India faced an unexpected setback on Day 2 of the first Test in Kolkata as captain Shubman Gill briefly left the field after facing just three balls, creating an early injury concern for the hosts. The incident occurred shortly after India lost their No. 3 batter Washington Sundar, who fell for 29 during the morning session.

India steady after early wicket

India resumed Day 2 at Eden Gardens trailing South Africa by 80 runs and reached 79/2 after 35 overs, with KL Rahul and Shubman Gill at the crease. Rahul, who has looked composed throughout the innings, crossed the 4,000 Test-run mark with a boundary off the first over of the day.

Sundar, promoted to No. 3, displayed solid defensive temperament and struck a series of elegant strokes—including a six over long-off—but was dismissed while attempting to block spinner Simon Harmer, edging to Aiden Markram at slip.

Day 1 belonged to Jasprit Bumrah

India entered Day 2 in a commanding position after bowling out South Africa for 159 on the opening day. Jasprit Bumrah delivered a stellar performance, picking up a five-wicket haul on a surface that drew criticism from South Africa’s batting coach Ashwell Prince, who raised concerns over inconsistent bounce.

Rahul shows resilience, Gill’s brief stay raises concern

Rahul continued his disciplined batting approach, adding crucial runs with cautious strokeplay. His partnership with Sundar earlier in the session helped India maintain stability.

Gill’s entrance was greeted with loud cheers from the Eden Gardens crowd, but his quick departure from the field raised concerns. The extent of the issue was not mentioned in the provided details.

India gained firm control on the opening day of the first Test in Kolkata as Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav delivered decisive breakthroughs to leave South Africa struggling at 136/5 after 40 overs. The visitors, who won the toss and opted to bat, lost two wickets in the second session, with Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreyne trying to steady the innings.

South Africa’s early momentum, driven by openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, faded once Bumrah dismantled the opening stand with two quick wickets. Kuldeep Yadav then removed captain Temba Bavuma, putting India in command going into the Lunch break.

Kuldeep strikes after Lunch; missed chance denies him another

Kuldeep Yadav picked up where he left off, this time trapping Wiaan Mulder LBW as the batter misjudged a reverse-sweep. The review couldn’t save him, confirming three reds. Moments later, South Africa survived a scare when a mix-up between Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill allowed an outside edge from Verreyne to race for four. Another half-chance went down the very next ball at short-leg.

Bumrah’s fiery spell rattles South Africa

Returning for a fresh spell, Bumrah struck immediately with an inswinger that trapped Tony de Zorzi plumb in front. The decision was upheld after review, leaving the Proteas in deeper trouble. Earlier, Bumrah nearly dismissed Verreyne with a reverse-swinging yorker that drew a massive appeal.

Before Lunch, the No. 1 Test bowler had delivered a sensational spell of 7 overs, 4 maidens, 9 runs and 2 wickets, breaking SA’s strong start.

South Africa bank on lower-order depth

Despite losing half their side, South Africa’s long batting lineup—featuring Stubbs, Verreyne, Harmer, Bosch, Jansen and Maharaj—remains their hope of recovery. The pair at the crease continued to assess the conditions, cautiously rotating strike and capitalising on loose deliveries.

The Indian women’s cricket team’s historic ODI World Cup victory has led to a massive rise in the players’ brand value. Since lifting the trophy in Navi Mumbai, the team’s leading stars have seen endorsement fees increase between 25% and 100%, marking a significant moment for women’s cricket in India.

As per reports, brand agencies and sponsors have flooded players with offers for new deals and renewals at higher rates. Players like Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma have all seen a steep rise in their commercial demand and social media following.

Jemimah Rodrigues’ brand value doubles

Jemimah Rodrigues, who smashed a remarkable 127* in the semi-final against Australia, has emerged as one of the most sought-after faces in Indian sports. Her endorsement fee has reportedly doubled, now ranging betweenRs75 lakh andRs1.5 crore per brand, depending on the contract terms.

Karan Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer at JSW Sports, confirmed the surge in inquiries post the semi-final win, stating that conversations are underway with brands across 10–12 categories.

Smriti Mandhana continues to lead the charts

Smriti Mandhana, India’s highest-paid female cricketer, continues to dominate the brand space. Endorsing major names such as Nike, Hyundai, SBI, Gulf Oil, and PNB MetLife, she is estimated to earnRs1.5–2 crore per brand. Her image as a consistent performer and youth icon has helped expand the commercial footprint of women’s cricket.

Brands celebrate India’s World Cup glory

Major companies quickly joined the celebration wave. Campaigns from Surf Excel and Rexona highlighted women’s empowerment, while Swiggy Instamart, Puma, and Pepsi rolled out congratulatory posts.
Puma, which sponsors Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh, hailed the victory with a message honouring the team’s resilience, while Pepsi’s campaign read, “From one blue team to another.”

This surge has brought long-overdue recognition to India’s women cricketers. The challenge now lies in ensuring that this momentum translates into long-term growth for the sport.