Rajat Patidar has exited India's squad for the forthcoming ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup due to an injury setback. In his place, the BCCI has appointed Ayush Badoni. Rinku Singh will serve as the vice-captain alongside Captain Tilak Varma in a competitive Group B that includes the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, and Pakistan A.
India A established a solid position against New Zealand A, posting a total of 464 runs. Dhruv Jurel, Tilak Varma, and Washington Sundar contributed significantly to the first innings with their half-centuries. After declaring their innings, India A's bowlers made early breakthroughs, leaving New Zealand A struggling at 36/2. Prasidh Krishna returned to the team and made an immediate impact by dismissing the openers.
In his autobiography, Usman Khawaja reveals that the entire Australian cricket team was aware of the ball-tampering incident during their 2018 tour of South Africa. He addressed claims that he kept this information hidden for personal benefit, emphasizing his desire for collective accountability. Khawaja voiced disappointment in teammates unwilling to accept shared responsibility. His comments have reignited crucial discussions surrounding the scandal that rocked Australian cricket's reputation.
Gurnoor Brar made waves in the second ODI against New Zealand, achieving remarkable bowling figures of 4/30. This stat positions him as the second-best Indian fast bowler in ODIs in New Zealand history. The match, disrupted by rain, saw India bowl out New Zealand for only 134 runs, and although they struggled at first, they clinched a four-wicket victory, making Brar's performance a notable highlight of the series.
Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar endorsed the decision to promote Axar Patel during the second ODI against New Zealand. India faced early challenges while chasing a modest target of 135 after losing key wickets. Axar was sent in at No. 5 but scored only seven runs, leading to criticism of the move. KL Rahul later steadied the innings after Axar's dismissal, contributing to India's eventual DLS victory.
Dodda Ganesh has raised eyebrows over India's choice to position Axar Patel at the fifth spot in the batting lineup. He expresses that this approach limits KL Rahul's potential to elevate his batting status. In the second ODI versus New Zealand, India's middle order faced challenges under pressure following early wicket losses.
During the second ODI, Rohit Sharma set a new record for the most sixes hit against New Zealand in One-Day Internationals, breaking Shahid Afridiβs previous record by launching two sixes off Kyle Jamieson. Although rain interrupted play, India managed to secure a narrow four-run victory using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. Sharmaβs significant contribution helped anchor the innings, giving India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.