
Did Rohit Sharma pull a PR stunt with Sydney Test snub? Irfan Pathan breaks silence
'Personally, I feel he should have fought for it — which I had said even back then, not just now. I think he should have played. When you're there, mate, if you're in the team, part of the team, the captain — even if you're just a player in the middle of a tournament — you can't pick and choose. You simply can't,' Irfan said.'That's the responsibility of the team management, the captain, and the coach. But you can't pick and choose; you have to fight it out,' Irfan added.Rohit Sharma only active in ODIsRohit Sharma's Australia Test tour proved to be his final outing in the longer format for India. On 7 May 2025, he announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket via Instagram. Before confirming the decision, Rohit turned out for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy match but endured a poor outing.He ended his Test career with 4,301 runs in 67 matches at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries. With his departure from red-ball cricket, the BCCI named Shubman Gill as India's new Test captain, marking the start of a new leadership era.Having also stepped away from T20Is after India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Rohit now plays only in ODIs.- EndsTune InMust Watch

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First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
'Stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility': Mitchell Johnson slams Cricket Australia CEO
Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson strongly criticized Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg for advocating that Test cricket should be exclusive to a select few nations. Former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson has slammed Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg's suggestion to limit Test cricket to fewer nations. As per Greenberg, only top teams should compete in the longest format of the game, as it will ensure financial viability as well as high-quality contests. 'I don't think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play Test cricket, and that might be OK…literally we're trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket'. Quoted by The West Australian. He pointed to the Ashes as an example of how meaningful rivalries between elite nations remain profitable. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Johnson does not see eye to eye with CA CEO Johnson firmly opposed the idea, arguing in his West Australian column that reducing opportunities for developing nations would harm the essence of the game. He emphasised that true leadership involves uplifting others, not eliminating them. 'The solution isn't to scale Test cricket down to three or four rich countries,' Johnson wrote. 'It's to help the rest grow. Players want it, fans want it — so why are we making it so hard? What these nations lack isn't passion, it's support. And if the ICC and the so-called big three want to protect the future, they need to stop hoarding the privilege and start sharing the responsibility.' More from First Cricket 'We're going to...': Alyssa Healy warns of spin challenge ahead of Women's World Cup 2025 Johnson also stressed the notion that there are factors beyond the broadcasting revenue that should be considered as well. He supported his stance by presenting the example of Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, a series that may not break viewership records but means a lot for the players and fans, something which should be protected at all cost. 'A Sri Lanka v Pakistan series might not break streaming records, but to the players and fans it means everything. You don't protect that by cutting it off. You protect it by investing in it.' Johnson further stated that when money can be poured into different T20 leagues, the similar reservation can be made for Test cricket. He said that money should be diverted towards the right direction. 'The money is there — it's just being pointed the wrong way,' Johnson wrote.


India.com
25 minutes ago
- India.com
BCCI Organises Special Fast Bowling Camp For Emerging Pacers At Centre Of Excellence
With the 2025/26 domestic season set to begin with the Duleep Trophy commencing on August 28, the BCCI said it recently conducted a fast bowling development camp at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. As part of the camp, 22 fast bowlers – 14 targeted pacers and eight from the Under-19 group – went through an intensive program covering multiple aspects of fast bowling, skill and fitness wise. 'At the BCCI Centre of Excellence, fourteen Targeted and eight Under-19 fast bowlers took part in the Fast Bowling Development program, which has been a key initiative in the last few years.' 'In addition to the players going through fitness evaluations, they also worked on skill enhancement and tactical acumen building under the Tutelage of Mr. Troy Cooley, the Fast Bowling Coach at BCCI CoE, ensuring comprehensive preparation for the season ahead,' wrote the BCCI in a video posted on its 'X' account on Sunday. At the BCCI Centre of Excellence, fourteen Targeted and eight Under-19 fast bowlers took part in the Fast Bowling Development program, which has been a key initiative in the last few years In addition to the players going through fitness evaluations, they also worked on skill… — BCCI (BCCI) August 17, 2025 In the video, Harshit Rana and Anshul Kamboj, who made his Test debut on the tour of England, were seen going through the paces of various activities in the camp. Also present in the camp were Simarjeet Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Suryansh Shedge, Gurjapneet Singh and Yudhvir Singh Charak. Interestingly, Suyash Sharma and Shreyas Iyer were also spotted, indicating that they were also a part of routine fitness testing at the CoE. It is also believed that Vijaykumar Vyshak, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Thakur, and Raj Bawa were a part of the fast bowling camp at the CoE. From a larger perspective, the hope will be that the extensive fast bowling camp gets the Indian team more frontline fast-bowling options to support the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami in any international cricket series or tournament in future.


The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Shreyas, Jitesh likely to be back for Asia Cup
Shreyas Iyer and Jitesh Sharma are likely to earn a recall to India's T20I set-up when the senior national men's selection panel meets on Tuesday to finalise the squad for the Asia Cup to be held in the UAE from September 9. Neither Shreyas nor Jitesh has featured in T20Is since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach in July 2024. Shreyas last played a T20I in December 2023, while Jitesh – the wicketkeeper-batter – made his final appearance in January 2024. Tough decision The Hindu understands the selectors and team management are aligned on including an experienced middle-order batter suited to the slower, lower conditions expected in the UAE. If Shreyas is picked, it could mean a tough call on either Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh, both of whom were part of India's squad for its last T20I assignment against England in January-February. Jitesh, who played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden IPL title, is expected to replace Dhruv Jurel, who was the reserve stumper to Sanju Samson during the England series. The selectors must also decide whether to include Jasprit Bumrah in the T20I squad. With Mohammed Shami unavailable, a pacer's slot is open. The debate could be whether to bring back Bumrah or give Prasidh Krishna a chance after a strong IPL campaign. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has recovered from sports hernia, will attend the selection meeting. His input will be vital as the selectors plan for the T20 World Cup to be held in India next year. There has been speculation about the return of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal to the T20I squad. However, the management appears inclined to stick with the core group that has excelled under Gambhir, winning 13 of 15 T20Is since his appointment. Additionally, with minimal turnaround time between formats — the Asia Cup final is on September 28 and the first Test against the West Indies begins on October 2 in Ahmedabad — the selectors are likely to keep Gill and Jaiswal fresh for the red-ball assignments.