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Ajinkya Rahane will be leading India in the first test against New Zealand

Rohit Sharma will reportedly take a break from the game and will miss the two Test matches against New Zealand. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will lead the team in Rohit's and Virat Kohli's absence

Nov 12, 2021, 6:37 AM2 min read

India will kick off the grueling home season with a series against New Zealand. The Indian team will be hosting NZ in 3 T20Is and 2 Test matches in November-December. A week before the start of the T20I series, the Chetan Sharma-headed selection panel announced the 16-member squad to be led by Rohit Sharma. While many seniors were rested for the series. But, Rohit was included in the team as he is now India's full-time T20I captain. However, Ajinkya Rahane will lead the test side in the Kanpur Test. That is in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who will take a rest in the 1st test.

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in Test | SportzPoint.com
Image - TOI

Also Read: Sexual Charges were filed against Hardik Pandya, Munaf Patel, and Rajeev Shukla

Now it looks like he will be given much-needed rest following the T20Is. As per The Times of India, Rohit will be rested for the Test series against NZ, which kicks off on November 25. Since Virat Kohli will also be reportedly rested for the opening Test, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will lead the team.

The report adds that Rohit was in contention to lead the team in the opening Test. But his workload will be managed. Rahane has been Team India's Test vice-captain since 2017 and has captained the side in 5 Tests. He has also led the Men in Blue in both formats.

Times of India reports about the players who taking rest in the Test series

Another report in TOI also suggests that the likes of Rishabh Pant, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shardul Thakur will be rested for the Test series. Wriddhiman Saha will be an automatic selection in the playing XI in Rishabh's absence while it remains to be seen how many young players make it to the Test squad.

Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav will be making their comebacks while Hanuma Vihari will be in line to be in the playing XI. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will continue to lead the spin attack.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma records as T20 captain

The opening Test will be played in Kanpur while Mumbai will host the 2nd Test. Following the home series, Team India will leave for South Africa. The visitors will play 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 4 T20Is there in December-January.

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Every Test Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team

Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian Men's Test Cricket team for the five-Test series starting in England from June 20.

May 24, 2025, 8:57 AM4 min read

Every Test Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team

Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian Men's Test Cricket team for the five-Test series starting in England from June 20. Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the vice-captain of the team.

Also Read: LIVE: Indian Test team announcement for England tour LIVE updates | Subhman Gill named captain; Nair, Sudharsan, Easwaran, Shardul in test squad

Gill will replace Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format in May due to poor form last season, especially in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Gill's Test career

Gill has played 32 Tests for India so far. He made his Test debut in the MCG Test on India's 2020-21 Australia tour. He has so far scored 1893 runs at an average of 35.05. There is a big difference between his average at home (42.03) and outside (27.53). The upcoming series will be Gill's first full tour.

He has also played two WTC Finals there in 2021 and 2023, and also played the fifth Test on the 2021 tour after it was postponed due to COVID-19.

India will start WTC 2025-27 cycle with five-Test series

India will start the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a five-Test series against England. They are scheduled to play the first Test at Headingley (from June 20), the second Test at Edgbaston (from July 2), the third Test at Lord's (from July 10), the fourth Test at Old Trafford (from July 23) and the final Test at The Oval (from July 31).

Every Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team

Since their first Test in 1932, India have witnessed 36 Test captains across 589 matches. CK Nayudu led India in their maiden Test match in 1932 against England. However, it was only 20 years later that India tasted their first Test victory under the captaincy of Vijay Hazare against England on February 10, 1952 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Only five Indian captains – Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – have managed to notch up at least 10 Test victories. Kohli remains as India’s most successful Test captain, winning 40 of the 68 Tests he led in with a 58.82 success rate. Leading in 60 games between 2008-14, Dhoni is the second-most successful Test skipper for the country, winning 27 matches.

No. Captain Played Won Lost Drawn/Tied Win %
1 C. K. Nayudu 4 0 3 1 0
2 Maharajkumar of Vizianagram 3 0 2 1 0
3 Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi 3 0 1 2 0
4 Lala Amarnath 15 2 6 7 13.33
5 Vijay Hazare 14 1 5 8 7.14
6 Vinoo Mankad 6 0 1 5 0
7 Ghulam Ahmed 3 0 2 1 0
8 Polly Umrigar 8 2 2 4 25
9 Hemu Adhikari 1 0 0 1 0
10 Datta Gaekwad 4 0 4 0 0
11 Pankaj Roy 1 0 1 0 0
12 Gulabrai Ramchand 5 1 2 2 20
13 Nari Contractor 12 2 2 8 16.67
14 Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi 40 9 19 12 22.5
15 Chandu Borde 1 0 1 0 0
16 Ajit Wadekar 16 4 4 8 25
17 Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan 5 0 2 3 0
18 Sunil Gavaskar 47 9 8 30 19.14
19 Bishan Singh Bedi 22 6 11 5 27.27
20 Gundappa Viswanath 2 0 1 1 0
21 Kapil Dev 34 4 7 23 11.76
22 Dilip Vengsarkar 10 2 5 3 20
23 Ravi Shastri 1 1 0 0 100
24 Krishnamachari Srikkanth 4 0 0 4 0
25 Mohammad Azharuddin 47 14 14 19 29.79
26 Sachin Tendulkar 25 4 9 12 16
27 Sourav Ganguly 49 21 13 15 42.86
28 Rahul Dravid 25 8 6 11 32
29 Virender Sehwag 4 2 1 1 50
30 Anil Kumble 14 3 5 6 21.42
31 Mahendra Singh Dhoni 60 27 18 15 45
32 Virat Kohli 68 40 17 11 58.82
33 Ajinkya Rahane 6 4 0 2 66.67
34 KL Rahul 3 2 1 0 66.67
35 Rohit Sharma 24 12 9 3 50
36 Jasprit Bumrah 3 1 2 0

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Cricket

LIVE: Indian Test team announcement for England tour LIVE updates | Subhman Gill named captain; Nair, Sudharsan, Easwaran, Shardul in test squad

Stay updated with the real-time updates of BCCI's announcement of the Indian men's test cricket team for the upcoming England series, starting from 20th June 2025.

May 24, 2025, 8:24 AM1 min read

LIVE: Indian Test team announcement for England tour LIVE updates | Subhman Gill named captain; Nair, Sudharsan, Easwaran, Shardul in test squad

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Indian men's test cricket team's announcement for the upcoming England tour. Chief of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir might attend the press conference to announce the Indian men's test cricket for the important England tour.

After qualifying for consecutive WTC finals, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship final under Rohit Sharma. Now, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already gone from the test format, India will have to fill many gaps to start the new WTC cycle. 

Who will be the next test captain? Will Mohammed Shami be picked? There are many questions which will be answered today.

So, stay tuned as we bring you all the LIVE updates of the announcement. 

LIVE Updates

May 24, 2025, 8:34 AM

Why on Iyer and on Shardul and NKR

Agarkar: "Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well but right now there's no room in test cricket."

"Shardul a bowling allrounder, sometimes you need a player like that depending on team balance. he's going on the A tour as well. NKR is a batting allrounder at this point, hopefully his bowling will come along as well."

May 24, 2025, 8:33 AM

Arshdeep and County experience

"He's a quality bowler and has had a taste of counTy as well. he plays domestic when he can. A tall guy, can bowl with the new ball, has body of work in red-ball cricket and in recent form in the last couple of years. Bumrah unlikely to play all five Tests, we needed a bit of variety."

May 24, 2025, 8:33 AM

On Nair's inclusion!

"Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz, I know he got a 100 in the first Test and then didn't get runs. Sometimes it's decisions the team management takes."

"At the moment, Karun has scored heaps of runs in domestic, has played a bit of Test cricket, played a bit of county cricket. With Virat not there, clearly we're lacking a bit of experience. We felt his experience could help. "

May 24, 2025, 8:32 AM

Why not Bumrah as captain?

"Don't think he'll be available for all five Tests. Whether it's four or three, we'll see based on how the series goes and his workload is. Even if he's fit for 3-4 Tests, he'll be an asset for us. Just happy he's part of the squad.

"More important to us a player. Once you're managing people, there's a lot that takes out of you. We've had a chat with him, he's okay with it. He knows where his body's at. KL not really, he's captained a while back, he's a quality player and hope he has a big series. With Booms, it was more about his workload management."

May 24, 2025, 8:31 AM

Kohli, reached out in April

"When guys like that retire, always big holes to fill. Ashwin also retired. Those three have been stalwarts. Always difficult. One way of looking at it is, opportunity for someone else. Had conversations with both of them."

"Virat reached out early April, seem him give 200% every ball he plays even when he's not batting or on the field. Felt he'd given everything he had, if he can't keep up to the standards it was time for him. It's come from him. Have to respect that. They've earned that respect."

May 24, 2025, 8:31 AM

Gill, one test series captain or full time?

"We discussed every option that's there, over the last year or so, we've looked at Shubman at various times. Taken a lot of feedback from the dressing room. Very young, but there's been improvement. We're hopeful he's the guy. He's a terrific player, our best wishes to him."

"You don't pick captains for one tour or two tours. We've seen some progress over the last year or two with him. No doubt it's going to be as tough as it gets," Agarkar answered

May 24, 2025, 8:30 AM

Who should open for India?

"GG and Shubman might take a call on opener once they get there. But once they get there, they'll have a think about that."

May 24, 2025, 8:30 AM

Why no Shami?

"He's had a little bit of a setback over the past week, got some MRIs done. Wasn't going to be able to play five Tests. Don't think his workload is where he needs to be. Medical guys told he'll be ruled out. We were hoping he'll play some part, but if he's not fit, we'd rather pick guys fit and available rather than waiting," Agarkar said.

May 24, 2025, 8:28 AM

Pointers from the squad

🔹 Shubman Gill named captain
🔹 Rishabh Pant named vice-captain
🔹 Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur Sai Sudharshan and Abhimanyu Easwaran make the cut
🔹 Shreyas Iyer, Mukesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel not included

May 24, 2025, 8:26 AM

May 24, 2025, 8:22 AM

Prince takes over!

May 24, 2025, 8:06 AM

Indian Squad for the England tour

Gill (C), Pant (VC), Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai, Easwaran, Nair, Nitish, Jadeja, Jurel, Sundar, Shardul, Bumrah, Siraj, Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

May 24, 2025, 8:02 AM

We are just minutes away from the press conference!

Hold your breath. All of your questions will be answered very soon. 

May 24, 2025, 7:29 AM

They are here!

May 24, 2025, 5:43 AM

Will Mohammed Shami be there in England tour?

May 24, 2025, 5:43 AM

With no Virat Kohli, who will be India's next No.4 batter?

May 24, 2025, 5:41 AM

Who can be India's next test captain?

May 24, 2025, 5:39 AM

Who are in India A squad?

India A squad for the England tour: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

May 24, 2025, 5:35 AM

When does the England tour start?

India's England tour will start on 20th June with the first test at Leeds. Before that India A team will also play unofficial test matches against England Lions. Moreover, India A will also play a practice game with the senior team before the first test.

May 24, 2025, 5:32 AM

When the Indian team for England series will be announced?

The Indian team will be announced at 1.30 pm IST today via a press conference. 

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Form? Fitness? Should Mohammad Shami be there for the England test series? Who are the other options?

Is Mohammad Shami ready to spearhead India's pace attack in the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting June 20, 2025?

May 23, 2025, 5:28 PM1 min read

Is Mohammad Shami ready to spearhead India's pace attack in the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting June 20, 2025?

With concerns over his form and fitness following a lacklustre IPL 2025 and a long injury layoff, we dive deep into whether the star pacer should be included in the squad. 

From his stellar 2023 ODI World Cup performance to recent struggles with pace and rhythm, we analyse Shami’s prospects and what he brings to the table.  Plus, we explore potential alternatives like Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, and others who could step up if Shami’s fitness remains a concern.

With Jasprit Bumrah’s workload being managed, who else can India rely on to challenge England’s batsmen? 

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Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025?

After a disastrous IPL campaign with 13.73 average, the entire nation has this one question to ask: Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025? Read to know more.

May 23, 2025, 11:45 AM3 min read

Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025? | sportzpoint.com

The 2025 IPL season has delivered a brutal reality check for Rishabh Pant. After being picked up by LSG for 27 crore, he turned out to be the most expensive flop of this season.

Can a player sustain an international career after such disappointing performance? Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025?

Let's dive into the cold facts.

The disappointing IPL 2025 numbers 

Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025? | sportzpoint.com
Rishabh Pant slipping down the pitch during a match in IPL 2025. Image | Facebook

Rishabh Pant was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants as the most expensive player in IPL history for ₹27 crore, which proved to be totally not worth it. He only managed to score 151 runs in 13 matches with an average of 13.73 and a strike rate barely crossing 107.

He is the lowest scorer among all the LSG batters in IPL 2025. Apart from batting performance, he also failed as a captain. The team only won 6 matches out of 13 and lost their playoffs berth under Pant's captaincy.

Pant's questionable descision-making, poor shot selections, and a complete lack of form did not justify the big price tag ahead in the auction.

Read Also: Expensive flops? Rishabh Pant and Venkatesh Iyer's IPL 2025 disappointments

Rishabh Pant stats in IPL 2025

  • vs DC: 0 runs (6 balls)
  • vs SRH: 15 runs (15 balls)
  • vs PBKS: 2 runs (5 balls)
  • vs MI: 2 runs (6 balls)
  • vs KKR: 0 runs (0 balls)
  • vs GT: 21 runs (18 balls)
  • vs CSK: 63 runs (49 balls)
  • vs RR: 3 runs (9 balls)
  • vs DC: 0 runs (0 balls)
  • vs MI: 4 runs (2 balls)
  • vs PBKS: 18 runs (17 balls)
  • vs SRH: 7 runs (6 balls)
  • vs GT: 16* runs (6 balls)

The T20I context: India's current pool and future outlook

Rishabh Pant's position is now critically questionable as India's T20 squad selection prioritizes consistency in batting, high strike rates, and adaptable wicket-keeping.

The current pool of contenders are highly competitive and has the potential to outperform Pant.

Read Also: BCCI Central Contract 2025: Talking points from BCCI's contract announcement

The wicket-keeper batsman contenders

  • KL Rahul: His current form in IPL 2025 is magnificent and he has consistently performed well for the team. Rahul's ability to anchor and accelerate has again brought him into T20I contention.
  • Sanju Samson: Yet another prime contender with high experience and quality performance. He also holds the ability to blend well into the format.
  • Dhruv Jurel: A promising young talent who also has the ability to make impactful finish for the team.
  • Ishan Kishan: The pocket dynamo who started his IPL 2025 season with a phenomenal century, and gained his spot in BCCI's central contract (2025), is another strong contender.

Where Rishabh Pant fits (or doesn't fit):

Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025? | sportzpoint.com
Rishabh Pant playing for team India in T20Is. Image | TOI

Following the poor performance of Rishabh Pant, several known names have speculated about his mental state and his inability to deal pressure. The former Indian cricketer, Kris Srikkanth, also suggested that Pant should consider taking a break from his format.

Read Also: Most Player of the Match awards in T20I cricket history

The modern T20 format demands a lot of things that Pant is completely missing:

  • Insufficient strike rate 
  • Lack of clarity in shot-making
  • Inability to convert build innings 
  • Diminished reliability as wicketkeeper-batter
  • No longer an unique left-handed power option 
  • Difficulty handling run-rate pressure 

Pant is missing the "X-factor" that he once possessed. Therefore, unless his form significantly improves soon and makes a comeback, his T20 career is effectively over.

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5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Let's take a look at the top 5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history.

May 23, 2025, 11:17 AM3 min read

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. And as the IPL 2025 is about to enter the Playoff stage, the level of competition goes significantly up.

The IPL Playoff is an intense phase of the tournament where players need to perform at their best. Thus, there’s constant pressure on batters and bowlers to give their 100 percent, as a tiny mistake can make or break the team’s campaign. Bowlers are under even more pressure as they are the ones who can help teams win the tournament.

Let's take a look at the top 5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history.

Also Read: IPL Table toppers: IPL Playoffs teams from 2008 to 2025

Most Wickets in IPL Playoffs History

5. Harbhajan Singh | 17 Wickets

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has dismissed the batters 17 times in the IPL playoffs at an economy rate of 7.27. During his playing time in the IPL, he has 150 wickets under his name with a stellar economy of 7.08.

The veteran off-spinner has won IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 19 Wickets

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Off-spinner Ravindra Jadeja has claimed 19 wickets in the IPL playoffs. He traps the bowler with his spin and is also quite handy with the bat. He has a brilliant average of 22.52 in 23 games. The tally includes an economy rate of 7.75.

Jadeja was part of Rajasthan Royal's title-winning side in the inaugural IPL season (2008). He also won the trophy in 2018, 2021, and 2023 with the Chennai Super Kings.

3. Mohit Sharma | 20 Wickets

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Gujarat Titans pacer Mohit Sharma took 20 wickets in the IPL playoffs. He has been consistently providing breakthroughs when the team needed it most. Having represented CSK and GT in the playoffs, Mohit has taken 20 wickets from 10 games at 15.80. His tally includes an economy rate of 8.77 along with a fifer.

Mohit also played for the Gujarat Titans in the 2023 final.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin | 21 Wickets

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

With 21 wickets in the IPL playoffs, Ravichandran Ashwin has been a key bowler for Chennai Super Kings, delivering vital spin breakthroughs in pressure moments. Ashwin played for three franchises - CSK, Delhi Capitals, and RR - in the IPL playoffs.

Ashwin snapped up 21 wickets from 24 IPL playoff games at 30.23. Notably, Ashwin also has a maiden over in the playoffs. He won the title with CSK in 2010 and 2011. He bowled a match-winning spell (3/16) in the 2011 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

In IPL 2025, he has claimed seven wickets in the nine games he has featured in.

Also Read: Which team has qualified for IPL playoffs most times?

1. Dwayne Bravo | 28 Wickets

5 bowlers with the most wickets in IPL playoffs history

Former CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has taken the most wickets in the IPL playoffs, becoming a standout bowler for Chennai Super Kings. He was known for his death-over skills and crucial wickets in crunch situations. All-rounder Bravo was a mainstay seamer in Chennai Super Kings' pace attack for a decade.

Bravo starred in three of their title-winning campaigns (2011, 2018, and 2021). He also played the final with CSK in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019. Bravo, who also played for Gujarat Lions, took 28 wickets from 19 playoff matches at 18.21.

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