One of the most experienced players in the Indian test batting lineup, Ajinkya Rahane has been going through a rough patch in his form for a while now. For this reason, many former cricketers and fans are asking for the removal of the former vice-captain from the team. Moreover, they are demanding that a young player should be given a chance instead. Rahane has presented his opinion on the same and revealed what went down in Australia during Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21.

Read Also: Ranji Trophy 2022: Ajinkya Rahane to play under Prithvi Shaw in Mumbai team, says I have no issues

Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have turned towards Ranji Trophy to get some runs under their belt. They are advised to regain their good form through the Ranji Trophy. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had also advised the same to these two batters. Amidst this, Ajinkya Rahane was seen taking on the questions about his form himself.

"I took some decisions on the field and in the dressing room, and someone else claimed the credits for the same."

Ajinkya Rahane said in an interview

Ajinkya Rahane didn't shy away from giving answers to all the critics asking for his removal from the Indian team

"It's laughable (on people asking for his removal). Those who know and love the sport won't talk like this. Everyone knows what happened in Australia and how I performed there and my contributions even before that."

Ajinkya Rahane said In a conversation with "Backstage with Boria"

Also Read: Ishant Sharma was told by BCCI he is not in the future scheme of Rohit-Dravid management

Rahane was never heard replying to the criticism around him in such many words and given his current form. However, it will be interesting to see if he & Pujara retain their spot in the Indian team for the home series against Sri Lanka. And if not, will they be able to capitalize on it and gain back their old form. 

In Test cricket, captaincy is often associated with experience and seasoned wisdom, which matters in the long format. However, young talents step up early and prove how they are worthy of leadership.

With Shubman Gill stepping up as the new test captain for India, let's take a moment to celebrate the youngest cricketers to lead India in tests.

Here we bring you the five youngest cricket to ever represent India in tests as a captain.

5. Shubman Gill (25 years 285 days) | 2025

The newest name to join this list of young Indian test captains is Shubman Gill. At the age of 25 years and 285 days, Gill became the 37th test captain of India, and is set to lead in the longest format of the game.

The Indian team will play under Gill's captaincy with the commencement of five-match test series against England on June 20, 2025. This was a major change in the test squad after the former captain, Rohit Sharma, along with Virat Kohli, announced retirement from tests.

Gill made his test debut against Australia in December 2020, and scored 1893 runs, with 5 centuries and 7 fifties so far. With this new turnaround in his career, he became the 5th youngest cricketer to lead India in tests.

Read Also: Every Test Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team

4. Ravi Shastri (25 years 229 days) | 1988

A prominent all-rounder and later a successful coach for the Indian team, Ravi Shastri also briefly held the reins of Test captaincy. He took on the role at the age of 25 years and 229 days, when he led India against West Indies on January 11, 1988.

His captaincy tenure was limited to a single match, but it was a memorable one, as India secured a victory by 255 runs. Shastri scored 3830 runs and took 151 wickets in his test career, that spanned from 1981 to 1992.

3. Kapil Dev (24 years 48 days) | 1983

The legendary all-rounder, Kapil Dev stepped into test captaincy for India at the age of 24 years and 48 days. His first match as a captain was against West Indies on February 23, 1983.

Dev captained India in 34 matches and proved how he was worthy of the position with true leadership skills at such young age. He took 434 wickets and scored 5248 runs in his test career (1978-1994).

He is still the youngest captain to win the World Cup for any team, and comes third in the list for youngest cricketers to lead India in tests.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

2. Sachin Tendulkar (23 years 169 days) | 1996

One of the greatest batsmen of all time, Sachin Tendulkar also had his tenure as the test captain of India at the age of 23 years and 169 days. He first took on the captaincy to lead India in a match against Australia, in 1996.

Tendulkar's captaincy journey had two phases, with him leading in 25 matches. He had an incredible test career with 15921 runs in 200 matches, which is still the highest by any batter in the world!

Read Also: 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium

1. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (21 years 77 days) | 1962

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi remains India's youngest ever test captain, having taken the role at the age of just 21 years and 77 days! He was famously known as 'Tiger' Pataudi in the field of cricket.

He captained India in 40 matches out of his 46-match test career. Despite losing his right eye in an accident early in his career, he continued to play and lead with brilliant skills and courage.

Pataudi scored 2793 runs, smashing 6 centuries and 16 half-centuries in his test career (1961-1975).

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has produced some of the most thrilling matches in cricket history, with some teams successfully chasing down mammoth targets to win games. Rajasthan Royals were the first team to chase down a 200-plus total when they scored 217/7 in 19.5 overs to overcome Deccan Chargers’ 214/5 in the IPL 2008. It was only the ninth match of the league. Over the course of the next 12 years, a lot of sides chased down totals over 200+, but none came anywhere close to scaling what RR achieved in 2008.

That record stood for a solid 12 years before the Royals eclipsed it again in IPL 2020 when they hunted down Kings XI Punjab’s 223/2 with 226/6. The mark stood for five years. Currently, Punjab Kings hold the record for the highest successful run chases in IPL history.

Here is a list of the Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL History.

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Highest Successful Run Chases in IPL History

1. Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) | 262 Runs

Punjab Kings hold the record for the highest successful run chases in IPL history. PBKS successfully chased down a target of 262 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in IPL 2024. Tasked with chasing down a daunting target of 262 in front of a vociferous away crowd in Kolkata, PBKS had their task cut out for them. However, the Punjab team defied all odds.

Player of the Match Jonny Bairstow scored an unbeaten 48-ball 108, while Shashank scored an unbeaten 68 off 28 balls as Punjab pulled off the greatest run chase in IPL history.

In fact, Punjab Kings’ successful run chase against Kolkata Knight Riders is the only time a team has chased down a score of 250 or more in IPL history. It is also the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket as a whole.

2. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings (2025) | 246 Runs

Sunrisers Hyderabad are second on the list of highest successful run chases in IPL history and coincidentally, it came against Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. After PBKS posted 245/6 in the first innings, SRH chased down the target by reaching 247/2 in 18.3 overs with Abhishek Sharma playing a starring role with a 55-ball 141. Abhishek hit a 40-ball century, making it one of the fastest in IPL history.

Punjab started strong with an explosive opening stand from Prabhsimran Singh and young Priyansh Arya. The two added 66 runs in just 24 balls, giving the team a perfect start. After Prabhsimran fell for 42, captain Shreyas Iyer took charge, smashing a half-century in just 22 balls. Nehal Wadhera supported him well, and the Kings crossed 150 runs within 12 overs.

The strong foundation was capped off in style by Marcus Stoinis, who cleared the ropes four times in the closing overs, helping Punjab finish at 245, their highest total of the season so far and a testament to the batting unit’s depth and intent. But Sunrisers Hyderabad responded with a brilliant opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. Their 171-run stand helped them chase down the target successfully.

3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants (2025) | 228 Runs

Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma's unbeaten 85 led RCB to chase down 228 runs against Lucknow Super Giants. After the win, they sealed a top-two finish in the very last league game of IPL 2025. This is also RCB's highest-ever successful chase in IPL history and they will now play in Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings. Records galore for RCB don't stop there, as they have ended up winning all 7 away games in the regular season, which is just remarkable.

The chase saw significant contributions from Virat Kohli and Phil Salt in the powerplay, followed by Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal's unbeaten partnership. Agarwal scored 41 not out to support Sharma's match-winning innings.

Earlier, Lucknow Super Giants posted a formidable 227/3, powered by captain Rishabh Pant's spectacular 118.

4. Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings (2020) | 224 Runs

A collective effort by Sanju Samson, Steve Smith, and Rahul Tewatia led the Rajasthan Royals to chase down a target of 224 runs against Punjab Kings in 2020, the highest successful run chase in IPL history. Samson was the top-scorer with an explosive 85 off just 42 deliveries but Rahul Tewatia became the centre of attraction because of his massive 7 sixes in the important moment. He smashed 5 sixes in an over against Sheldon Cottrell which changed the whole game.

5. Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (2024) | 224 Runs

Rajasthan Royals equalled the highest successful run chase in the IPL recorded by them in 2020, when they beat Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens. In a battle for the position at the top of the IPL 2024 standings, KKR managed 223/6 on the back of Sunil Narine’s maiden T20 century. For the Royals, Avesh Khan and Kuldeep Sen took two wickets each. 

In the run chase, Jos Buttler stood tall with an unbeaten 107 off just 60 balls, steering his team over the line on the last ball. The Royals were on the backfoot at 121/6 in the 13th over. But a cameo from Rovman Powell and some late power-hitting from Buttler got the Royals home.

Interestingly, Punjab Kings surpassed this record 10 days later against the same opponent at the same venue, when they successfully chased 262.

6. Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings (2021) | 219 Runs

Mumbai Indians pulled off a stunning 4-wicket victory over their arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in a match in 2021. Ambati Raydu & Faf du Plessis played blistering innings to put up that mammoth total at Delhi.

Chasing down the target of 219 runs, Mi didn't have a good start. Kieron Pollard's unbeaten 87 from 34 balls, including 6 boundaries and 8 sixes, played the most pivotal role in securing the win. He was also the best bowler for Mumbai in that match. Pollard conceded only 12 runs in his 2 overs and scalped 2 huge wickets.

7. Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers (2008) | 215 Runs

In the inaugural IPL edition, Rajasthan Royals chased a massive target of 215 runs against Deccan Chargers. Andrew Symonds' explosive 117 runs in just 53 deliveries helped Deccan Chargers to put up a huge total of 214 runs.

While Chasing, Graeme Smith and Yusuf Pathan laid the foundation with a 98-run partnership. The explosive knocks from Mohammad Kaif and Shane Warne at the end took Rajasthan to achieve victory.

Read Also: 5 batters with the most runs in IPL playoffs history

8. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals (2023) | 215 Runs

Sunrisers Hyderabad stunned Rajasthan Royals at their home to clinch a high-scoring last-ball IPL thriller. Leveraging on a crucial last-ball no-ball from Sandeep Sharma, Sunrisers snatched the cliffhanger to register for their fourth win of the season. With 17 needed off the final over and 4 needed off the final ball, power-hitter Abdul Samad smashed a six off the last ball to help Sunrisers register a memorable win.

The foundation of the chase was laid by top-order batters Abhishek Sharma (55) and Rahul Tripathi (47) but it was the Glenn Phillips 7-ball 25 cameo that turned the game on its head and reignited the chase.

9. Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings (2023) | 215 Runs

Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Kumar produced a superb effort with the bat as Mumbai Indians completed a gigantic 215-run chase against Punjab Kings and won the match by six wickets in Mohali on Wednesday. The pair added 116 runs for the third wicket after Mumbai were 54/2 in the powerplay.

Ishan Kishan scored 75 in 41 balls. Tilak Varma and Tim David joined the chase and wrapped the contest in 18.5 overs with no issues.

10. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings (2024) | 215 Runs

Brushing aside the first-ball dismissal of the explosive Travis Head, his opening partner Abhishek Sharma showcased an amazing range of stroke-play to ensure Sunrisers Hyderabad finished off its league engagements in the IPL in style with a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings.

Chasing a target of 215, Sunrisers batting depth came to the fore as first Rahul Tripathi set the tone before Abhishek served another reminder of his growing stature as a future India star. The way he stood up and swung Rishi Dhawan and later carted spinner Harpreet Brar for two huge sixes was truly symbolic of his authority, class and timing against pace and spin alike.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen came up with superbly-paced knocks to help the team’s cause on yet another perfect batting strip here.

For any touring cricket team, England presents an unique challenge in Test cricket. It's a land where even most skilled players can struggle.

Far away from home, Indian cricketers have sincerely accepted this challenge and given a tough fight for many years. Discover which batting legends have mastered the game and scored the most runs vs England in England for India in tests.

1. Sachin Tendulkar | 1575 Runs

The 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar holds the unmatched record for most runs vs England in England for India in tests. He scored 1575 runs in 17 matches (30 innings) with an average above 54.

Tendulkar dominated the English soil with 4 hundreds and 8 fifties in his test career.

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

Tendulkar stats vs England in England

2. Rahul Dravid | 1376 Runs

Rahul Dravid is another big name when it comes to legendary test batsmen from India. He holds impressive record against England which is hard to match in the long run for young Indian batters of the coming age.

Dravid scored 1376 runs in 13 matches, with his highest being a phenomenal 217 runs during India tour of England in 2002.

Dravid stats vs England in England

3. Sunil Gavaskar | 1152 Runs

Sunil Gavaskar is the third Indian batter to cross the 1000-run mark against England in England. The 'Little Master' scored 1152 runs in 16 matches during his Test career.

He scored 221 runs in 1979, which is the highest score ever by an Indian batsman against England in their own soil.

Gavaskar stats vs England in England

4. Virat Kohli | 976 Runs

Here comes the most successful Test captain of India, Virat Kohli, securing the fourth position in this list. He surpassed many legendary test batters with his brilliant record against England in their home soil.

Kohli scored 976 runs in 15 matches, with 2 centuries and 5 fifties to his name. The numbers could soar higher if he had not retired from tests at the age of 36, in 2025.

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

Kohli stats vs England in England

5. Dilip Vengsarkar | 960 Runs

Dilip Vengsarkar is a gem of a player in the history of Indian Test cricket. He scored 960 runs in 13 matches (23 innings), with 157 being his highest score.

Vengsarkar scored 4 hundreds and 4 fifties during his tenure.

Vengsarkar stats vs England in England

6. Sourav Ganguly | 915 Runs

Another successful captain in the history of Indian Test cricket, Sourav Ganguly, makes his way to the sixth rank in the list. He started his career with an iconic ton against England in 1996.

Ganguly scored a total of 915 runs in 9 matches (15 innings) vs England in England with an average above 65.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

Ganguly stats vs England in England 

7. Gundappa Viswanath | 858 Runs

Gundappa Viswanath played a major role for India in Tests back in the 1970s. He scored 858 runs in 13 matches against England in England, with an average of 39.

Viswanath stats vs England in England 

8. Cheteshwar Pujara | 806 Runs

Cheteshwar Pujara's journey as a test batsman in the English soil was short-lived but great. He scored 806 runs in 14 matches, having one century and 5 fifties to his name.

Pujara stats vs England in England 

9. MS Dhoni | 778 Runs

Apart from excellent captaincy records, MS Dhoni also holds the ninth position for most runs vs England in England for India in tests. He scored 778 runs in 12 matches (23 innings).

Read Also: 16 Indian Cricketers with stands named after them at a stadium

Dhoni stats vs England in England

10. Ajinkya Rahane | 665 Runs

Ajinkya Rahane is the tenth name in the elite list for most runs vs England in England for India in tests. He scored 665 runs in 14 matches, with a classy century and 5 half centuries to his name.

Rahane stats vs England in England 

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

Due to the increasing conflict between India and Pakistan, BCCI has postponed the IPL 2025 for a week. BCCI gave this information on Friday. The board said that it has taken this decision keeping in mind the concerns of the players and the sentiments of the fans. The new schedule of IPL will be released depending on the situation.

At the same time, according to media reports, all foreign players have been asked to return to their country. Meanwhile, Cricket Australia and South Africa Cricket Board have expressed concern over their players. There are still 12 league matches and 4 playoff matches left in IPL 2025. The final of the tournament was to be held on 25 May.

Also Read: India-Pakistan War: How Indian athletes reacted to it

It is believed that India's tour of Bangladesh in August will be cancelled. The Asia Cup to be held in September will also be postponed. The remaining matches of IPL can be held in India in their place.

It is difficult for BCCI to bring back foreign players

The biggest challenge for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in resuming the IPL in May is to bring back foreign players. As soon as the IPL was announced to be postponed for a week, most of the foreign players returned to their respective countries. The remaining players will leave India by Saturday.

It will be interesting to see how BCCI brings back the foreign players and restarts the tournament. Because without them, it will be difficult to organize matches.

Players will start playing for the country

If the IPL resumes at the end of May, most of the foreign players will be able to return. The teams believe so. If these matches are played after May 25, it will be difficult for the players to return. The biggest reason for this is that many players will be playing for their national team then.

The final of the World Test Championship (WTC) is also scheduled to be held between the Australia and the South Africa at Lord's from June 11.

Starting the tournament is not easy

BCCI has kept all three grounds ready. Despite this, officials believe that it will not be easy to restart this competition now. All the teams were informed about this on Friday without any formal announcement. People from many teams are saying that all the remaining matches can be held at the end of the year.

Punjab-Delhi match had to be canceled midway

On the night of 8 May at around 8.30 pm, Pakistan attacked the borders of Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan of India with missiles and drones. During this time, a match was being played between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. It had to be stopped midway.

Gujarat on top, 3 teams out of the playoffs race

By the time IPL 2025 was halted midway, 57 matches of the league stage had been completed. The 58th match was halted midway. After 57 matches, Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bangalore had the highest points in the points table with 16-16 points.

GT remained on top due to better run rate. Punjab was third, Mumbai fourth and Delhi fifth. Whereas Chennai, Rajasthan and Hyderabad teams were out of the playoff race.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma stats in Tests: Is Rohit the greatest test opener since Virender Sehwag?

Gujarat-Bengaluru have 3-3 matches left

When the tournament was stopped, 4 teams had 2-2 matches left. Whereas 6 teams including Gujarat and Bangalore had not played 3-3 matches. A match was to be played between Lucknow and Bangalore in Lucknow on Friday, but the tournament was stopped before that.