Cricket | DD News

June 16, 2025 12:40 PM

World Test Championship format needs revamping despite riveting final

A riveting World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa went a long way to boost the sagging credentials of the five-day game, but the format of the competition is in need of a revamp, according to many of the game’s top observers. South Africa beat Australia by five wickets at lunch on the fourth day of a fluctuating contest at Lord's in which the bowlers dominated the opening two days. A total of 24 wickets were taken, but the tables were turned as wickets turned benign ...

June 16, 2025 12:34 PM

Steve Smith in doubt for Australia’s tour of West Indies

Steve Smith will miss Australia’s first test against the West Indies in Barbados later this month and could sit out the entire three-test series with a finger injury, captain Pat Cummins said. Smith, one of the mainstays of the Australian team, suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger fielding on the third day of the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s on Friday, missing the rest of the match. He was taken to hospital for x-rays but no surgery was...

June 16, 2025 12:32 PM

Australia coach McDonald backs stuttering Labuschagne

Batter Marnus Labuschagne is still a key part of Australia's future in test cricket despite failing to impress in their five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, coach Andrew McDonald said. Labuschagne opened alongside Khawaja, scoring 17 runs off 56 balls in the first innings and 22 off 64 in the second, with South Africa completing a remarkable turnaround on Saturday after successfully chasing down an imposing 282-run target. The 30-year-old has scored one hund...

June 13, 2025 3:34 PM

Gautam Gambhir flies back home from England due to family emergency

A week before India begins their five-match Test series against England in Leeds, head coach Gautam Gambhir has flown back home due to a family emergency. Gambhir had been with the Indian team at Beckenham ahead of their intra-squad practice match starting on Friday. "Yes it came to the light yesterday that Gambhir would be flying back home due to an important family emergency related to his mother. As of now, we believe that Gambhir has already linked up with his family in New Delhi. Keeping i...

June 11, 2025 4:57 PM

West Indies recall Hope, drop Roach for home series vs Australia

West Indies batter Shai Hope is in line to play his first test in almost four years after being recalled to the squad for their home series against Australia, but veteran pacer Kemah Roach has been dropped. The three-test series, which begins in Barbados on June 25, marks the start of the team's new World Test Championship cycle. Limited-overs captain Hope has played 38 tests, the last of which came in Sri Lanka in late 2021. Kevlon Anderson earned a first test call-up while Brandon King was ...

June 9, 2025 10:21 AM

England chase down big total to seal T20I series against Windies

Jos Buttler top-scored for England again as they chased down an imposing target and beat West Indies by four wickets in the second T20I on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead and seal the three-match series, continuing their excellent form under new captain Harry Brook. Former captain Buttler's 47 from 36 balls at Bristol's County Ground came on the back of his 96 in the first T20I in Durham and set the platform for England to hunt down West Indies' total of 196-6 with nine balls to spare. It was a seco...

June 6, 2025 9:50 AM

India test captain Gill ready to lead in his own way

India's new test captain Shubman Gill knows he has big shoes to fill after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli but he wants to develop his own style of leadership, he said on Thursday. Rohit and Kohli, former skippers and batting mainstays of the team, both quit test cricket weeks before the start of India's five-test series in England. Gill, 25, impressed as captain of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Gujarat Titans, leading them to the playoffs. "The pressure comes with every to...

June 4, 2025 9:04 AM

‘I’ll sleep like a baby’: Emotional Kohli fulfils 17-year dream with IPL triumph

Virat Kohli's carefully crafted image of a snarling warrior melted away as the 36-year-old was reduced to an emotional wreck after Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended their 17-season wait for a maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Tuesday. Bengaluru were effectively assured of victory in the final against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad after Josh Hazlewood began the final over with two dot balls. As the broadcasters' camera panned, it caught a teary-eyed Kohli covering his mouth with cupped ha...

June 3, 2025 2:30 PM

IPL 2025: Rain in focus as RCB-PBKS take centerstage for title clash in Ahmedabad

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to welcome its new winner on Tuesday when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on each other in the title clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to lift their maiden silverware. RCB and PBKS have been part of the tournament since its inception in 2008. Both sides have come close to lifting the IPL trophy but ended as runners-up. RCB played three finals (2009, 2011, 2016) before this year's title clash, while Punjab had...

June 3, 2025 9:39 AM

Kohli closes in on long-awaited IPL title

Virat Kohli's trophy cabinet is chock full of awards from his international career but the batsman can end the long wait to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) title when his Royal Challengers Bengaluru play Punjab Kings in Tuesday's final. The 36-year-old has been with Bengaluru since the inaugural edition of the league in 2008, including nine seasons as captain of a franchise that made the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 but lost every time. They have looked a different side altogether under R...