Cricket news

Former player’s bold call: How legitimate is comment on dropping senior stars after Boxing Day Test loss?

Published

2 years ago

December 31, 2024

Former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna has voiced strong criticism of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli following India’s crushing 184-run defeat to Australia in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Khanna has urged the team management and selectors to bench the underperforming stars, emphasizing the need for bold decisions to rejuvenate the team.

Rohit Sharma, who missed the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Perth, has struggled for runs throughout the series. In five innings across three Tests, the Indian captain has managed only 31 runs. His decision to shuffle between middle-order and top-order positions has also failed to yield results.

Similarly, Virat Kohli’s inconsistency remains a concern. Despite a century in the opening Test in Perth, Kohli has been unable to replicate the performance, scoring just 7, 11, 3, 36, and 5 in subsequent innings. His repeated struggles outside the off-stump have added to India’s woes, even as he showed glimpses of his form in the Boxing Day Test.

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are totally out of form. When your key players are not scoring, it becomes difficult to win matches,” Khanna told IANS. “Australia played better cricket and used conditions to their advantage. Meanwhile, our younger players like (Nitish Kumar) Reddy and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal are stepping up, and it’s time to trust them more.”

A call for bold decisions

Khanna urged the selectors and team management to have honest discussions with the senior players about their form and future. “You need the guts to have a one-to-one conversation with Rohit and Virat, asking them to make way for others. Senior players are expected to lead with performances, but they have been consistently falling short. Sometimes, tough decisions are needed to get the desired results,” he added.

The former cricketer also hinted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might allow the players to announce their decisions regarding retirement, but he stressed that “the writing is on the wall” for both stars.

A year of decline

Khanna pointed out that 2024 has been a particularly poor year for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Test cricket, with both averaging under 25. Despite their legendary status, their performances over the last 40-45 innings have not met expectations, raising concerns about their future in the longest format of the game.

“A lot of focus is often placed on players like Rishabh Pant for their aggressive style, but the real issue is the inconsistency of senior batters like Rohit and Kohli,” he remarked.

Series finale at Sydney

With Australia leading the five-match series 2-1, the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting on January 3 will be pivotal. The pressure remains high on India’s senior players to deliver, but Khanna’s remarks underline growing impatience among cricketing circles.

As the debate over their form intensifies, the Sydney Test could potentially mark a turning point in the careers of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Whether they silence their critics or pave the way for the next generation remains to be seen.

The comment on dropping senior stars after the Boxing Day debacle raises a valid point, given the ongoing struggles of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both have been out of form, with low scores in recent matches, and their inability to contribute consistently has been a concern for Team India.

While it’s crucial to recognize their past achievements and leadership roles, the current form of these players impacts the team’s performance. The question of whether it’s legitimate to bench them stems from the need for a fresh approach and the desire for younger players to step up.

However, making such a bold call requires careful consideration of the long-term strategy for the team. It’s not just about the present match but also about building a strong squad for future challenges, making this comment a legitimate topic for discussion.

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Asian Games 2026: India win first gold as women’s cricket team beats Sri Lanka

India won its first gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 after the women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka in the T20I final, taking the country’s medal tally to seven.

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2026

APNLive Desk

India opened its gold medal account at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya after the women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka in the T20I final on Tuesday.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side produced a dominant performance to win the final and claim India’s first gold medal of the Games. India set Sri Lanka a target of 217 runs before bowling them out for 69.

The victory took India’s medal tally to seven, adding a gold to the six medals secured during the opening days of the competition.

India assure another medal in badminton

India also secured another medal opportunity in men’s team badminton after defeating hosts Japan 3-0 in the quarter-final.

Ayush Shetty completed the victory by beating Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-10, 21-19, sending India into the semifinals and assuring the country of at least a medal in the event.

Earlier, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi to give India a 2-0 lead in the tie.

Roshibina Devi assures India another medal

India also secured a medal in wushu after Roshibina Devi reached the women’s 60kg semi-finals.

Roshibina defeated Macao’s Man Sin Chu by point difference to book her place in the last four.

However, India’s Aryan was knocked out in the men’s 56kg quarter-final after losing to Uzbekistan’s Saydullo Abdurashitov.

India miss shooting medal

India’s Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finished fourth in the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team final after earlier qualifying second for the gold medal match.

The pair therefore missed out on a podium finish in the event.

More results from Day 3

Indian boxer Jadumani Singh advanced to the men’s 55kg Round of 16 after defeating Nepal’s Chandra Bahadur Thapa 5-0.

In artistic gymnastics, Pranati Nayak qualified for the women’s vault final with a score of 12.916.

India’s women’s badminton team, meanwhile, exited the competition after losing 1-3 to hosts Japan in the quarter-finals.

Cricket news

Zaheer Khan named CSK head coach ahead of IPL 2027

Chennai Super Kings have appointed former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan as their new head coach ahead of IPL 2027, replacing Stephen Fleming.

Published

6 days ago

September 21, 2026

APNLive Desk

Chennai Super Kings have appointed former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan as their new head coach ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League season. The five-time IPL champions announced the appointment on Monday, with Zaheer taking over from long-serving coach Stephen Fleming.

Fleming stepped down from his CSK role in July and subsequently took charge as head coach of the England men’s Test team. Zaheer’s appointment marks his first stint as a head coach at any level.

CSK announced the move on social media with the message welcoming Zaheer as the team’s new head coach.

Zaheer Khan’s coaching experience

Zaheer has previously held senior coaching and mentoring roles in the IPL. He served as Mumbai Indians’ Director of Cricket from 2018 to 2022 before taking up a mentoring role with Lucknow Super Giants from August 2024 to September 2025.

He was also initially named India’s bowling coach in 2017 after Anil Kumble became head coach. Following Ravi Shastri’s appointment later that year, Zaheer’s role was changed to bowling consultant.

As a player, Zaheer represented India in 92 Tests, 200 ODIs and 17 T20Is. He was India’s leading wicket-taker in the 2011 ODI World Cup, taking 21 wickets during the tournament.

Stephen Fleming’s CSK exit

Fleming had two coaching stints with Chennai Super Kings, from 2009 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2026. He left the franchise in July this year to become England’s men’s Test coach, succeeding former New Zealand teammate Brendon McCullum.

Zaheer will now oversee CSK as the franchise prepares for IPL 2027. The appointment brings an Indian former international cricketer into the team’s head coaching role following Fleming’s departure.

Cricket news

Abhishek Sharma smashes fastest T20I century by Indian in India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I

Abhishek Sharma smashed a 30-ball century against Afghanistan in the third T20I, breaking Rohit Sharma’s record for the fastest T20I hundred by an Indian batter.

Published

1 week ago

September 17, 2026

APNLive Desk

Abhishek Sharma produced a record-breaking batting performance for India against Afghanistan in the third T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. The left-handed opener smashed a century in just 30 balls, becoming the fastest Indian batter to score a hundred in men’s T20 Internationals.

Abhishek eventually made 108 off 34 balls, with nine fours and 11 sixes. His century came in the ninth over of India’s innings and surpassed the previous Indian record of 35 balls, held by Rohit Sharma.

Abhishek Sharma century breaks Rohit Sharma’s record

Abhishek brought up his hundred from 30 balls, breaking Rohit Sharma’s previous record of a 35-ball T20I century against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.

The milestone also placed Abhishek third overall on the list of fastest T20I centuries. The two faster centuries in men’s T20I cricket belong to Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan, who scored a 27-ball century, and Turkey’s Muhammad Fahad, who reached his hundred in 29 balls.

Among batters from Full Member nations, Abhishek’s 30-ball century moved him to the top of the list. The previous mark was 33 balls, achieved by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and New Zealand’s Finn Allen.

Abhishek Sharma dominates the powerplay

Abhishek’s attack began from the opening overs. He reached his half-century in only 16 balls before accelerating further.

During the first six overs, Abhishek scored 76 runs from 22 balls while remaining unbeaten at the end of the Powerplay. That became the highest individual score by a batter in the first six overs of a men’s T20I, according to NDTV and ICC.

India also reached 100 without losing a wicket during the Powerplay, with Abhishek and Sanju Samson combining to take India to 100 without loss at the end of the first six overs.

Abhishek dismissed for 108

Abhishek’s record-breaking innings ended at 108 when Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan dismissed him just before the halfway stage of India’s innings.

His final score came from 34 deliveries and included nine fours and 11 sixes, giving him a strike rate of more than 300.

Sanju Samson also contributed to India’s fast start before continuing his innings after Abhishek’s dismissal. The opening pair had put India in a strong position during the early overs.

India’s series position

India entered the third T20I with an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning both of the first two matches against Afghanistan by seven wickets.

Abhishek had already made 82 in the opening match and 39 in the second T20I before producing his record century in the final game.

The third match is being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with Afghanistan winning the toss and choosing to field.

What record did Abhishek Sharma break?

Abhishek Sharma broke Rohit Sharma’s record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian batter. Rohit had scored his century in 35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017, while Abhishek reached the landmark in 30 deliveries against Afghanistan.