Author: Raghav Singh

England’s batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell shared that his experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year helped him manage the pressure of making his Ashes debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. England secured a victory by four wickets in a two-day game.

Bethell, 22, stepped in for Ollie Pope and scored a steady 40 runs as England successfully chased down 175 to win the traditional Boxing Day match, putting an end to their 18-match winless streak in Tests in Australia. He was part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team that won IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad in June.

“I was pretty nervous. Not so much with the people, just the occasion, I guess. But I’ve played over in India where it feels like there’s 160,000 people watching. This atmosphere was incredible and it was nice to get a win and contribute,” Bethell expressed.

He reflected on his IPL experience, saying, “The IPL, I only played two games but every game and every occasion. Definitely, just knowing what I’m able to get out of myself when the situation is like that and when the atmosphere is like that. I definitely had a lot more confidence coming into this game after playing in front of, I don’t know, 50,000 – which felt like 100,000 – at the Chinnaswamy.”

Bethell also expressed aspirations for a long-term role as England’s number three in Tests but acknowledged the need to perform consistently. “I like three. You come in when the ball is new and in some scenarios, the ball’s going all over the shop,” he noted.

He added, “But in other scenarios it presents opportunities to score when bowlers are trying to take wickets and the field is attacking; there are loads of gaps. So it’s a double-edged sword but I’m enjoying it. I would like to (nail down the role). I would like to just nail down any role in the team, to be honest. If you’re in the XI and contributing to winning, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Wicketkeeper K.L. Shrijith and leg-spin bowling all-rounder Shreyas Gopal forged a match-winning 116-run partnership for the fifth wicket as defending champions Karnataka chased down 289 to defeat Tamil Nadu by six wickets with 17 balls remaining in their Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group A encounter at the Gujarat College Stadium on Monday.

Karnataka found themselves in a precarious position at 136/4, especially with captain Mayank Agarwal contributing 58 runs. However, Shrijith, who scored 77, and Gopal, with 55, combined effectively to rescue their team through intelligent running between the wickets and punishing loose deliveries.

After both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession, Abhinav Manohar remained unbeaten on 20, while Vidyadhar Patil added 17 not out to guide Karnataka home with a flurry of boundaries. This victory marked Karnataka’s third consecutive win in the tournament.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu’s captain N. Jagadeesan played a fluent innings, making 65 runs, supported by Pradosh Ranjan Paul’s 57 and R. Sai Kishore’s 38, which provided some momentum late in the innings. Nevertheless, Abhilash Shetty’s incisive bowling was instrumental in bowling Tamil Nadu out for 288.

Brief Scores:

• Tamil Nadu: 288 in 49.5 overs (N. Jagadeesan 65, Pradosh Ranjan Paul 57; Abhilash Shetty 4-57)
  Lost to
  Karnataka: 293/6 in 47.1 overs (K.L. Shrijith 77, Mayank Agarwal 58; Sunny Sandhu 1-25, Gurjapneet Singh 1-35)
  Result: Karnataka won by four wickets.

In another Group C match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Madhya Pradesh secured their second consecutive victory by dismissing Kerala for 167, winning by 45 runs. Himanshu Mantri top-scored with 93 off 105 balls, sharing a crucial 66-run ninth-wicket stand with Tripuresh Singh, who made 37.

Kerala’s batting struggled on a turning wicket against Madhya Pradesh’s spin attack, with Shubham Sharma claiming 3-16. Shivag Kumar and Saransh Jain contributed with two wickets each. N.M. Sharafuddeen’s aggressive 42 in the late stages reduced the margin of defeat for Kerala.

Brief Scores:

• Madhya Pradesh: 214 in 46.1 overs (Himanshu Mantri 93, Tripuresh Singh 37; Ankit Sharma 4-38, B Aparajith 3-36)
  Beat
  Kerala: 167 in 40.1 overs (N.M. Sharafuddeen 42, Salman Nizar 30; Shubham Sharma 3-16, Saransh Jain 2-17)
  Result: Madhya Pradesh won by 47 runs.

In other matches, Jharkhand scored 368/7 in 50 overs, led by Kumar Kushagra’s 105 and Anukul Roy’s 98 not out, to beat Pondicherry, who made 235 in 41.4 overs.

Tripura managed 286 all out in 49.5 overs with contributions from Tejasvi Jaiswal (61) and Sridam Paul (50) to defeat Rajasthan, who were bowled out for 220 in 44.2 overs, despite Karan Lamba scoring 61.

Additional Brief Scores:

• Jharkhand 368/7 beat Pondicherry 235
• Tripura 286 all out beat Rajasthan 220

Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel smashed a blazing unbeaten 160 off 101 balls to power Uttar Pradesh to a commanding 54-run victory over Baroda in their Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group B encounter at the Sanosara Cricket Ground ‘A’.

Jurel struck 15 boundaries and eight sixes as UP posted a mammoth 369/7 before dismissing Baroda for 315, despite fifties from Krunal Pandya and Shashwat Rawat, on the final ball of the match. The win earned UP four points, taking their tally to 12 after three rounds.

Batting at number three after the departure of opener Aryan Juyal for 26, Jurel reached his maiden List A century in just 78 deliveries and tore into the Baroda bowling attack, being particularly severe on pacer Rasikh Salam, plundering him for 55 runs off 14 deliveries.

Jurel shared a crucial 131-run fourth-wicket partnership with big-hitter Rinku Singh, who contributed 63 off 67 balls. The wicketkeeper-batter has been in excellent form throughout the tournament, having scored half-centuries against Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

In another match, Sibsankar Roy struck a majestic century as Assam pulled off an improbable four-wicket victory over Hyderabad at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground ‘C’. Roy scored 112 off 109 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six, and shared a crucial 142-run third-wicket partnership with young opener Saurav Dihingia, who made 91 off 112 deliveries.

Denish Das provided late impetus with a brisk 54 off 46 balls to lay the foundation for Assam chasing 312 in a thrilling fashion. Hyderabad openers Tanmay Agarwal and Rahul Singh Gahlaut gave their side a solid start after choosing to bat, with Gahlaut top-scoring with 79 off 71 balls, including 14 fours.

Abhirath Reddy contributed 54 off 66 balls at number three, while Varun Goud’s 42 and a late cameo from K. Nitesh Reddy, who smashed 53 off just 25 balls with four fours and three sixes, helped Hyderabad post 309, which wasn’t adequate to stop Assam from registering the improbable win.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar’s maiden five-wicket haul in List A, along with Abishek Porel’s brilliant 106 and Shahbaz Ahmed’s superb all-round show, powered Bengal to a six-wicket victory over Chandigarh.

Brief Scores:

Uttar Pradesh 369/7 in 50 overs (Dhruv Jurel 160 not out, Rinku Singh 63; Raj Limbani 4-74) beat Baroda 315 all out in 50 overs (Krunal Pandya 82, Shashwat Rawat 60; Zeeshan Ansari 3-53, Sameer Rizvi 2-61) by 54 runs.

Hyderabad 310/8 in 50 overs (Rahul Singh Gahlaut 79, Abhirath Reddy 54; Abdul Ajij Kuraishi 3-71, Sibsankar Roy 2-26) lost to Assam 314/6 in 49.3 overs (Sibsankar Roy 112, Saurav Dihingia 91; CV Milind 3-68, Varun 1-52) by four wickets.

Chandigarh 319 all out in 48.2 overs (Manan Vohra 122, Sanyam Saini 67; Mukesh Kumar 5-59, Mohammed Shami 3-69) lost to Bengal 320/4 in 47.4 overs (Abishek Porel 106, Shahbaz Ahmed 76 not out; Taranpreet Singh 1-15, Nishunk Birla 1-50) by six wickets.

Jammu & Kashmir 311/9 in 50 overs (Yawer Hassan 79, Qamran Iqbal 54; Yash Thakur 3-73, Yash Kadam 2-10) lost to Vidarbha 315/5 in 48.3 overs (Aman Mokhade 139, R Samarth 114; Yudhvir Singh 3-69, Auqib Nabi 2-65) by five wickets.

Ace rally driver Sanjay Takale, the first and only Indian driver to compete on four wheels at the world’s toughest rally raid event, the Dakar, is set to embark on his second consecutive appearance, journeying from Delhi to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Takale made his debut at the Dakar in 2025, becoming the first Indian to compete and finish in the Car category, where he secured 18th place overall and 10th in the Dakar Classic category, a regularity event for historic vehicles.

At 57 years old, Takale will once again race for Team Aerpace Racers, partnered with French navigator Maxime Raud. He will receive technical and logistical support from Compagnie Saharienne, France, which also backed him during his 2025 campaign.

With more than three decades in motorsport, Takale’s career includes motocross in the 1980s and a long stint in car rallying, highlighted by a title in the Asia-Pacific Production Cup and participation in selected World Rally Championship events. Hailing from Manjari village near Pune, he is considered a pioneer among Indian privateers for maintaining a significant presence in international rallying.

Reflecting on his debut appearance, Takale described finishing the 2025 Dakar Classic as a key milestone in his career. Regarding the 2026 edition in Saudi Arabia, he shared: “My goal is to complete the event again and improve on last year’s result through a consistent, disciplined approach.”

“The Dakar always fascinated me. It is the biggest, longest and the most challenging rally of all the rallies in the World. Competing there has been a lifelong dream. It’s not just a rally – it’s the ultimate test of endurance and spirit,” he stated after his initial finish.

The Dakar Rally remains one of the world’s most demanding motorsport events, covering stages across sand, dunes, rocks, and varied terrain over a two-week period. The Dakar Classic emphasizes endurance and navigational accuracy for older rally vehicles, testing crews on precision rather than sheer speed.

Takale is expected to be the sole Indian entry in the four-wheeler field for the second consecutive year, highlighting the still-limited Indian presence in international cross-country four-wheel rallying. The 2026 Dakar Rally will take place in Saudi Arabia, with the route anticipated to include a mix of liaison and competitive stages across the desert.

Ganga Kings of Mirzapur finally opened their account in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) season 2, registering a hard-fought two-point victory over JD Noida Ninjas in the opening match of day 5 at the Noida Indoor Stadium. The contest began on even footing, with both teams trading points in the early exchanges.

First Half Action

JD Noida Ninjas gradually gained control in the first half through aggressive raiding and went into halftime holding an eight-point lead. This was largely driven by a dominant first-half performance from Rachit Yadav, who caused significant damage in attack.

Second Half Comeback

The momentum shifted decisively after the break as Ganga Kings of Mirzapur raised their intensity. A crucial super raid, which saw three players dismissed, triggered a strong comeback. Ganga followed it up by inflicting an all-out, sharply reducing the deficit and bringing the contest back into balance.

Final Stages

Buoyed by the turnaround, Ganga Kings struck again with another all-out to take a three-point lead. Their defensive unit worked cohesively in the second half, managing to keep Rachit Yadav quiet and preventing JD Noida from regaining control despite his first-half impact.

JD Noida Ninjas attempted a late fightback, but Amit Nagar answered back for Ganga Kings with timely raids that helped maintain the narrow advantage in the closing stages. Ganga Kings held their nerve in the dying moments to seal a much-needed victory.

The final score was 44 – 42, marking a significant response from Ganga Kings of Mirzapur after three consecutive defeats. They showcased resilience and fighting spirit to register their first win of the season.

Upcoming Matches

Action on day 5 of UPKL Season 2 continued later in the day, with Lucknow Lions taking on Kanpur Warriors, Yamuna Yoddhas facing Purvanchal Panthers, and Brij Stars meeting Sangam Challengers in the remaining matches.

Asian Championship gold medalist Neeru Dhanda delivered a composed performance to strike women’s trap gold at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions (Shotgun) on Monday, at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range.

Neeru Dhanda Shines in Women’s Trap

Neeru finished on top with 41 hits in the final, holding off a strong challenge from Delhi’s Kirti Gupta, who settled for the silver medal with 40. Neeru’s state teammate from Madhya Pradesh, Pragati Dubey, completed the podium, claiming the bronze medal with 32 hits.

Qualification Round Highlights

In the qualification round, Pragati topped the field with 117, followed by Neeru on 114 and Rajeshwari Kumari on 113. Addya Katyal qualified fourth with 112, while Preeti Rajak (111+1) and Kirti Gupta (111) rounded off the top six, their positions decided on shoot-out scores.

Final Placements

In the finals, Addya Katyal of Delhi finished fourth with 27, followed by Preeti Rajak with 21 and Punjab’s Olympian Rajeshwari Kumari, who finished sixth with 17 hits.

Junior Men’s Trap Final

The junior men’s trap final saw Aryavansh Tyagi rise to the occasion with a strong finish, shooting 42 to win the gold medal. Punjab’s Keshav Chauhan took silver with 37, while Uttar Pradesh’s Zuhair Khan claimed the bronze with 30.

Zuhair Khan had earlier dominated the qualification round with a score of 120, ahead of Aryan Singh’s 118, who finished the final at fifth with 21 hits. Aryavansh Tyagi and Arjun both shot 115, with Aryavansh advancing ahead on a shoot-off. Keshav Chauhan (113) and Manitwa Singh Rawat (112) completed the list of finalists. Manitwal Singh Rawat finished fourth with 27, while Arjun of Haryana finished sixth with 14 hits in the final.

Team Event Dominance

In the team events, Madhya Pradesh dominated the women’s trap team event, winning gold with a combined total of 339 from Pragati Dubey, Neeru Dhanda, and Manisha Keer. Delhi secured the silver medal with 333 through Addya Katyal, Kirti Gupta, and Bhavya Tripathi, while Punjab claimed bronze with 319 (Rajeshwari Kumari, Pukhraj Kaur Chahal, Krishika Joshi).

Haryana claimed the junior men’s trap team gold with an aggregate score of 336, courtesy of Arjun, Lakshya Atree, and Prikshit Arya. Gujarat finished second to take the silver medal with 327 (Aryan Singh, Bakhtyar Uddin Mohamadmuzahid, Manavrajsinh Rajendrasinh Chudasama), while Rajasthan claimed bronze with 326 through Udhav Singh Rathore, Prithviraj Singh Rathore, and Vinay Pratap Singh C.

In the junior women’s trap team event, Delhi claimed the gold, as Addya Katyal, Bhavya Tripathi, and Ananya Yaduvanshi combined for a winning total of 323. Tamil Nadu finished second with 295, while Rajasthan secured the bronze with 274.

Openers Priyansh Arya and Tejasvi Dahiya hit aggressive half-centuries as Delhi successfully chased down 321 to beat Saurashtra by three wickets in a high-scoring Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group D encounter at the Alur Cricket Ground on Monday.

Arya smashed 78 off 45 balls while Tejasvi made 53 off 51 deliveries to lay the foundation for Delhi to complete their chase in 48.5 overs. Saurashtra posted 320/7 in their 50 overs, with opener Vishvarajsinh Jadeja scoring 115 off 104 balls while Ruchit Ahir was unbeaten on 95 from 65 deliveries.

Captain Rishabh Pant managed just 22 off 26 balls before being caught by Jay Gohil off Chirag Jani’s bowling. Harsh Tyagi’s unbeaten 49 off 45 balls and Navdeep Saini’s 34 not out proved crucial in the closing stages as the pair guided Delhi home. Senior pacer Saini also impressed with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 41 runs in his 10 overs.

The victory lifted Delhi to the top of Group D with 12 points from three matches. Meanwhile, Govinda Poddar produced a match-winning all-round performance as Odisha defeated Andhra by six wickets. Poddar claimed 3 wickets for 36 runs to help Odisha bundle out Andhra for 221 all out in 49.2 overs before scoring 89 off 105 balls in the successful chase.

Brief Scores:

• Saurashtra 320/7 in 50 overs (Vishvarajsinh Jadeja 115, Ruchit Ahir 95 not out; Navdeep Saini 3-41) lost to Delhi 321/7 in 48.5 overs (Priyansh Arya 78, Tejasvi Dahiya 53; Chirag Jani 2-51) by three wickets.

• Andhra 221 all out in 49.2 overs (SDNV Prasad 66, Saurabh Kumar 47; Biplab Samantaray 3-36, Govinda Poddar 3-36) lost to Odisha 223/4 in 43.4 overs (Govinda Poddar 89, Om T Munda 91; Satyanarayana Raju 2-49) by six wickets.

• Railways 365/7 in 50 overs (Ravi Singh 88, Pratham Singh 73; Pulkit Narang 2-43) beat Services 281 all out in 47.2 overs (Sagar Dahiya 95, Ravi Chauhan 73; Raj Choudhary 3-27, Zubair Ali 2-46) by 84 runs.

• Haryana 299 all out in 50 overs (Mayank Shandilya 86, Himanshu Rana 57; Arzan Nagwaswalla 3-69, Harshal Patel 3-69) beat Gujarat 273 all out in 47.1 overs (Jaymeet Patel 67, Vishal Jayswal 51; Anshul Kamboj 3-49) by 26 runs.

Former India left-arm fast bowler Irfan Pathan praised Suryakumar Yadav’s quick thinking when he took a catch to dismiss David Miller in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final. Pathan emphasized that India might have lost the cup had Yadav dropped that catch.

In the game’s final over, Suryakumar made a relay catch at long-off to dismiss Miller, securing India’s seven-run victory over South Africa and breaking a long trophy drought in Barbados. Pathan noted, “A knee-high full toss to a batter like David Miller – more often than not – that’s a six. But Suryakumar Yadav’s presence of mind was exceptional. It wasn’t just a catch; it was the World Cup. The World Cup was in his hands. If he had dropped it, the World Cup would have been dropped as well,” during the “Rise of Champions” episode on JioStar.

India’s squad selection strategy faced criticism from former cricketer Aakash Chopra, who questioned the number of spinners included. He remarked, “There were definitely discussions around that squad, particularly about why so many spinners were picked. It seemed like a slightly flawed strategy. I was one of those who felt something was wrong. It wasn’t aligning with what we thought we were going to do.”

Tom Moody, a former Australian cricketer, noted that the abundance of talent in Indian cricket is both a blessing and a challenge. “One of the issues with Indian cricket is that there is too much talent. There are simply too many options. It’s a wonderful problem to have, but it becomes a nightmare for a selector or a captain.”

Former New Zealand player Danny Morrison expressed concern about the pitch conditions in New York during the Pakistan match, stating, “Playing on that pitch was dangerous in a way. The ball was flying around and it could have gone badly for India, it was a gamble.”

Pathan reflected on wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s performance against Pakistan, noting, “Rishabh Pant scored around 40 runs at a strike rate of 135. If you compare that with the other seven batters, none of them had a strike rate of 100. There was a need for someone to take a little more risk and play more fearlessly.”

Eoin Morgan, England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain, emphasized the importance of bowling in winning tournaments. “In white-ball cricket, bowling attacks win you tournaments. When you can defend low scores, it creates a belief within the team that you can win a game from anywhere. That belief becomes a big threat for any team in a World Cup,” he explained.

On captain Rohit Sharma’s aggressive innings against Australia in the Super Eight clash, Chopra observed, “Rohit Sharma had sworn that we are going to play a different brand of cricket which is going to be more aggressive. Now that we have beaten Australia, there’s no tension. We can actually win the trophy, irrespective of who the opposition is. But the wounds of 2023 kept reminding us not to take anything lightly.”

Morgan added his insights, stating, “From an Indian point of view, the template they created leading into that game was easy to replicate because they were confident. They had trust in exactly what they were trying to do.”

Ticket sales for the third men’s T20I between India and New Zealand, scheduled to be held at the ACA Stadium on January 25, will commence on Thursday, as announced by the Assam Cricket Association (ACA).

Ticket Availability and Pricing

“Tickets will be available exclusively through BookMyShow (BMS) starting from 4:00 PM. Upon successful booking, spectators will receive an M-ticket, facilitating smooth and hassle-free entry into the stadium,” stated ACA CEO Pritam Mahanta. He further mentioned that ticket prices have been set affordably to enable maximum cricket lovers to enjoy the match. Ticket rates for students are set at Rs 500, while other categories of stands are priced from Rs 1,000 onwards.

Invitation to Cricket Fans

“The Assam Cricket Association extends a warm invitation to cricket lovers to be part of this highly anticipated international match, as Guwahati once again takes centre stage on the global cricketing map, promising an atmosphere filled with passion, pride, and world-class cricketing action,” added Mahanta.

Historical Context

In 2025, the ACA Stadium was one of the venues for the Women’s ODI World Cup and hosted its first-ever Test match, where the Temba Bavuma-led Proteas defeated India by 408 runs.

Series Overview

The match in Guwahati is part of a five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand, serving as the final leg of preparation for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. This marquee tournament will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

The T20Is will kick off with the series opener on January 21 in Nagpur, with Raipur, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram also serving as venues alongside Guwahati.

Team Squads

India will be led by Suryakumar Yadav and will include players such as Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy, among others.

New Zealand will be captained by Mitchell Santner, featuring players like Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, and Ish Sodhi.

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy triumphed in the 3rd Hockey India Sub Junior Men Academy Championship 2025 – Zone A & B, claiming the title at the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University Hockey Ground in Surat, Gujarat, on Monday. Army Boys Sports Company finished as runners-up, while Sail Hockey Academy secured third place.

Final Match Highlights

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy clinched the championship with a 2-0 victory over Army Boys Sports Company. Ali Razzaq opened the scoring at the 35-minute mark, with Sanmukh Singh confirming their win with another goal at 56 minutes.

Third Place Showdown

In the battle for third place, Sail Hockey Academy dominated Ritu Rani Hockey Academy with a resounding 7-0 victory. Arun Lakra led the way with two goals (13’, 34’), while Bikash Kaetha (15’), Mohmad Shahid (17’), Kailash Kujur (22’), Milan Athokpam (28’), and Malemnganba Akoijam (35’) contributed to the commanding scoreline.

Semi-Final Results

Earlier in the day, the semi-finals of the 3rd Hockey India Junior Men Academy Championship 2025 – Zone A & B took place. Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy and S.G.P.C. Hockey Academy advanced to the finals following their respective victories.

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy delivered a dominant performance, beating Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy with an emphatic 8-1 scoreline in the first semi-final. Prince Singh scored twice at 7 and 58 minutes, while Amandeep also netted two goals at 11 and 47 minutes. Jarman Singh added a brace at 25 and 59 minutes, with Varinder Singh (2 minutes) and Uttkarsh (13 minutes) both getting on the scoresheet. Hitesh Kataria scored the only goal for Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy in the 47th minute.

In the second semi-final, S.G.P.C. Hockey Academy secured a 2-1 win against Namdhari XI. Diljeet Singh found the net at 37 minutes, followed closely by Jagjit Singh at 39 minutes, while Sehajpreet Singh responded for Namdhari XI at 53 minutes.

Looking Ahead

Roundglass Punjab Hockey Club Academy will face S.G.P.C. Hockey Academy in the final on December 30. On the same day, Ghumanhera Riser’s Academy will vie against Namdhari XI in the third-place match.