RCB first cricket team to cross $300 million brand value mark
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has become the first cricket team in the world to achieve a brand value exceeding US$300 million, while the IPL’s business enterprise value has risen to $20.6 billion. Global investment bank Houlihan Lokey revealed this in a report. The bank’s ‘Brand Valuation Report’ states that the IPL’s value has increased by 11.4 percent to reach $20.6 billion.
RCB has retained the top spot among IPL franchises with a valuation of $312 million. Mumbai Indians hold the second position with a brand value of $264 million, followed by Kolkata Knight Riders ($245 million) and Chennai Super Kings ($244 million).
Shubman Gill regains No. 1 spot in ODI rankings, three Indians in top 5
Shubman Gill, the Indian cricket team’s Test and ODI captain, has delivered outstanding batting performances in both formats over the past year. Although Team India suffered a 2-1 defeat in the three-match ODI series against England, Gill showcased excellent form with the bat. Following the series finale on July 19, Gill held the second spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings updated on July 22; however, he has now ascended to the number one position without playing another match, displacing New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell. Three Indian players feature in the top five of the ODI rankings.
Gill benefited from Daryl Mitchell’s absence in certain matches, allowing him to claim the top spot in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings. Mitchell missed two games during the five-match ODI series against the West Indies; consequently, his rating points dropped from 802—when he held the number one spot—to 794 as he slipped to number two. This directly benefited Shubman Gill, who has now risen to the number one position with 801 rating points. Additionally, Virat Kohli holds the third spot in the top five with 767 rating points, while Rohit Sharma occupies the fourth position with 758 rating points.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named East Zone vice-captain in Duleep Trophy
Talented teenage cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed vice-captain of the East Zone team, led by Ishan Kishan, for the Duleep Trophy starting next month. In a squad dominated by players from Bengal and Jharkhand, the decision to name 15-year-old Sooryavanshi as vice-captain—in what is his debut red-ball zonal tournament—is seen as an indication that he is being groomed as an all-format player. Sooryavanshi is the only player from Bihar in the squad. Sooryavanshi made his India debut on the recent UK tour, and also featured in the subsequent Zimbabwe T20Is, where he was named Player of the Series.
Litton Das appointed Bangladesh’s ODI captain
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially confirmed the appointment of Liton Das. 31-year-old Liton will now captain both the ODI and T20I white-ball teams of Bangladesh. Earlier, he was also leading the T20I team. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the captain of the ODI team since June 2025, but Bangladesh lost the series 2-1 on the Zimbabwe tour this month. After this, the board decided to change the leadership and handed over the command of the team to Liton Das.
Currently, the Bangladesh team is busy preparing for the Australia tour , which will start from August 13. Liton Das is one of Bangladesh’s most experienced players. He has scored 2,869 runs in 104 ODIs so far, with a batting average of 30.84 and a strike rate of 85.51. The board has expressed confidence in him due to his ability to bat at the top of the order, along with wicketkeeping.
ICC fines two Pakistani fast bowlers for aggressive celebrations
Two Pakistani pacers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad’s aggressive celebrations during the first Test match proved costly. The ICC has taken disciplinary action against both players for their aggressive celebrations during the first Test against West Indies. The ICC has given Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad one demerit point each. Khurram Shahzad was also fined 15 percent of his match fee, while Mohammad Abbas was let off with an official warning.
Both players were found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct. This clause relates to using words, gestures, or innuendos that could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman following his dismissal. Both players accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Jeff Crowe, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. As this was their first disciplinary violation in the last 24 months, they were each given only one demerit point.
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