bbc-north.co.uk – Daily Features & Must-Read News

Suryakumar Yadav recovered from an injury sustained near the end of IPL 2025. He spent weeks at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. There, he underwent a structured rehabilitation process. Yadav praised the facility and staff for their support. He focused on mindset and physical recovery. Now, Suryakumar Yadav is fit.

Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf has stirred the pot ahead of the Asia Cup clash with India, confidently proclaiming victory in both anticipated matches. While Pakistan gears up for the tournament and a preceding tri-series, a surprising squad selection sees Salman Agha appointed captain, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan notably absent.

Bazid Khan analyzed India's Asia Cup squad, noting the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will impact the team's intensity. He highlighted Suryakumar Yadav's struggles against Pakistan and emphasized Ravindra Jadeja's all-round contribution and fielding prowess will be missed. India faces the challenge of finding the right combination to compensate for these key players.

Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, after a period of self-reflection following his initial T20I appearances, has made a remarkable comeback to the Indian team. His resurgence was fueled by a strong IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he showcased his finishing abilities and even captained the team in Rajat Patidar's absence.

Months after Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhanashree Verma's divorce, Suryakumar Yadav's wife, Devisha Shetty, has publicly supported Dhanashree. Following Dhanashree's emotional account on 'Humans of Bombay' about the overwhelming separation and media scrutiny, Devisha posted an Instagram story expressing her respect and love.

Once considered Rohit Sharma's successor, Hardik Pandya's captaincy aspirations have faded due to injuries and fitness concerns, leading to Suryakumar Yadav's rise as a preferred leader. Despite losing the captaincy role to SKY and Shubman Gill, Pandya's influence within the team remains significant.

Mohammad Kaif has said it will be tough for Sanju Samson to secure a spot in India's playing XI for the Asia Cup. Kaif believes Shubman Gill, who is now the vice-captain, will open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Ajinkya Rahane has relinquished his captaincy of Mumbai's domestic cricket team, aiming to foster new leadership while continuing as a player across all formats. Rahane led Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season and expressed his commitment to contribute to the team's future success. Mumbai has potential captaincy candidates like Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav.

Sanju Samson has scored most of his IPL runs at No. 3, second only to Suresh Raina in terms of overall runs at that position. His record at No. 3 is strong, with an average of 38 and a strike rate of 143 in the IPL. But fitting him in there would mean dropping Tilak Varma, which would also break the left-hand/right-hand balance India have carefully built in their middle order.

T20 cricket has undergone a six-hitting revolution, transforming batting from risk-averse accumulation to power-driven aggression. India, once lagging behind, now match the world’s best with a six every 12 balls in 2024. With IPL and internationals fuelling the trend, six-hitting is now the currency of modern T20 cricket.

Rohit Sharma reflects on India's T20 World Cup victory, highlighting Suryakumar Yadav's crucial catch of David Miller as the turning point. He also reveals convincing Rahul Dravid to extend his coaching stint for one last shot at glory.