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Hardik Pandya likely to replace Rohit Sharma as India's ODI, T20I captain

The Indian cricket team is set to undergo another major change soon as Hardik Pandya is likely to take over as the captain of the ODI and T20I teams.

Dec 22, 2022, 7:21 AM2 min read

Hardik Pandya likely to replace Rohit Sharma as India's ODI, T20I captain

The Indian cricket team is set to undergo another major change soon as Hardik Pandya is likely to take over as the captain of the ODI and T20I teams. Hardik will be replacing Rohit Sharma, whose fitness has been a concern since last year. Rohit has missed many matches due to fitness issues and isn't part of the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh either.

Hardik Pandya likely to replace Rohit Sharma as India's ODI, T20I captain | Sportz Point
Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma
Image - Cricreads

Also Read: Saqlain Mushtaq to step down as Pakistan head coach after New Zealand series. Babar Azam to lose his Test captaincy

Hardik only plays white-ball cricket and has been a regular since his comeback to international cricket in June. Hardik proved his captaincy credentials by leading Gujarat Titans to an IPL title win earlier this year and was leading the race to take over T20I captaincy.

Now it looks like he could be given complete charge of the white-ball teams. Pandya has been informed about this development and the BCCI is waiting to hear if he can play both formats or not.

Rohit took over as the T20I captain starting the home series against New Zealand after the 2021 T20 World Cup. He replaced Virat Kohli as the ODI captain in December 2021. Though Rohit couldn't lead the Men in Blue in his maiden ODI series as the full-time captain as he didn't travel to South Africa due to an injury. He also missed the Test series.

Rohit was also given Test captaincy after Kohli stepped down but his fitness issues have seen him lead the side in only 2 home Test matches. Rohit missed the one-off Test match against England due to a COVID-19 positive test. He suffered a thumb injury during the 2nd ODI against Bangladesh and is missing the ongoing Test series.

Hardik Pandya has led team India in five T20Is as standby captain

Read Also: Most Test wins by a Captain in a Calendar Year

Hardik Pandya has never led a team in List A cricket. He has captained Team India to 4 wins in 5 T20Is. India's white-ball teams will next hit the field against Sri Lanka on January 3. However, the squads for the series will be announced by the end of next week. Rohit is likely to make his comeback for the home series.

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Most centuries in WT20Is

Esha Oza currently holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is, with four centuries in the format. Explore the list of players with such century records!

May 17, 2025, 5:47 AM3 min read

Most centuries in WT20Is - Esha Oza leads the chart | sportzpoint.com

Scoring a century in any form of cricket is a moment of glory, but in the fast-paced format of T20s, it gets more exciting to watch. Numerous cricketers have consistently proved themselves in this format by delivering spectacular tons.

The list goes deep as we have such power-hitters from around the globe!

Join us as we explore the list of players with most centuries in WT20Is and celebrate their glorious innings.

1. Esha Oza (4 centuries) | UAE

Esha Oza holds the first rank for most centuries in WT20Is | sportzpoint.com
Esha Oza in action against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2024. Image | ESPNcricinfo 

The current captain of UAE, Esha Oza, holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is with 4 centuries in her T20 career so far. This Indian-born cricketer made her debut in T20Is in 2018 and reached this milestone extremely fast.

She is also the fastest player from UAE to reach 1000 runs in T20Is. Her fourth century in T20Is came against Qatar in the Asia Cup qualifier, where she led her team to a brilliant victory.

Read Also: Top 10 fastest centuries in Women's T20Is

Esha Oza stats in WT20Is

Span Matches Innings  Runs Highest Avg SR 100 50
2018-2025 93 91 2538 158* 31.33 113.40 4 10

2. Chamari Athapaththu (3 centuries) | Sri Lanka

Chamari Athapaththu holds the second rank for most centuries in WT20Is | sportzpoint.com
Chamari Athapaththu celebrating her 113 off 66 balls against Australia in 2019. Image | ESPNcricinfo 

Chamari Athapaththu, the current captain of Sri Lanka national team, holds the 2nd position in this list with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is one of the finest cricketers from Sri Lanka and led them to win the 2024 Asia Cup.

Chamari scored her first hundred in T20Is in 2019 against Australia. She scored the other following centuries in 2024 against Scotland and Malaysia.

Read Also: England or Australia? Which team has won more Women's Ashes?

Chamari Athapaththu stats in WT20Is

Span Matches Innings Runs Highest Avg SR 100 50
2009-2025 146 143 3458 119* 25.42 110.09 3 13

3. Fatuma Kibasu (3 centuries) | Tanzania 

Fatuma Kibasu holdes the third rank for most centuries in WT20Is | sportzpoint.com
Fatuma Kibasu celebrating her century in 2019. Image | Facebook 

The former captain of Tanzania, Fatuma Kibasu, holds the 3rd position with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is the only Tanzanian woman to score a century at international level so far, and holds the highest individual score for her country in WT20Is.

Fatuma made her T20 debut in 2019 and played magnificently ever since!

Fatuma Kibasu stats in WT20Is

Span Matches Innings Runs Highest Avg SR 100 50
2019-2023 45 44 1245 127* 35.57 109.69 3 5

Read Also: Most WT20I runs in a calendar year

Other players with 2 centuries in WT20Is 

Here's a list of players who scored 2 centuries in WT20Is and comes in the list following the TOP 3.

Player Span Matches Innings Runs Highest Avg 100 50
Prosscovia Alako (UGA) 2019-2025 59 57 824 116 15.54 2 1
Rebecca Blake (ROM) 2022-2023 13 13 754 135* 107.71 2 5
Maria Castineiras (ARG) 2019-2025 38 37 694 155* 23.93 2 1
Deandra Dottin (WI/BRB) 2008-2025 138 135 3004 112* 26.82 2 14
Mariko Hill (HKG) 2019-2025 79 76 1678 106 25.42 2 6
Meg Lanning (AUS) 2010-2023 132 121 3405 133* 36.61 2 15
Gaby Lewis (IRE) 2014-2024 94 94 2318 119 28.61 2 13
Hayley Matthews (WI) 2014-2025 106 106 2651 132 26.77 2 16
Beth Mooney (AUS) 2015-2025 112 106 3381 117* 42.26 2 27
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (ENG) 2010-2025 170

149

3190 124 23.62 2 19

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"Wear whites for Virat": RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute

Get ready to witness a sea of whites in Chinnaswamy stadium. RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute. Check the full article for all the details.

May 16, 2025, 7:40 AM2 min read

"Wear whites for Virat": RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute | sportzpoint.com

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute? Yes! Fans are planning a special "wear white" initiative and asking the crowd to show up in whites for the upcoming RCB vs KKR match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 17, 2025.

As the IPL is set to resume tomorrow, and we will witness Virat Kohli play his first match after his announcement of test retirement, fans are organising a heartfelt tribute for the King!

The viral spread of white wave

A fan-driven moment is going viral recently where they call the crowd to wear white for a collective tribute to Virat Kohli after his test retirement.

Whether you have a test jersey or not, all they ask for is wearing anything white instead of the jerseys of IPL franchises.

Discussions on Reddit

The white tribute takes shape on reddit as fans try to reach out as much as possible.

Reddit discussion on how RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute | sportzpoint.com
Reddit discussion thread on wear white in Chinnaswamy tribute. Image | Reddit

Fans pledge to wear white in Instagram comments

Fans leave heartfelt messages on comments section of official Royal Challengers Bengaluru Instagram page.

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute | sportzpoint.com
Comments on RCB's official Instagram handle. Image | Instagram 

Hashtags like #WearWhiteForVirat, #KohliTestTribute, and #KohliTestFarewell are the ones people are using to make this a trend before the upcoming IPL 2025 match.

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute | sportzpoint.com
Comments on RCB's official Instagram handle. Image | Instagram 

Content Creators spreading the word

Many content creators have joined hands to support this initiative and they are getting huge responses.

Harsha Bhogle reacts on Twitter 

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India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

Know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till ODI World Cup 2027 and when India will face which team.

May 14, 2025, 9:44 AM3 min read

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

After the Champions Trophy 2025, India's target in ODI cricket will be the ODI World Cup 2027. In such a situation, know what is Team India's ODI schedule till the World Cup 2027. The Men in Blue have to play a total of 9 series in the next ICC ODI tournament, which includes 27 matches.

Apart from this, some more ODI matches can be scheduled near the tournament. So, know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till 2027 and when India will face which team.

Also Read: The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

The ODI World Cup2027 will be held around October to December. Before this, the Indian team is going to play a lot of matches. India have to play 3-match ODI series against 8 teams. They will play series twice against one country.

India will play New Zealand twice

India will play Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka once each in the upcoming ODI series, while it will play New Zealand twice. Out of the nine series, India will play six series at home, while the rest will be held outside the country.

It will start with the tour of Bangladesh in August, which will be played this year. In October-November 2025, India has to play a three-match ODI series on its tour of Australia. South Africa's team will tour India in November-December.

India will host Sri Lankan team in December 2026

In January 2026, the New Zealand team will play an ODI series in India. After this, India has to play a three-match series against Afghanistan in June. In July 2026, Team India will have to play the same number of ODI series on its tour of England.

The West Indies team is scheduled to tour India in September-October. There will be an ODI series against New Zealand at home in October-November. India will host the Sri Lankan team for an ODI series in December 2026.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

Month/Year Opponent Venue No. of ODIs
August 2025 Bangladesh Away 3
Oct-Nov 2025 Australia Away 3
Nov-Dec 2025 South Africa Home 3
January 2026 New Zealand Home 3
June 2026 Afghanistan Home 3
July 2026 England Away 3
Sep-Oct 2026 West Indies Home 3
Oct-Nov 2026 New Zealand Home 3
December 2026 Sri Lanka Home 3

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The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

Virat Kohli's influence on cricket in India is huge. Now that he has retired from tests, here we are to examine "The Kohli Effect." Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement? It is an important question to follow.

May 14, 2025, 5:25 AM3 min read

The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement? | sportzpoint.com

Virat Kohli's decision to step away from tests makes it a key question to ask, observe and analyse its effects on fans and their engagement with Test cricket.

People on the internet are talking about the closure of a big chapter. So, now that the chapter is closed, it will be crucial to check if the fans still embrace the long format.

Let's dive into the depths of this particular question that will rise in the days ahead: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

Kohli's unmatched influence on Test cricket fandom

Virat Kohli's fan engagement raise the question that Will Indian fans lose interest in Tes cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement? | sportzpoint.com
Virat Kohli walking out of the pavillion as the crowd cheer up in joy. Image | Pinterest 

Virat Kohli has left his mark and impact beyond just his bat and performance. The sentimental connection fans had with him in tests is hard to put into words.

Considering India had exceptional test cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar, what is it about this man that his test exit is feeling like an irreplaceable void?

  • Virat Kohli is the most successful Indian Test captain and holds the record for most victories, with 40 wins in total.
  • His captaincy at home soil was exceptional, which showed everyone how dominant the Indian team can be, winning 24 out of 31 matches.
  • Kohli's presence in Tests was unique. He inspired millions of fans to watch the format, who were drawn by his presence and performance.
  • He fundamentally reshaped the Test landscape for India by proving the entire world that this country is equally good in Test just like other formats.
  • Kohli's on-field intensity made every moment iconic for the teammates and fans to watch.
  • He holds the record for scoring the most double centuries as an Indian batter, with 7 double centuries in his career. 
  • Kohli's hunger for doing better and delivering crucial knocks and centuries for the team has drawn so many non-cricket fans to watch this format.
  • Fans felt a strong emotional connection to his journey, following the highs and lows, and his commitment to winning for India.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

What could Kohli's absence mean for the Test in India?

Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohlis retirement? | sportzpoint.com
A kid holding a banner in a crowd during a match of the Indian cricket team. Image | Hindustan Times 

Virat Kohli's role in this format has been significant, on and off the ground. The reaction of fans after his retirement news made it clear how he has defined an entire generation's perception of the format.

Social media is flooded with posts and comments like "End of an Era," "Test cricket won't be the same without the King," "Grew up watching him fire in tests, a part of our childhood is gone today," and many others.

While some people are recalling those "memories and battles," some are acknowledging "the irreplaceable void and future of test cricket for India."

Read Also: "End of an era": Cricketing world reacts to Virat Kohli's test retirement

The kind of reaction and energy from the fandom makes it obvious to speculate how challenging it can be to keep the same level of interest in tests now. It makes it even questionable as the former captain, Rohit Sharma, has also decided to retire from Test cricket, days before Kohli's retirement.

The whole nation will definitely miss Ro-Ko in tests. But will it affect their interest in this format?

It will be a vital thing to keep an eye on in the future.

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Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

Let's take a look at the statistics of the Fav Four in Test cricket.

May 12, 2025, 1:24 PM3 min read

Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

Cricket, a sport loved by millions around the world, has witnessed the rise of several legendary players. In the modern era, four exceptional batsmen have stood out with their consistent brilliance, earning them the title of the “Fab Four players.” Their performances are often compared under the widely discussed Fab four Stats.

These iconic cricketers – Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith have set new benchmarks for batting excellence across formats. 

Virat Kohli recently announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier today (May 12) with a post on his official Instagram handle. He ended his 14-year illustrious career in the format.

In this article, we will take a closer look at their remarkable careers, comparing their updated statistics and achievements to understand what makes them the finest batsmen of the modern era in Test cricket. 

Also Read: Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

So, let's take a look at the statistics of the Fav Four in Test cricket.

Fav four in Test cricket | Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith

Test cricket, often considered the ultimate test of a player’s skill and temperament, has seen these four players shine brightly. Here’s how they stack up in the longest format.

Virat Kohli's peak in Test cricket arrived well before the likes of Joe Root and Kane Williamson. Steve Smith matched him toe to toe during that period, but the 12-month ban due to the sandpaper gate overshadowed his brilliance in the format. 

However, when we compare the numbers of Fab four in 2025, Kohli has fallen way behind his contemporaries. Root is at the peak of his powers in Test cricket in the last five years while Williamson has never really been out of form in the whites.

Smith has been on and off over the last couple of years, but his form has never been a concern for Australia in Tests. When it comes to runs, averages and centuries, Kohli ranks last among Fab four and a lot of it has to do with his downfall in the format since November 2019.

Also Read: Sachin vs Kohli: Stats Comparison in Test Cricket

Here is a comparison of Fav four in Test cricket.

Player Mat Inns Runs HS Ave SR 100s 50s
Virat Kohli 123 210 9230 254* 46.85 55.57 30 31
Joe Root 152 278 12972 262 50.87 57.47 36 65
Kane Williamson 105 186 9276 251 54.88 51.78 33 37
Steve Smith 116 206 10271 239 56.74 53.56 36 41

Fav four in Test cricket | How Kohli finished in Tests compared to Fab four

It is certain that Virat Kohli, who was once untouchable in the debate of Fab Four, will remain at the bottom forever when compared to his contemporaries. Only if his form hadn't dropped after November 2019, the 36-year-old, today, has stepped down from the format with some unreal numbers.

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