MS Dhoni, known for keeping a low profile off the cricket field, delighted fans when pictures of him surfaced on Christmas Day, showing the Indian cricket legend celebrating the occasion with his family. The images, shared by Dhoni's wife, Sakshi, quickly went viral across social media. The couple celebrated the special day with their daughter, Ziva, and Dhoni dressed up as Santa Claus to add a festive touch to the celebration. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sakshi Singh (@sakshisingh_r) After months of speculation, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) confirmed Dhoni's retention ahead of the 2025 IPL Mega Auction, ensuring that the 43-year-old will play another season in the league. Dhoni was retained as an 'uncapped player' for a sum of Rs. 4 crore. Given that Dhoni has not played for India since 2019 and officially retired from international cricket in 2020, he qualifies as an uncapped player for the upcoming season. Dhoni will become the oldest player in the 2025 IPL, and if he plays the entire 2025-27 cycle, he could break the record to become the oldest player in IPL history. Dhoni has been with CSK since the inaugural IPL season in 2008, leading them to five titles. He shares the record for most IPL titles as captain with Rohit Sharma. In addition to his time with CSK, Dhoni also played for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016 and 2017. Ahead of the 2024 IPL season, Dhoni stepped down from his captaincy role at CSK, passing the baton to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Although Dhoni had already played as a non-captain in eight matches during the 2022 season, the 2024 edition marked the first full season he did not lead the team. The 2025 IPL is scheduled to begin on March 14th.
25 December,2024 05:55 PM IST | Ranchi | mid-day online correspondentFamilies do keep elite sportsmen grounded in every sense of the world. Twenty four hours prior to the start of a high-octane Boxing Day Test, the gargantuan MCG resembled an annual function of a nursery school, with families of Australian cricketers joining them for a customary stroll of the G and savour the traditional Turkey roast. There was Pat Cummins' wife Becky and Mitch Marsh's better half Greta, and they were seen enjoying some light moments along with their children. Steve Smith had his father Peter for company while Andrew McDonald's teenager son Ollie was seen taking throwdowns at an adjacent net alongside Travis Head. Sam Konstas' family has flown in from Sydney to see him wear the Baggy Green for the first time on Thursday. The kids ran around with their fathers, who didn't want to miss even a second of this precious family time, which is a rarity for international cricketers mostly living out of their suitcases. Merry Christmas from one of the world’s biggest playgrounds, the @MCG, with the Aussies out and about frolicking with family this morning. A magnificent day in Melbourne ahead of the fourth Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy against India. pic.twitter.com/I5Pea8A2MO — Courtney Walsh (@walshcee) December 24, 2024 Merry Christmas from the MCG 🎄Aussie team and their growing family are soaking up the morning before the Boxing Day Test pic.twitter.com/Y7n7i969uL — Tom Wilson (@Tom_Wilson7) December 24, 2024 Families of Australian cricketers at the MCG. There’s a net session underway too and Steve Smith is still in there :) Merry Christmas 🎅 pic.twitter.com/QyK9QbjcUS — Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) December 24, 2024 "It's great. We spend probably more time on the road than we do at home. So this is kind of a big extended family and at the moment it's chaos. It feels like there's, I don't know, on average probably two kids per person. "So there's about 30 or 40 kids running around between the staff and the players. It's great fun," Cummins looked very chilled when asked how special the gathering is. Cummins said that before his big day, teenager Konstas was being made to feel at home, making him a part of all the fun, frolic and festivities on Christmas. "Yeah he's great, just quite relaxed, good fun, happy to take the, you know, roll along with the jokes and take the mickey out of himself and others. We just always encourage him to be himself. "He seems relatively like he's got a good head on his shoulders for a 19-year-old, so we're there backing him up. That's a growing cricket family, just give us an insight on how special it is to have everyone together today," Cummins said. Talking about a big extended family, Cummins said how all the wives and partners got along nicely to create a very happy environment. "All the partners get on so well. This year we haven't had as many partners travelling (for matches) because everyone has got young ones at home. But they all come together for the Melbourne and Sydney Test. "It's always a great time of year, so we'll go off to Christmas lunch after this and all the kids have got presents this morning and running around and hyper, so it's absolute chaos but it's awesome," he concluded. (With PTI inputs)
25 December,2024 05:32 PM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentIndia's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has reached an impressive milestone in the ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings, sitting at 904 rating points. This achievement ties the record for the highest rating ever attained by an Indian player, a record previously set by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Bumrah now has the opportunity to surpass this during the upcoming Melbourne Test, as per ICC. Meanwhile, Travis Head's remarkable performances have propelled him closer to the top three in the ICC Men's Test batting rankings. Beyond these individual achievements, several other notable shifts have occurred in the Men's rankings, influenced by recent matches across formats. Bumrah solidified his top spot in the Test Bowling Rankings following an outstanding performance in Brisbane, where he earned 14 rating points for his 9/94 haul. South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and Australia's Josh Hazlewood follow him in second and third place respectively. Travis Head's brilliant 152 at the Gabba, complementing his century in Adelaide, has elevated him to the fourth position with 825 points. Steve Smith's century in the third Test also reintroduced him into the top ten. Additionally, KL Rahul's resilient display in India's first innings moved him up ten places to 40th. In the all-rounders category, Australia's Pat Cummins regained his spot in the top 10 after taking four wickets and scoring 42 runs in the third Test against India. Travis Head's all-round contributions also advanced him nine places to 29th. In the Men's ODI Batting Rankings, Heinrich Klaasen's consistent half-centuries against Pakistan boosted him from 13th to fifth with 743 points. Saim Ayub's two centuries in the same series led to a significant rise, moving him from 70th to a joint-23rd position with 603 points. Ayub also climbed 113 spots to joint-42nd among all-rounders due to his bowling efforts. Azmatullah Omarzai's performance for Afghanistan in the ODI series against Zimbabwe, where he claimed six wickets, saw him rise 43 places to 58th in the ODI Bowling Rankings. His all-round capabilities also moved him up five places to third among all-rounders. In the men's T20I bowling rankings, Mehedi Hasan and Roston Chase saw significant gains. Hasan moved up 13 places to 10th, while Chase advanced 11 places to 13th following their impressive displays in the T20I series in the West Indies. Bangladesh, having finished their multi-format tour of the Caribbean on a high note, also saw other players like Rishad Hossain and Hasan Mahmud make substantial progress in the rankings.
25 December,2024 03:14 PM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondentArjun Tendulkar, the son of legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, reached a significant milestone in white-ball cricket during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Playing for Goa, Arjun completed his 50th wicket in the format. Although he went wicketless in his second match against Haryana, he achieved the milestone during the game against Odisha, where he claimed three crucial wickets. The left-arm pacer, who was bought by Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 auction, now boasts 51 wickets across 41 white-ball matches, consisting of 24 wickets in List A and 27 wickets in T20 cricket. Arjun, who initially began his T20 career with Mumbai, later made the move to Goa, where he continues to impress with his performances. Meanwhile, India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are both eyeing their own milestones in the upcoming fourth Test against Australia, set to begin on Thursday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With the series tied at 1-1, the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test will be a crucial encounter, as both teams aim to secure a vital series lead and bolster their chances for a place in the ICC World Test Championship final. Bumrah is just six wickets away from claiming his 200th Test scalp, which would make him only the 12th Indian bowler to achieve this feat. Currently, in 43 Tests, Bumrah has taken 194 wickets at an impressive average of 19.52, with his best bowling figures standing at 6/27 and 12 five-wicket hauls. He has been the standout bowler in this series, with 21 wickets from three matches at an extraordinary average of 10.90, including best figures of 6/76 and two five-wicket hauls. Against Australia, Bumrah has been especially effective, taking 53 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of 17.15, with best figures of 6/33 and three five-wicket hauls to his name. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, is closing in on 600 international wickets, with just seven wickets to go. If he reaches this milestone, he will become only the fifth Indian bowler to do so. In his 349 international appearances, Jadeja has taken 593 wickets at an average of 29.04, including 17 five-wicket hauls, with his best figures of 7/42. While he has yet to take a wicket in this series against Australia, Jadeja has an outstanding record against them. In 18 Tests, he has claimed 89 wickets at an average of 20.35, with best figures of 7/42 and five five-wicket hauls, including a 10-wicket match haul. (With ANI inputs)
25 December,2024 03:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentShiv Sena on Wednesday stepped forward to extend its support to former cricketer Vinod Kambli, who is currently receiving medical treatment at Aakriti Hospital in Thane. The party's commitment to helping the former cricket star was reaffirmed when Mangesh Chivate, the OSD (Officer on Special Duty) of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, paid a visit to Kambli. During the meeting, Chivate assured Kambli of the party's full support and assistance during this challenging time. In a significant gesture, the Shrikant Shinde Foundation has announced a financial aid package of Rs 5 lakh to assist Kambli in his treatment. The aid, which is to be disbursed next week as per the directives of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde, underscores the party's commitment to providing tangible support to the former cricketer. Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde provided 5 lakh rupees in financial assistance to former cricketer Vinod Kambli, who was hospitalized due to health issues in Thane. Shinde ensured that Kambli's treatment would be thorough by coordinating with the… pic.twitter.com/g34CVd2mrx — IANS (@ians_india) December 25, 2024 In pictures: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde provided 5 lakh rupees in financial assistance to former cricketer Vinod Kambli, who was hospitalized due to health issues in Thane. Shinde ensured that Kambli's treatment would be thorough by coordinating with the… pic.twitter.com/muIrlrANuc — IANS (@ians_india) December 25, 2024 Chivate further reassured Kambli that both MP Shrikant Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde would personally visit him and his family soon, promising to offer all possible assistance in his time of need. Kambli, who had an illustrious cricketing career, played 17 Test matches and 104 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India between 1993 and 2000. Known for his elegant batting and close friendship with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Kambli was a prominent figure in Indian cricket during the 1990s. Despite his remarkable contributions to the sport, Kambli has faced several personal and health-related challenges in recent years. Recently, Kambli made a rare public appearance at the inauguration of a memorial dedicated to his legendary coach Ramakant Achrekar at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. However, his appearance at the event highlighted the difficulties he has been facing. The former cricketer appeared frail and was struggling to communicate coherently during the ceremony, which was also attended by his long-time friend, Sachin Tendulkar. His condition was visibly concerning to those present, marking a stark contrast to the vibrant player he once was on the field.
25 December,2024 02:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the fourth Test match, former Indian all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri termed the Australian top-order as 'brittle' and pointed out how India, particularly pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has 'exploited it' to keep the series alive heading to Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). With the series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test intending to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final. Shastri believes that Australia's underperforming top order consisting of seniors like Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne has been 'brittle'. So far in this series, Khawaja (63 runs in three Tests at an average of 12.60 with best score of 21), Smith (124 runs in three matches at an average of 24.80 with a century), Labuschagne (82 runs in three matches at an average of 16.40 with a fifty) have failed to deliver a big challenge to the Indian bowling attack and have not put up the numbers befitting their stature. "I think it has been pretty brittle," said Shastri to news.com.au. "When you look at this Australian line-up, it has been a long time since I've seen an Australian line-up where the top order is that brittle. India have exploited that and continue to exploit it." "India is 1-1 in the series and that man (Bumrah) has almost single-handedly got India into that position," Shastri concluded. Since their last ICC World Test Championship win last year in June, Khawaja (1,006 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 35.92 with a century and five fifties), Smith (862 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 33.15 with two centuries and four fifties) and Labuschagne (735 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 27.22 with a century and six fifties) have delivered underwhelming numbers, with Khawaja experiencing a steep decline in his average because of a poor 2024, in which he has made 337 runs in eight Tests at an average 24.07 with just one fifty in 16 innings. Out of the top six-seven batters of the Australian line-up, only Travis Head (1,040 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 38.51, with three centuries and four fifties) and Mitchell Marsh (819 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 39.00 with a century and six fifties) have managed to keep their batting averages in late 30s. Speaking about Sam Konstas, who will be opening with Khawaja during the Boxing Day Test, Shastri hailed him as the "future of Australian cricket" and someone who is "flamboyant and refreshing". "As far as Konstas goes, I think he's very refreshing. He's got flair, he's got flamboyance. But Test cricket is Test cricket. I think his technique will tighten up and he will be the future for Australia," said Shastri. Konstas played a vital role in Australia's ICC U19 World Cup 2024 triumph, scoring 191 runs in seven innings at an average of 27.28, including a century. He also featured in a two-match series between Australia A and India A ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 92 runs in four innings, highlighted by a match-winning 73*. In the warm-up pink-ball game against India, he stamped his authority with a classy 107 off 97 balls against a formidable Indian attack. In the ongoing Sheffield Shield season, Konstas is the fifth-highest run-getter with 471 runs in five matches at an average of 58.87, including two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 152. Shastri also termed Nathan McSweeney's ouster after scoring just 72 runs in three Tests at an average of 14.40 as "unfortunate" and added he could see McSweeney touring Sri Lanka next year and "rebuilding" his career from there. "McSweeney was very unfortunate. I thought he did the hard yards but he is a middle-order batsman. I see him travelling to Sri Lanka when the Australian team go there and rebuilds his career from there," he said. "But I think it is a good move getting Konstas in because you need someone who can take the attack to the Indian team, because the punches were coming from nowhere," he concluded.
25 December,2024 01:51 PM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentIndian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are all set to continue their milestone hunt during the fourth Test against Australia at Melbourne starting from Thursday onwards, with the bowler chasing 200 Test scalps and the veteran all-rounder also near the 600 wicket mark in international cricket. With the series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test intending to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final. Bumrah is just six wickets away from achieving 200 Test scalps and becoming the 12th Indian bowler to do so. Currently, in 43 Tests, Bumrah has taken 194 wickets at an average of 19.52, with best bowling figures of 6/27 and 12 five-wicket hauls. Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series so far and has been head and shoulders above all in terms of consistency, having taken 21 wickets in three matches at an average of 10.90, with best figures of 6/76 and two five-wicket hauls to his name. Against Australia, he has taken 53 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of 17.15, with three five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/33. Coming to Jadeja, he is seven wickets away from 600 international wickets and becoming only the fifth Indian bowler to reach the landmark. In 349 international matches, he has taken 593 wickets at an average of 29.04, with 17 five-wicket hauls to his name and best figures of 7/42. While he has been wicketless in this series against Australia in this series, he has a fine record against Australia. In 18 Tests against them, he has taken 89 wickets at an average of 20.35, with best figures of 7/42. He has taken five five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul. India's squad for fourth and fifth Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal, Tanush Kotian
25 December,2024 01:37 PM IST | Melbourne | mid-day online correspondentStarting at the historic Melbourne ground, the Boxing Day Test match will see Team India captain Rohit Sharma returning to the opening batting order again. Reports from the team management suggest that Rohit will start the Indian innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Meanwhile, KL Rahul, who has been playing the opener role in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, may bat in the middle order. Shubman Gill has not been successful in scoring big runs in this competition so far. There were speculations that Gill would be sent to bat at number six. However, the team management does not want to tamper with his batting position. Gill has only batted as an opener and at number three in his career. On this ground, he can be aggressive with the new ball, so he is expected to bat at number three. Rahul, who has been performing exceptionally well as an opener for India in this series, will bat at number six. Although Rahul has batted in this position before, the Boxing Day Test could be very lucky for him. In the previous years 2021 and 2023, Rahul scored centuries in both Boxing Day Tests played at Centurion, South Africa. If Rahul comes in at number six on the MCG ground, he will strengthen India's middle order batting. Last December, Rahul scored a century at this position at Centurion. However, India had lost the Centurion Test to South Africa in three days. During Team India's last net session on Tuesday, the captain Rohit Sharma, coach Gambhir, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were seen discussing for about 35 to 40 minutes. According to sources from the team management, given the weather conditions, captain Rohit could return to the opening batting order. The temperature on the first day of Boxing Day is expected to be between 38 to 40 degrees. If Team India bats first, the condition of the pitch at MCG in Melbourne's scorching heat may end up being similar to that of Perth. Apart from that team management is thinking to take two spins in the final playing XI. Instead of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar will get the chance in final XI. Ravindra Jadeja has performed well in Gabba test match with this bat. If the condition will hot throughout the test match, these two players will give the solidity in Indian lower batting lineup as well as in spin department.
25 December,2024 12:31 PM IST | Melbourne | Amit ShahIndia’s talented spin all-rounder, Axar Patel, recently took to social media to share the joyful news of the arrival of his baby boy, Haksh Patel. The cricketer posted an endearing photo of his newborn, dressed in a tiny India jersey, proudly holding onto his parents' hands. He's still figuring out the off side from the leg, but we couldnt wait to introduce him to all of you in blue. World, welcome Haksh Patel, India's smallest, yet biggest fan, and the most special piece of our hearts.19-12-2024 🩵🧿 pic.twitter.com/LZFGnyIWqM — Axar Patel (@akshar2026) December 24, 2024 Haksh was born on December 19, and Axar shared his excitement with heartfelt words in the post. "He's still figuring out the off-side from the leg, but we couldn’t wait to introduce him to all of you in blue. World, welcome Haksh Patel, India's smallest, yet biggest fan, and the most special piece of our hearts," Axar wrote. Haksh is the first child of Axar and his wife, Meha, who tied the knot in January 2023. Also Read: Skipper Rohit on a good deck In a related development, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, addressed Axar’s absence from the playing XI during a press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia. Sharma explained that Axar was not considered for the final two Test matches of the series, partly due to the arrival of his baby. In Axar’s absence, Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian has been included in the squad for the remaining two Tests. Kotian’s inclusion comes after the unexpected retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, leaving a spot open for the young off-spinner. The selection of Kotian highlights the depth and flexibility of India's spin bowling options as they continue their series against Australia.
25 December,2024 12:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEngland Test captain Ben Stokes faces at least three months out after tearing his left hamstring during the tour of New Zealand, team management announced on Monday. Stokes, 33, had already been ruled out of next year’s Champions Trophy one-day international tournament in Pakistan and the preceding white-ball tour of India. Further assessments have since revealed the full extent of the injury, with Stokes set to undergo surgery in January, said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement. Stokes suffered the injury while bowling during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton last week. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:23 AM IST | London | AFPAustralia head coach Andrew McDonald on Tuesday defended the selection committee’s decision to drop Nathan McSweeney in middle of the series for Sam Konstas, saying the talented teenager will post a “new challenge” for India. McSweeney, a makeshift opener, was dropped because of a string of low scores in the first three Tests. Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke was very critical of the decision to sideline McSweeney. However, McDonald said tough calls have to be taken at times. “We wanted to throw a new challenge at India. We believe Nathan is good enough for the Test level. We weren’t sure about how the top order is functioning. So yeah we challenged ourselves with that decision,” said the head coach. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 December,2024 06:22 AM IST | Melbourne | PTIADVERTISEMENT
