Related Posts

RR term MLA Bihani’s ‘match-fixing allegations’ baseless; demand action from CM

Jaipur, April 22 (IANS) Tensions have escalated between Rajasthan Royals and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) after Jaydeep Bihani, convener of RCA’s ad hoc committee, raised doubts over the RR’s recent 2-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025.

Bihani suggested the result might be questionable and even hinted at possible tampering. In response, the IPL franchise management has formally complained to the Chief Minister, Sports Minister, and Sports Secretary, calling for strict action against Bihani.

Deep Roy, a senior official with the team, categorically dismissed Bihani’s statements as “false, baseless, and without any evidence”.

Bihani had issued a statement casting suspicion not only on the team’s performance but also accusing the Rajasthan Royals, Rajasthan Sports Council, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of collusion to sideline the RCA’s ad hoc committee from IPL-related activities.

The RR management has strongly objected to these claims, stating, “We reject all allegations made by the convener of the ad hoc committee. Such public statements are not only misleading but have caused serious damage to the reputation and credibility of Rajasthan Royals, Royal Multi Sport Private Limited (RMPL), the Rajasthan Sports Council, and the BCCI. They also tarnish the integrity of cricket.”

The franchise emphasised its 18-year partnership with the state association and government, and its ongoing work in full compliance with BCCI guidelines. According to the BCCI’s current arrangements, Rajasthan Sports Council holds the official rights to host IPL matches in Jaipur for the ongoing season.

The Royals clarified that they are working in coordination with both the Council and the BCCI under the guidance of the state government to ensure the successful conduct of the tournament. Earlier, Bihani said, RCA has successfully hosted ICC-BCCI international matches and competitions in the state.

But the Sports Council is conspiring against sports interests by keeping the ad hoc committee formed by the government away from the IPL match being held in Jaipur. The State Sports Council kept the RCA ad hoc committee away from organising the IPL. They did not even make accreditation cards for the members related to the event, he alleged.

–IANS

arc/bc

India U23 edged 2-1 by Iraq in a closed-door friendly

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 25 (IANS) The Indian U23 men’s team lost 1-2 against Iraq U23 in a closed-door friendly match at the UM Arena Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday.

Mohammed Sanan scored the only goal for the Blue Colts in the 39th minute after Dhulfiqar Younus had handed Iraq the lead in the 36th. The majority of the match was evenly contested before Mustafa Nawaf Zai scored the winner for Iraq in the 72nd minute.

India will play another closed-door friendly against Iraq on August 28 in Kuala Lumpur.

Coached by Naushad Moosa, India are preparing for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers to be held from September 3-9 in Doha, where the Blue Colts will face Bahrain (September 3), hosts Qatar (September 6), and Brunei Darussalam (September 9).

The Blue Colts had been training at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru for the better part of a month, and after the two friendlies, will proceed to Doha, Qatar, for the Qualifiers.

The India U23s’ second friendly match against Iraq will be on August 28.

While the men’s team gears up for the second Iraq friendly, the India senior men’s national team is participating in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, starting from August 29, after Malaysia withdrew from the tournament due to logistical challenges and the unavailability of players.

India have been placed in Group B, which will be played in Dushanbe. India will take on host Tajikistan (August 29), Iran (September 1), and Afghanistan (September 4).

India U23 men’s squad for Iraq friendlies in Kuala Lumpur:

Goalkeepers: Sahil, Muhammed Arbaaz

Defenders: Haobam Ricky Meetei, Bikash Yumnam, Muhammed Saheef, Pramveer, Yanglem Sanatomba Singh, Subham Bhattacharya

Midfielders: Lalremtluanga Fanai, Vinith Venkatesh, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Vibin Mohanan, Ayush Dev Chhetri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Manglenthang Kipgen, Soham Naveen Varshneya

Forwards: Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Mohammed Aimen, Muhammad Suhail F, Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Sahil Harijan, Harsh Arun Palande, M.S. Sreekuttan

–IANS

aaa/bsk/

A bit of shock to see Rohit not going to Australia as captain, says Harbhajan Singh

Ahmedabad, Oct 4 (IANS) Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh says that seeing Rohit Sharma going to Australia for the ODI series solely as a player and not as a captain is a bit of a shocker. Notably, Shubman Gill replaced the Mumbai batter as the ODI captain when the BCCI announced the squads for the Australia tour.

Speaking on JioHotstar after the conclusion of the first Test between India and West Indies, Harbhajan Singh shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill’s appointment as ODI captain:

“Congratulations to Shubman Gill. Obviously, he has been leading the team well in Test cricket, and now he’s been given another responsibility: to lead the ODI side as well. Of course, Rohit has been replaced as captain by Shubman, and Rohit is someone who holds a very good record in white-ball cricket.

“To be honest, it’s a bit of a shock for me to see Rohit not being the captain. If you’re selecting Rohit Sharma, select him as captain, because he just recently won you the ICC Champions Trophy. Rohit has been one of the pillars of Indian cricket when it comes to white-ball formats. I think he should have been given at least this tour. If the selectors are thinking about the 2027 ODI World Cup, it’s still far away.

“Shubman has a lot of time to grow into the role of ODI captain. I’m happy for Shubman; he’s got this opportunity, but it could have been delayed a little. He could have waited six to eight months or even a year before taking over. I’m happy for Shubman, but at the same time, I’m a bit disappointed for Rohit Sharma not being the captain.”

Going forward, Rohit will be seen playing only one format, the ODIs, without any leadership roles assigned. Notably, the Nagpur-born retired from Tests and T20Is, with Gill and Suryakumar Yadav replacing him as captain in the two formats, respectively.

Speaking about Rohit’s role in the team in the future, Harbhajan said: “If you look at Rohit’s ODI record, he’s averaging almost close to 50. That shows how consistent he’s been and what he brings to the table as an opener. There’s no doubt about his performances and his approach when it comes to playing for India. He’s been a phenomenal player, and that will not change.

“He will continue to bat the way he always has and continue to be a leader in the team, irrespective of whether he’s captain or not. He’ll keep giving advice to Shubman or anyone else whenever needed. As a batter, Rohit won’t change his approach. He’ll remain as fearless as ever, and so will Virat Kohli. These two top players will continue to drive Indian cricket forward, and we’re all looking forward to seeing them win matches for Team India.”

Another notable development that took place on Saturday was Shreyas Iyer’s appointment as Gill’s deputy in the 50-over format. Iyer, who the BCCI recently granted a six-month break from red-ball cricket, will now be seen taking on a leadership role as India take on Australia.

Speaking on Iyer’s appointment as vice-captain, the former spinner said: “I’m very happy for Shreyas Iyer. He’s one of those guys who hardly gets the credit he deserves. We talk about that World Cup in India, he scored back-to-back centuries, and with what pace! He’s an impact player; when he gets going, he makes things easy for the dressing room and the other batters. I’m very happy that he’s back in the scheme of things, not just as a player but with a bigger responsibility as vice-captain. I’m looking forward to seeing him back and to see what he brings to the table in terms of ideas and how he and Shubman Gill take this team forward.”

Parthiv Patel also spoke on Shubman Gill being handed the ODI captaincy and said, “Clearly, India is looking at the 2027 ODI World Cup. Rohit and Virat are both still in the team, but this is a great sign for Indian cricket. Rohit has left behind a strong legacy. He’s been an outstanding captain for India. He inspired a lot of young players with his calmness and brought great stability.

“Now, India is looking forward to a young captain. They did the same with Shubman Gill in Test cricket. I think his success in England as Test captain would have influenced this decision. There were question marks earlier over whether Shubman was the future captain, but he’s now given that assurance to the selectors and team management. It’s a great sign; exciting times for Indian cricket ahead,” he said.

The former wicketkeeper-batter further shed light on the thinking behind the decision to name Gill the new captain, saying: “There has to be a thought process behind this decision. Going forward, before 2027, there won’t be many ODI matches, and you want your core squad to play together under one captain. You don’t want to be searching for a new leader at the end of 2026. This is a progressive step. In 2007, when MS Dhoni became captain, he had seniors like Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Gautam Gambhir with him. Then Virat Kohli had Dhoni’s experience behind him. Similarly, Shubman will have Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to guide him through this phase. This is how you build a team, and that’s why appointing Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain makes perfect sense.”

Parthiv Patel also spoke on India’s win over the West Indies and dominance at home. Notably, India beat the visitors by an innings and 140 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series at home.

“Without a doubt, India has always been a very dominant force at home and rightly so. We’ve won all the series we’ve played since 2012, except the one against New Zealand. India had to show that they are a dominant side. They’re the number-one side in world cricket at this point in time across formats, at least in terms of the way they’re playing. Ranking-wise, they may not be number one, but whoever’s coming to India knows what’s coming. India had to show who’s the boss, and that’s exactly what they did today.”

— IANS

vi/bsk/