Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead West Zone in 2026-27 Duleep Trophy
Following a 1-2 loss to England in the ODI series, Indian cricket has intensified preparations for domestic tournaments. Meanwhile, the West Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2026 has been announced. Indian batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad has been named captain, while left-arm all-rounder Shams Mulani has been named vice-captain.
Following a meeting of the Zonal Selection Committee, the 15-member West Zone squad was announced. The 2026 Duleep Trophy will be held from August 23 to September 10. Last season, fast-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur captained West Zone, leading the team to the semi-finals. Thakur is also part of the squad this time around.
‘Rohit has the right to retire as per his wish’: Kaif
Questions have repeatedly arisen about Rohit Sharma’s future. Recently, rumors gained momentum that Rohit would play his last match at Lord’s. However, the BCCI clarified that the “Hitman” is not retiring any time soon. Now, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif says that Rohit Sharma’s century at Lord’s has silenced his critics.
Mohammad Kaif shared a video clip on his social media account in which he said, “Retirement has happened, nose has been cut. Rohit Sharma should leave the decision of when he will retire to him. It is his right and he has worked hard for Team India. Therefore, he has the right to retire as per his wish. He scored 12000 runs and 34 centuries, and as long as he was the captain, he did not let India lose. He did not let the heat come to him, such was the captain he was.”
Ashutosh Sharma will play for Hampshire in One-Day Cup
Hampshire has signed all-rounder Ashutosh Sharma for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. The franchise announced the move on Monday. The 27-year-old Ashutosh plays for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL); the Capitals are co-owned by GMR, which also owns Hampshire.
Hampshire’s Director of Cricket, Giles White, said, “We are delighted to sign Ashutosh for the One-Day Cup. He is a highly talented player. He has recently performed well for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, so he knows what it takes to perform at the highest level. We look forward to having him in the squad and seeing him play in the Hampshire jersey, as we aim to improve upon last year’s performance in this competition.”
Give more opportunities to Yashasvi Jaiswal, says Yuvraj
Former India batsman Yuvraj Singh has appealed to the team management to give more opportunities to Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI team before the ICC Men’s World Cup. Yuvraj said that if Yashasvi is suddenly called into the team without match practice and not given enough opportunities now, it could put a lot of pressure on the left-handed batsman.
Yuvraj said, “From a player’s perspective, it feels bad when you’re not in the team. From another perspective, you can understand that perhaps they wanted younger players. At that time, before the World Cup, Dhoni and I were both 36 or 37 years old, and the team management had to make a decision.”
Court orders Raj Kundra to pay Rs 50 crore in RR dispute
The High Court of England and Wales has ordered businessman Raj Kundra to pay $4.94 million (approximately ₹50 crore) to Emerging Media Ventures (EMV). The court has also permanently barred him from pursuing legal action in India over his former stake in the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals. This is a major legal victory for the investment firm.
This decision comes just months after EMV and its shareholders sold their controlling stake in Rajasthan Royals to a group led by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and his family. Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla was also a partner in the sale. Reportedly, the $1.65 billion deal is one of the largest in the history of the Indian Premier League.
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