Majumdar says East Zone played with freedom during 2012-13 title win at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Anustup Majumdar recalled East Zone's last Duleep Trophy triumph at MA Chidambaram Stadium 14 years ago as the team prepares to face South Zone in the 2026 final. East Zone won the title in the 2012-13 season.
Majumdar said the side played with freedom throughout that campaign. The current squad returns to the same venue seeking to replicate that approach under different conditions.
South Zone will field KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal after their addition to the squad. The four-day match begins on September 6.
Rohit Yadav receives a two-year ban; CAB flags 65 players in age verification crackdown.
The BCCI has banned India Under-19 leg-spinner Rohit Yadav for two years after age discrepancies surfaced in his records. Yadav, originally from Uttar Pradesh, had played for Bengal at junior level and represented India during the Under-19 tour of Sri Lanka in July.
The Cricket Association of Bengal flagged 65 players during its verification drive. Yadav is now ruled out of the upcoming Under-19 series against Australia.
The suspension covers all age-group and senior domestic cricket. No further sanctions against the remaining flagged players have been announced.
Selectors confirm India's 15-man squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
India have named a 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The series begins on 13 September in Delhi.
Jasprit Bumrah returns to the side while Hardik Pandya is omitted. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi received another opportunity in the squad. Selectors picked the players subject to fitness clearance from the Centre of Excellence.
The series forms India's next international assignment after the Women's Asia Cup. Former India batter S Badrinath questioned the inclusion of Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, citing coach Gautam Gambhir's preferences.
Srikkanth said Sundar cannot be selected without recent competitive match practice.
Former India opener Kris Srikkanth criticised Washington Sundar's inclusion in the squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. He said selectors cannot pick a player based solely on a doctor's certificate.
Sundar has been recovering from a hamstring injury and has played limited competitive cricket recently. The series begins in Delhi on September 13.
Srikkanth argued that match fitness must be proven on the field before an international return. The selectors have retained Sundar despite the concerns.
South Africa have revised their squad for the five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe after wicketkeeper-batter Sinalo Jafta sustained an injury.
The 18-year-old Filander received her maiden national call-up to replace the experienced player and will join the group preparing in Harare. The board confirmed the change on Wednesday.
The absence further reduces experience in a squad already short of senior players. South Africa will play three ODIs and three T20Is during the tour that starts later this month.
Munaf Patel takes up a coaching role at the Baroda Cricket Association Academy alongside Deepak Hooda's return.
Munaf Patel is back in the Baroda setup, this time as bowling coach and mentor at the state academy. The former India seamer spent his playing days at the same place, so the move keeps things in-house.
Deepak Hooda is also returning for the coming domestic season. Between the two, Baroda is trying to shore up its pace-bowling stocks at the junior level.
Patel’s first task will be turning raw talent into something the senior side can actually use.
Mohsin Naqvi defended Pakistan cricket by citing recent upsets involving other teams.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi rejected claims that Pakistan cricket is finished after recent defeats. He pointed out that South Africa lost to Namibia and India lost to Ireland in recent times.
Naqvi said critics should check results across other teams before writing off Pakistan. His comments came during ongoing debate about the team's performance in England.
The chairman argued that one series loss does not define the state of the game in the country.
VVS Laxman takes charge of the Indian men's team for the Asian Games while Gautam Gambhir stays with the senior side.
VVS Laxman will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the BCCI announced. The appointment of separate coaching staff comes as the Asian Games coincide with India's home ODI series against West Indies.
Gautam Gambhir will remain with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. The Indian men's team will defend its T20 title under Shreyas Iyer while Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the defending champion Indian women's team.
Both teams are set to compete in the Asian Games scheduled between 24 September and 3 October. Laxman previously coached India to gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Sophia Dunkley returns to Sydney Sixers on a one-year deal after helping the club reach last season's WBBL finals.
Sydney Sixers confirmed on Wednesday that England batter Sophia Dunkley has signed a one-year contract for the upcoming WBBL|12 season. Dunkley returns after a strong WBBL|11 campaign that helped the club reach the finals.
The 25-year-old will link up with the squad ahead of the tournament that begins in October. Sixers officials said the deal strengthens their middle order ahead of the title defence.
Dunkley remains a central figure in England's white-ball setup and will balance franchise commitments with international duties.
An unnamed Pakistan player boycotted the Clarence House event in protest against the PCB after being dropped from the England tour.
One of seven players dropped from Pakistan's recent tour refused to attend a meeting with King Charles at Clarence House on Wednesday, despite instructions from the PCB. Four axed players took part in the event, while two others expressed reluctance.
The gathering brought together the touring squad, support staff and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi for an audience with the King during the team's stay in London.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has not named the player who declined the invitation.
The Baroda Cricket Association confirmed on Wednesday that Deepak Hooda will return to the state side after a five-year absence caused by a dispute with Krunal Pandya. Both players have resolved their differences, the association said.
Hooda left Baroda after the 2020-21 season following a ban for indiscipline and subsequently represented Rajasthan in domestic cricket. The all-rounder is expected to be available for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season.
Baroda officials said the reconciliation clears the path for Hooda to contribute without contractual restrictions. The return ends his five-year association with Rajasthan.
Imam-ul-Haq could receive a two-year ban after being seen batting despite a reported calf injury that ruled him out of the Lord's Test.
Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq faces a possible two-year ban after he was ruled out of the Lord's Test with a calf tear but was later seen batting in the nets.
Pakistan authorities are investigating whether the injury claim was genuine and what that means for team selection. The inquiry is still running; a final decision hasn't been announced.
Glenn Maxwell says Virat Kohli is the best one-day batter he has ever seen due to his timing and ability to find gaps.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has named Virat Kohli as the best one-day batter he has ever witnessed. Maxwell cited Kohli's exceptional ability to time the ball and find gaps in the field as reasons for the assessment.
Maxwell made the comments during a discussion about ODI cricket's greatest players. He said Kohli operates at a different level from other batters in the format.
The assessment comes as Kohli continues to feature in India's ODI plans alongside younger players being groomed for the 2027 World Cup.
Sadagoppan Ramesh said Sanju Samson should be considered CSK's next captain after returning to India's T20I squad.
Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh said Sanju Samson should be considered Chennai Super Kings' next captain after the wicketkeeper-batter returned to the national T20I squad.
Ramesh made the remarks after Samson was included for India's upcoming series against Afghanistan. The 31-year-old moved to CSK ahead of the 2026 IPL season after spending his entire career with Rajasthan Royals.
Ex-India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta suggested the selectors experiment with a Samson-Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opening combination. Dasgupta said testing different partnerships now would help India prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Deep Dasgupta urged India to trial Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as an opening pair ahead of the Afghanistan T20I series.
Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta has recommended that Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi open together in the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. Samson has been recalled to the squad after missing the England series.
Sooryavanshi opened with Abhishek Sharma in his debut series but was replaced after modest scores. Dasgupta said selectors need to test combinations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
India face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series starting September 13 in New Delhi before travelling to Japan for the Asian Games.
Jos Buttler responded to a Pakistan Cricket Board LinkedIn post advertising for a Fielding Coach position during the ongoing Test series against England. The England captain's comment questioned whether England would adopt a similar public recruitment approach.
The PCB's decision to advertise the role mid-series has drawn attention amid Pakistan's 2-0 deficit. The post highlighted the board's efforts to address fielding standards during the tour.
Buttler's reaction underscores the unusual nature of conducting recruitment publicly while a series is still underway.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam presented King Charles III with a cricket bat carrying signatures from all squad members during a visit to Clarence House on 2 September. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi accompanied the team to the meeting that served as a gesture of goodwill.
Moments from the presentation, including video footage, have since gone viral on social media. The interaction came during Pakistan's three-Test series against England, which the visitors trail 2-0.
The visit provided a brief diplomatic interlude amid the ongoing series that concludes next week at The Oval.
Bumrah returns but four India players, including the fast bowler, must clear fitness tests before the Afghanistan T20I series starts on 13 September.
Four India players remain subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence ahead of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan that begins on 13 September in New Delhi. The players include Jasprit Bumrah, who returns to the squad, while Hardik Pandya was omitted due to ongoing injury concerns.
Aakash Chopra named potential replacements for any injured players ahead of the series. The Centre of Excellence will continue monitoring the quartet's progress before the first match at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The series serves as preparation for India's defence of their Asian Games gold later this month.
Wasim Akram reflects on his past mentorship of Irfan Pathan amid the batter's recent social media comments.
Wasim Akram once gave tips to Irfan Pathan, who grew up watching Pakistan and admiring his bowling. Pathan has since posted critically about Pakistan on social media.
Pathan took a hat-trick against Pakistan during his career. Akram urged fans to treat the India-Pakistan rivalry as sport rather than conflict, saying victories and defeats are part of the game and shouldn't fuel lasting grudges.
Mohsin Naqvi says PCB will not be deterred by criticism after sacking seven players mid-tour.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he has never been afraid of criticism after the board sacked seven players and two coaching staff during the England tour. Naqvi spoke to the media on Wednesday. The overhaul followed Pakistan's 2-0 series deficit.
Naqvi said the decisions were taken to improve performance. He added that the board would continue to act in the team's interest. The third Test against England starts at Edgbaston next week.
The move has drawn mixed reactions inside Pakistan cricket.
