one overs bowled; Gill had got out for 91, and they were the two youngest players in the side, 21 and 22. ‘Nine overs left, they need the new ball, they’ll bring (Marnus) Labuschagne on with his leg spin, you’ve got to score 45-50 runs there’.

“They are planning how they can reach closer to the end score, and no way was I going to stop them; I don’t want to change that mindset. So I just walked past and said ‘do what you have to do’. In the end, we chased down nearly 150 in that last session,” he concluded.

Shastri also stated that the Indian team’s unity during the 2020/21 series, despite strict Covid-19 measures, was critical to their epic victory, especially after being 36 all out in the series opener in Adelaide.

“Being locked up and then having to give their best in the middle, and in a country like India where there’s 1.4 billion people, there’s no sympathy. ‘To hell with Covid, what’s Covid, jolly well win the Test match.’ That’s all they want. So there’s no hiding in our part of the world.

“In Covid, the first Test match you start with five bowlers and the same five bowlers don’t play the last Test. That says it all, it’s like Australia playing without these five bowlers in the last Test of the series; it’s a different ball game.

“Plus, you didn’t have quite a few batsmen as well. So it’s a tribute to the players. You can only do so much as a coach from behind the scenes. At the end of it, it’s the players who have to go out there and do their job and they were magnificent,” he concluded.