Australian cricket legend David Warner is set to make his debut in Indian cinema with the Telugu film ‘Robinhood’, featuring actor Nithin in the lead role. Warner expressed his excitement about the project, stating he thoroughly enjoyed the shooting process.

The production company behind the film, Mythri Movie Makers, officially welcomed Warner to Indian cinema on their X timeline, emphasizing his transition from cricket to film. They shared a poster featuring Warner, along with a message that reads, “After shining and leaving a mark on the ground, it is time for him to shine on the silver screen. Introducing the widely loved @davidwarner31 to Indian Cinema with #Robinhood in an exciting cameo. Grand release worldwide on March 28th.”

In response, Warner took to his own X account, sharing his enthusiasm: “Indian Cinema, here I come. Excited to be a part of #Robinhood. Thoroughly enjoyed shooting for this one. Grand release worldwide on March 28th.”

The film ‘Robinhood’ revolves around Nithin’s character, a thief named Honey Singh, who embarks on a mission to steal from the rich in order to help the poor. His character is depicted as fearless and without ulterior motives, willing to confront anyone for the right cause.

Originally scheduled for release last year, the film’s premiere has been rescheduled to March 28 of this year. The project is produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar, with Cherry serving as CEO and Hari Tummala as executive producer.

Directed by Venky Kudumula, ‘Robinhood’ features Nithin alongside Sree Leela. The film boasts music from National Award-winning composer G V Prakash Kumar, while Sai Sriram handles cinematography. The art direction is managed by Raam Kumar, and editing is done by Koti.

With a mix of action and entertainment, ‘Robinhood’ is poised to mark a significant entry for David Warner into the realm of Indian cinema, adding to the excitement surrounding its release.

In a surprising development, not a single Pakistani cricketer was selected in the 2025 draft for The Hundred, raising speculation about a possible ‘soft ban’ following the involvement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises in the tournament.

A total of 45 Pakistani players had registered for the men’s draft, while five female cricketers were also in contention. While Pakistani women have not been selected in the past, this marks the first instance of no men’s cricketers being picked since the league’s inception.

Possible IPL influence?

Four of the eight teams in The Hundred now have partial or complete ownership by IPL franchises: Oval Invincibles (Mumbai Indians), Manchester Originals (Lucknow Super Giants). Northern Superchargers (SunRisers Hyderabad) and Southern Brave (Delhi Capitals)

This scenario mirrors the SA20 league in South Africa, where no Pakistani cricketer has participated in three seasons, fuelling concerns over potential influence from IPL franchise owners.

Scheduling conflicts with Pakistan’s international commitments

However, reports suggest that the main reason for Pakistani players’ exclusion could be their uncertain availability. Pakistan is expected to play a three-match ODI and T20I series against the West Indies from late July to mid-August, coinciding with The Hundred’s schedule. There is also speculation about additional T20Is against Afghanistan and Bangladesh before the Asia Cup in September.

Furthermore, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has previously withheld No Objection Certificates (NoCs) for players, as seen last season when pacer Shaheen Afridi pulled out of The Hundred due to personal reasons, only to later be denied an NoC by the PCB.

ECB dismisses ownership concerns

Despite the speculation, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chair Richard Gould previously assured that Pakistani players’ participation in The Hundred would not be affected by ownership changes. “We’re aware of that in other regions, but that won’t be happening here,” Gould stated last month.

Meanwhile, no Indian male cricketers participated in the draft, consistent with the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) policy. However, Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma will represent London Spirit in the women’s competition.

Rohit Sharma is in no need of retirement, according to South African cricket legend AB de Villiers, who believes the Indian captain could become one of the greatest ODI leaders ever.

Rumors about Rohit’s possible retirement from ODIs circulated following the Champions Trophy, but the 37-year-old quelled those speculations by guiding India to an unprecedented third title.

“Look at Rohit’s win percentage—almost 74%, which is significantly higher than any other captain historically,” de Villiers remarked on his YouTube channel. “If he continues on this path, he could cement his legacy as one of the all-time great ODI captains. Rohit has stated he’s not retiring and has asked for the rumors to cease.”

In the final against New Zealand held in Dubai, Rohit played a crucial role by scoring 76 runs off 83 balls, helping India successfully chase down a challenging target of 252, earning him the player-of-the-match honor.

“Why would he step away with such a remarkable record, both as a captain and a batsman? His performance in the final laid the groundwork for our success and showcased his leadership under pressure,” de Villiers noted.

De Villiers praised Rohit’s incredible achievements as a batsman and captain, highlighting how the Indian skipper has evolved his ODI batting style over the past three years, during which he claimed the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy within nine months.

“Rohit Sharma has absolutely no reason to consider retirement or to face any criticism. His statistics speak volumes. Moreover, he has successfully transformed his game,” de Villiers emphasized.

“He had a relatively low strike rate in the Powerplay as an opening batsman, but since 2022, it has surged to 115 during that phase, which is what differentiates the good from the great. It’s all about continuous improvement—you can always learn and enhance your skills,” he concluded.