Akash Deep and Harshit Rana unlikely to be available in Afghanistan series
Akash Deep and Harshit Rana are unlikely to be available for the home series against Afghanistan and the white-ball tour of UK following fitness issues. While Akash Deep has been rehabilitating from a back injury, Rana has been recovering from the knee surgery he had before the start of the T20 World Cup in India.
A BCCI source told PTI, “Akash and Harshit’s rehabilitation is on track but there is still a long way to go before they can be released to play matches. If we are talking about Afghanistan and the UK tour, there is no chance of both of them getting fit before that. They are still doing strengthening routines. After that there will be jogging, strides, sprints and then skills associated with ‘Return To Play’ (RTP) protocols.”
Monty Desai becomes head coach of Canada men’s team
Monty Desai has been appointed head coach of the Canada men’s team after working previously with the Nepal and Afghanistan men’s teams. Desai is joining the side at a tough phase without any clarity on the duration of his appointment. Canada lost all four group-stage games at the T20 World Cup and then ICC’s anti-corruption unit started investigating allegations of corruptions at the tournament in one of Canada’s fixtures. No wonder, Desai will have multiple challenges to face.
“Our foremost priority is to restore Cricket Canada’s prominence through performance, professionalism, and a renewed and vitalized sense of purpose. Appointing Monty Desai reflects this vision,” Arvinder Khosa, president of Cricket Canada, said in a statement. “His experience with Associate nations, most notably Nepal and Afghanistan, demonstrates his ability to transform teams through effective leadership, discipline, and a clear long term plan. As we build on our recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup appearance, this year marks a pivotal moment, and we are confident that under his leadership, the team will make significant progress.”
Axar Patel’s heartfelt tribute to the fans
In a heartfelt tribute, Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel dedicated Delhi’s match win over Rajasthan Royals to two fans who lost their lives in a road accident. Reportedly, two cousins were involved in a tragic bike accident on their way back home after the Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match in Delhi. After DC snapped their three-match losing streak to claim a seven-wicket win against Rajasthan, Axar shared emotion tribute for the fans.
“I would just like to add that—following the tragedy involving our fans after the last match—I want to express my deepest condolences for their loss. I would like to dedicate this victory to them; they were two members of our DC family. Thank you all so much,” Axar said.
