India's CT25 Squad, BCCI's New Directives | Cricket Echoes, Jan '25
Your Monthly Dose of Global Cricket Updates: January 2025
Jayant Sharma
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Karnataka Wins the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25
Karnataka bags their fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy title as they defeat Vidarbha by 36 runs in the final. Vidarbha, despite valiant knocks from Dhruv Shorey and Hash Dubey, couldn't cross the line.
Key stats from VHT 2024-25:
Karun Nair scored 779 runs in the season at an average of 389.5 and notched up 5 centuries in 8 innings.
Arshdeep Singh picked up 20 wickets in 7 innings at an average of 18.25 and economy of 5.62 in the tournament.
Varun Chakravarthy impressed too with 18 wickets in 6 innings at an average of 12.16 and economy of 4.36.
Punjab played an attacking brand of cricket and registered the two highest scores of this season: 426 and 424. Their openers, Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh, scored 467 and 498 runs respectively at an average of 58 and 83, and at strike rate of 130 and 129.
Ravi Bishnoi bowled at an economy of 3.64 in the tournament and picked up 14 wickets in 8 matches.
Bumrah Included, Siraj Dropped! India's Squad for CT 2025 and England ODIs
India receives the much needed boost of fit Mohammed Shami and possibly of Jasprit Bumrah as well going into the Champions Trophy as they announce their squad for the tournament and also the England ODIs. Surprisingly though, they have dropped Mohammed Siraj from the squad in favor of left-handed Arshdeep Singh for the third seamer position. The all-rounder Hardik Pandya will serve as the fourth seam bowling option. India have also picked four spinners in the squad keeping the UAE wickets in mind: Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav.
A notable difference from India's 2023 ODI World Cup squad is the strength and options in their batting. They have three solid options of Rohit Sharma, Shubhman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal for opening, a middle order of Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant to choose from, and the all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel to bolster the lower order.
Shubhman Gill will continue as the vice-captain from the Sri Lanka series. Wicket-keeping duties will be handled by either KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant depending on whether India needs a left-hander or innings stabilizer in case of collapse at the number 5 position.
Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubhman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh
Kohli, Rahul report niggles; Rohit, Jadeja to play next round of Ranji
After much speculations about International Test regulars' participation in the next round of Ranji Trophy, the final reports are out. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will not be featuring in the next round of Ranji tournament owing to neck and elbow injury respectively. However, Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ravidra Jadega have made themselves available. If picked in the XI, Rohit and Jaiswal will play for Mumbai, Pant for Delhi, Gill for Punjab, and Jadeja for Saurashtra.
The next round of Ranji Trophy starts on 23rd of January. Matches picked for live telecast can be watched on Jiocinema or Star Sports Network.
Sitanshu Kotak Joins Team India as Batting Coach
The BCCI has added one more member to India Men's coaching staff. Sitanshu Kotak, who has coached India A and has been the batting coach at NCA since 2019, will assume the position. The Gautam Gambhir led coaching team now have Morne Morkel as bowling coach, Sitanchu Kotak as batting coach, Ryan ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar (for batting) as assistant coach, T Dilip as fielding coach, and Gambhir himself as the head coach.
BCCI's Ten-Point Disciplinary Guidelines for Men's National Team!
The BCCI has imposed some strict guidelines on the Men's national team in the wake of their recent losses in Test cricket. Players' will have to adhere to the given guidelines and any form of non-compliance will lead to disciplinary actions. These actions may include -
Sanction against the concerned player from participating in all BCCI conducted tournaments including the Indian Premier League; and
Deduction from retainer amount / match fees under the BCCI Player contract.
Any deviation from guidelines will need to be pre-approved by the BCCI, including the Chairman of the Selection Committee and the coach.
Summary of guidelines provided by the BCCI:
Participation in domestic matches is mandatory for a player to be eligible for national selection.
Players will have to stay with the team for entire practice sessions and are required to travel with the team to and from match or practice venues.
Players will have to maintain the baggage limit specified by the BCCI on travel. Any additional cost due to baggages will have to be borne by the player.
Personal staff like managers, hairdressers, chefs, security will not be allowed to travel with players on tours.
Players must coordinate with team management regarding equipment and personal items being sent to the Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru. Any additional costs incurred due to separate arrangements will be the player's responsibility.
No player will be allowed to engage in personal shoots or endorsements during the ongoing series or tour.
A player's family can only visit a player for a maximum of two weeks on tours extending more than 45 days.
Every player is required to be present for BCCI's official shoots, promotional activities, and functions.
If a series or tour ends earlier than the scheduled dates, the players will have to stay with the team till the scheduled departure, and cannot leave early.
Anrich Nortje Ruled Out of CT25; Replacement Coetzee under injury scare as well
South Africa announced their Champions Trophy '25 squad recently, but since then are struggling with injuries in their squad. One of them is Anrich Nortje. Nortje has suffered a back injury and has been ruled out of CT25. His replacement, Gerald Coetzee, is also under injury cloud—suffering hamstring niggle.
SA's middle-order batter, Rassie van der Dussen, too, injured his fingers. Though, he has continued playing in the SA20 — suggesting that the injury is not serious.
South Africa's Squad for CT25
Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickleton (wk), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
Australia's Squad for CT25
Squad: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labushagne, Glexx Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Mathew Short, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis
Afghanistan's Squad for CT25
Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah (vc), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Allah Ghazanfar, Naveed Zadran, Noor Ahmad
Karun Nair Continues on his Merry Ways in VHT24-25!
Karun Nair has scored yet another century not out (122*) in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25! He now has scores of 112*, 44*, 163*, 111*, 112, and 122* in the tournament—averaging 664 at a strike rate of 120. On the back of his stellar season till now, Vidarbha are unbeaten and have comfortably reached the Semi-finals of the tournament.
No Litton Das in Bangladesh's squad for CT25!
Bangladesh Squad: Najmul Hossain (c), Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
New Zealand Announce their Squad for CT 2025
New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway (wk), Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Will Young, Mitchell Santner (c), Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith
India's Squad for England Series T20Is
India have announced their squad for the five-match T20I series against England. Mohammed Shami makes a much-awaited return from injury ahead of the Champions Trophy for India. If picked in the playing XI, it will be his first international appearance since the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
In another interesting move, Axar Patel has been promoted to vice-captaincy in T20Is despite the presence of Hardik Pandya in the team.
Squad: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c),Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi
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