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India captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill face intense scrutiny over poor form as India aim to seal the T20I series against South Africa in Lucknow.

India vs South Africa T20I: Suryakumar's Form in Focus

India captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill face intense scrutiny over poor form as India aim to seal the T20I series against South Africa in Lucknow.

Shubman Gill's lean patch has been the talking point but an equally "out of runs" skipper Suryakumar Yadav is also under intense scrutiny as India look to find the right balance and seal the five-match series against South Africa in the fourth T20I in Lucknow on Wednesday.
The third game was an ideal opportunity for Suryakumar to rediscover his touch while India chased a modest 118-run target, but the ease that once made him the top ranked batter in the world was noticeably missing. Shots that defined his dominance have been producing erratic results and the match in Dharamsala was no different as he fell to his trademark pick-up stroke, highlighting a continued struggle.
But he was defiant when it came to self-assessment. "The thing is, I've been batting beautifully in the nets. I'm trying everything that's in my control. When the runs have to come, they'll definitely come. I'm not out of form, but definitely out of runs," Suryakumar confidently said at the post-match presentation ceremony after India's win in Dharamsala on Sunday.
However, the numbers tell a worrying story. The Indian captain has been searching for fluency for over a year, averaging under 15 in the format this season. Additionally, he's still without a half-century in 2025, the longest such phase of his career. Only twice during this period has he managed to bat beyond 20 balls.
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, the defending champions would want their leader and premier batter to rediscover his rhythm sooner rather than later.
Vice-captain Shubman Gill's struggles are as bad if not worse. His elevation to the opening slot has seemingly unsettled India's top order. Gill replaced a well-settled Sanju Samson. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter was first pushed down the order and eventually dropped despite forming a promising partnership with Abhishek Sharma earlier.
Gill has shown his class in other formats, but in T20Is he is yet to come across the assured batter that he is in Tests and ODIs. While he survived during Sunday's low-target chase, his scratchy run-a-ball 28 did little to ease concerns with seven matches to go before the World Cup.
India have added Shahbaz Ahmed to the squad following Axar Patel's illness-enforced exit from the series, a move that could open the door for Kuldeep Yadav to get an extended run. Jasprit Bumrah's availability remains uncertain after missing the previous match for personal reasons. In his absence, Arshdeep Singh returned to form with a player-of-the-match performance, while Harshit Rana complemented him well in Dharamsala.
South Africa seek consistency
India currently lead the five-match series 2-1. Fortunes have swung wildly so far in the series. While South Africa dominated and the Indians looked completely out of sorts in the lung-opener, the roles were reversed in the next match.
South Africa have been comprehensively beaten twice so far and would be eager to win on Wednesday to keep the series alive. Since the T20 World Cup final last June, the Proteas have lost 18 of the 28 matches in the shortest format, highlighting a prolonged phase of inconsistency.
Still searching for a settled combination, the South African team management continues to ring in changes. The constant chopping and changing has contributed to a lack of rhythm in the players and has ultimately cost them many games.
The last edition's runners-up side has five matches remaining -- two against India and three at home against the West Indies -- to finalise the playing XI before its T20 World Cup opener on February 9. Whether the Proteas persist with rotation at the expense of results remains to be seen.
Teams (from):
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Shahbaz Ahmed, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde. Match starts at 7 pm.

IPL 2026 auction saw uncapped Indian players make history, Cameron Green emerge as costliest buy, and franchises spend over ₹215 crore on 77 players.

IPL 2026 auction wrap: Complete team squads and salary details

IPL 2026 auction saw uncapped Indian players make history, Cameron Green emerge as costliest buy, and franchises spend over ₹215 crore on 77 players.

The IPL 2026 auction threw up several notable patterns, with uncapped Indian players emerging as some of the biggest beneficiaries.&nbsp;
While Australia all-rounder Cameron Green ended as the most expensive buy at ₹25.20 crore, it was Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma who grabbed attention by becoming the joint costliest uncapped Indian players in IPL history, securing ₹14.20 crore each from Chennai Super Kings at the auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Overall, the 10 franchises collectively spent ₹215.45 crore to pick 77 players, including 29 overseas cricketers, reflecting a strong mix of domestic investment and international recruitment. Chennai Super Kings
Players bought: Kartik Sharma (₹14.20 cr), Prashant Veer (₹14.20 cr), Rahul Chahar (₹5.20 cr), Akeal Hosein (₹2 cr), Matt Henry (₹2 cr), Matthew Short (₹1.50 cr), Aman Khan (₹40 L), Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 L), Zakary Foulkes (₹75 L) Retained: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, M.S. Dhoni, Dewald Brevis, Urvil Patel, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Shreyas Gopal, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis
Traded in: Sanju Samson (from RR)
Purse remaining: ₹2.40 crore
------------------------------------------- Mumbai Indians
Players bought: Quinton de Kock (₹1 cr), Mohammad Izhar (₹30 L), Danish Malewar (₹30 L), Atharva Ankolekar (₹30 L), Mayank Rawat (₹30 L) Retained: Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Raghu Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa Traded in: Sherfane Rutherford (from GT), Mayank Markande (from KKR), Shardul Thakur (from LSG) Purse remaining: ₹55 lakh
------------------------------------------- Kolkata Knight Riders
Players bought: Cameron Green (₹25.20 cr), Matheesha Pathirana (₹18 cr), Mustafizur Rahman (₹9.20 cr), Tejasvi Singh (₹3 cr), Finn Allen (₹2 cr), Tim Seifert (₹1.50 cr), Rahul Tripathi (₹75 L), Kartik Tyagi (₹30 L), Daksh Kamra (₹30 L), Sarthak Ranjan (₹30 L), Prashant Solanki (₹30 L), Akashdeep (₹1 cr), Rachin Ravindra (₹2 cr) Retained: Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Ankul Roy, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik Purse remaining: ₹45 lakh
-------------------------------------------
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Players bought: Venkatesh Iyer (₹7 cr), Mangesh Yadav (₹5.20 cr), Jacob Duffy (₹2 cr), Satwik Deswal (₹30 L), Jordan Cox (₹75 L), Vihaan Malhotra (₹30 L), Kanishk Chouhan (₹30 L), Vicky Ostwal (₹30 L) Retained: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma Purse remaining: ₹25 lakh
-------------------------------------------
Punjab Kings
Players bought: Cooper Connolly (₹2 cr), Ben Dwarshuis (₹4.40 cr), Praveen Dubey (₹30 L), Vishal Nishad (₹30 L)
Retained: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyala Avinash, Harnoor Pannu, Suryansh Shedge, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Lockie Ferguson, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod Purse remaining: ₹3.50 crore
------------------------------------------- Gujarat Titans
Players bought: Jason Holder (₹7 cr), Ashok Sharma (₹90 L), Luke Wood (₹75 L), Prithvi Raj Yarra (₹30 L), Tom Banton (₹30 L) Retained: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Rashid Khan, Manav Suthar, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Glenn Phillips Purse remaining: ₹1.95 crore
------------------------------------------- Rajasthan Royals
Players bought: Ravi Bishnoi (₹7.20 cr), Ravi Singh (₹95 L), Sushant Mishra (₹90 L), Vignesh Puthur (₹30 L), Yash Raj Punja (₹30 L), Aman Rao (₹30 L), Brijesh Sharma (₹30 L), Kuldeep Sen (₹75 L), Adam Milne (₹2.40 cr) Retained: Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger Traded in: Ravindra Jadeja (from CSK), Sam Curran (from CSK) Purse remaining: ₹2.65 crore
------------------------------------------- Sunrisers Hyderabad
Players bought: Salil Arora (₹1.50 cr), Shivang Kumar (₹30 L), Sakib Hussain (₹30 L), Onkar Tarmale (₹30 L), Krains Fuletra (₹30 L), Praful Hinge (₹30 L), Amit Kumar (₹30 L), Shivam Mvi (₹75 L), Liam Livingstone (₹13 cr), Jack Edwards (₹3 cr) Retained: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, R. Smaran, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Kamindu Mendis, Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga, Zeeshan Ansari Purse remaining: ₹5.45 crore -------------------------------------------
Lucknow Super Giants
Players bought: Josh Inglis (₹8.60 cr), Mukul Choudhary (₹2.60 cr), Akshat Raghuwanshi (₹2.20 cr), Anrich Nortje (₹2 cr), Wanindu Hasaranga (₹2 cr), Naman Tiwari (₹1 cr) Retained: Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvijay Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh Traded in: Mohammed Shami (from SRH), Arjun Tendulkar (from MI) Purse remaining: ₹4.55 crore -------------------------------------------
Delhi Capitals
Players bought: Auqib Nabi Dar (₹8.40 cr), Pathum Nissanka (₹4 cr), Ben Duckett (₹2 cr), David Miller (₹2 cr), Lungi Ngidi (₹2 cr), Sahil Parakh (₹30 L), Prithvi Shaw (₹75 L), Kyle Jamieson (₹2 cr) Retained: Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera Traded in: Nitish Rana (from RR) Purse remaining: ₹35 lakh

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, seeking spiritual guidance and blessings.

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visit Premanand Ji Maharaj in Vrindavan

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj Ashram in Vrindavan, seeking spiritual guidance and blessings.

Star Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma visited Premanand Ji Maharaj at his Ashram Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj, Varah Ghat in Vrindavan.&nbsp;
In a video shared by Bhajan Marg's official Instagram handle, Kohli and Sharma were seen engaging in a spiritual conversation (Ekantik Vartalaap) with the Maharaj.
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During the interaction, Premanand Ji Maharaj advised the couple to treat their work as a service to God. He said, "Apne karyakshetra ko bhagwan ka seva smajhiye. Gambhir bhav se rahiye. Vinamra rahiye. Aur khub naam jap kijiye. (Treat your work as your service to God. Be serious and humble. And pray to the Almighty)."
This marked the couple&rsquo;s third visit to Vrindavan this year. They had returned to India last week from the UK. Earlier, in January, Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, and their children visited Vrindavan to seek the blessings of Premanand Ji Maharaj.
The couple also sought blessings from the spiritual leader a day after Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May this year.

Kolkata Knight Riders broke records by bidding Rs 25.20 crore for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL mini-auction, while Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold.

Cameron Green Becomes IPL's Most Expensive Overseas Player

Kolkata Knight Riders broke records by bidding Rs 25.20 crore for Australia all-rounder Cameron Green at the IPL mini-auction, while Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold.

Kolkata Knight Riders splurged a record-breaking Rs 25.20 to land top Australian all-rounder Cameron Green even as Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold in the Indian Premier League mini auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.&nbsp;
Green surpassed compatriot Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) to become the most expensive overseas buy at an IPL auction. This was after Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were involved in an intense bidding war for him before the latter emerged winner.
However, his salary for the season would still be Rs 18 crore (USD 1.9 million) as the rest of the amount will go towards the BCCI's player development programme as per the rules of the auction for foreign players.&nbsp;
Green, who previously turned up for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has so far played 29 matches in the IPL to aggregate 707 runs and take 16 wickets.&nbsp;
Shaw, however, went unsold despite his fine run of form in the domestic circuit lately, and so was the case with Sarfaraz, who smashed a 22-ball 73 in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match for Mumbai on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The IPL 2026 will be held from March 26 to May 31, with RCB’s home opener at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pending safety clearance following fan fatalities during 2025 celebrations.

IPL 2026: Uncertainty Over Opening Match Venue Amid Safety Concerns

The IPL 2026 will be held from March 26 to May 31, with RCB&rsquo;s home opener at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pending safety clearance following fan fatalities during 2025 celebrations.

The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League will be held between the March 26 to May 31 window but it remains to be seen if Bengaluru, the home of RCB, holds the opening match.&nbsp;
As per the norms, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium should host the tournament opener given the home side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2025 title.&nbsp;
While the venue has received conditional clearance from the Karnataka state government, it also needs to meet the necessary safety and security standards following the death of 11 fans in a stampede during RCB's victory celebrations in June this year.&nbsp;
The mini-auction for IPL 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi today with three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders coming in with the biggest purse

Veteran Usman Khawaja misses out on Australia’s playing XI for the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald leading the top order.

Khawaja Out as Australia Retains Head for Third Ashes Test

Veteran Usman Khawaja misses out on Australia&rsquo;s playing XI for the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval, with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald leading the top order.

Veteran Usman Khawaja has missed selection to Australia's team for the third Ashes test against England, with Travis Head kept at the top of the batting lineup alongside Jake Weatherald.
Just two days away from his 39th birthday, Khawaja was a notable omission Tuesday from Australia's XI for the test beginning Wednesday at Adelaide Oval. Australia leads the five-test series 2-0 and can retain the Ashes with a win or draw in Adelaide. England named its team Monday.
Captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon will return to the bowling attack at the expense of Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser, while the top seven is unchanged. That means Josh Inglis will remain in the side at No. 7, while Khawaja was not included after missing the Brisbane test with back spasms.
Khawaja had enjoyed one of the great late-career resurgences since his recall to the test team at the start of 2022, starring at the top of the order. He averaged 58.7 in his first two years back in the side, but has now passed 50 just twice in his past 27 test innings.
Cummins said he doesn't feel Khawaja is finished as a test player. &ldquo;The selectors have been quite adamant about picking a side each week,&rdquo; Cummins said. "It doesn't necessarily mean it's got to be exactly the same team as the previous week. We do that with bowlers.
&ldquo;One of Uzzy's great strengths is he's scored runs at the top. He's scored runs in the middle. So absolutely, I can see a path back at some point, if needed.&rdquo;
Steve Smith was the first in the nets to bat on Tuesday after missing Monday's session due to an unspecified illness. Smith captained Australia in the first two test victories due to Cummins' injury absence.
Lineups:
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags will fly at half-staff during the Ashes Test in Adelaide to honour victims of the Bondi beach shootings.

Cricket Teams Pay Tribute to Bondi Beach Shooting Victims

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags will fly at half-staff during the Ashes Test in Adelaide to honour victims of the Bondi beach shootings.

England and Australia players will wear black armbands and flags at Adelaide Oval will be flown at half-staff on Wednesday in an Ashes tribute to the victims of the Bondi beach shootings.
On Sunday night, two gunmen killed 15 people and injured dozens more at the iconic beach in Sydney. Their target was members of Sydney's Jewish community celebrating the start of Hannukah in what authorities said was an antisemitic act of terrorism.
Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board issued a joint statement saying: "All of our thoughts are with the victims, their friends and families, the Jewish community and the people of Australia at this deeply distressing time. Our condolences go out to all those affected. We stand with you.&rdquo;
Australia captain Pat Cummins said "my heart goes out to the victims, their families, the people of Bondi and our Jewish community during this time. If you can, please book an appointment to donate blood.&rdquo;
Cricket Australia said Tuesday that veteran Australian folk singer John Williamson would join tributes to the victims at the start of Wednesday's match, the third in the five-test series which Australia leads 2-0.
Williamson will perform his fabled song &ldquo;True Blue&rdquo; before play begins. Williamson will follow a moment's silence and precede the Indigenous &ldquo;Welcome to Country&rdquo; and the Australian and England anthems.
&ldquo;This is a tragic time for all Australians and the thoughts of everyone in the cricket world are with the victims of this terrible event, their families, friends and the Jewish community," Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement Tuesday.
&ldquo;While sport can seem insignificant at times like this, we have the unusual opportunity to bring millions of people together to pay tribute, to console and to contemplate what we want our nation to be. I'm grateful John has agreed to perform True Blue' which has at its essence the ideal of Australians from all backgrounds sharing the same hopes and aspirations."

Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Liam Livingstone and other all-rounders are set to dominate the IPL 2025 mini-auction, with KKR and CSK expected to make aggressive bids.

Cameron Green, KKR, CSK Eye IPL Mini-Auction Windfall

Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Liam Livingstone and other all-rounders are set to dominate the IPL 2025 mini-auction, with KKR and CSK expected to make aggressive bids.

Cameron Green could well be the biggest beneficiary of IPL's skewed demand-supply market dynamic surrounding seam-bowling all-rounders during the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings seemingly ready to break the bank for the Australian.
The 10 teams need to fill up 77 slots with a cumulative purse of Rs 237.55 crore and among them, Mumbai Indians (Rs 2.75 crore) will hardly have any role to play save picking a few uncapped players at their base price. Green, along with out-of-favour India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer and English dasher Liam Livingstone, is likely to enjoy a handsome payday.
Kolkata Knight Riders, with a purse of 64.30 crore and an eye on rebuilding the outfit with 13 slots to fill, can only be challenged by Chennai Super Kings, who enter the mini-auction with a purse of Rs 43.40 crore.
The mini-auction is always more intriguing than the mega auction as franchises come with specific choices and are always ready to go the distance to procure the services of players with distinct skill-sets.
Pace bowling all-rounders always come at a premium and therefore, the troika of Green, Venkatesh Iyer and West Indies' Jason Holder, all coming at the highest base price of Rs 2 crore (USD 220,000), are set to headline the bidding war. If one looks at their IPL stats, Green, especially, has middling numbers -- 704 runs and 16 wickets in the 29 matches -- but the mini-auction is more demand-driven activity and an Australian all-format regular is certain to get traction.
When it comes to Venkatesh, everyone save KKR CEO Venky Mysore, believed that an auction bid of Rs 23.75 crore was way too high and the player had his worst season trying to justify the price.
Having also released Andre Russell, who is the team's new "Power Coach", KKR are in need of at least two good top order batters and one all-rounder. The third of three pace-bowling all-rounders, Holder, may be a low key name but he is equally adept at using the long handle and bowl those heavy balls, making him useful in a smaller auction with lesser options.
Green will get only Rs 18 crore
There is buzz that Green might surpass countryman Mitchell Starc (Rs 24.75 crore) to become the overseas player with the highest price tag at an IPL auction but there would still remain a catch.
Even if Green's bid goes northwards of Rs 25 crore, his salary for the season would still be Rs 18 crore (USD 1.9 million). The bid amount and players' salary would be mutually exclusive with the former being deducted from team's annual player purse.
The reason being IPL's "maximum-fee" rule which states that a foreign player's maximum fee at a mini auction will be the lower value between the highest retention slab (Rs 18 crore) and the highest price at the previous mega auction (Rs 27 crore for Rishabh Pant in 2025).
In case of Venkatesh, it will be interesting if his bid value goes over and above Rs 10 crore (USD 1.1 million), which is a fair deal given his skill-set and capabilities. In a mini-auction, there is no scope for using the Right To Match (RTM) card and hence KKR, if they want to get back Venkatesh, will have to make some smart calls.
Livingstone, De Kock could be in high demand
England swashbuckler Liam Livingstone, who can also bowl handy spin is another player, who can hit the million dollar mark (Rs 9 crore) along with Quinton de Kock, who has time and again shown that he is a match-winner with the bat aside from being safe as a house behind the stumps. For Livingstone, destroying Rashid Khan's mystery by smashing him for 26 runs in a 'Hundred' game for Birmingham Phoenix is likely to make him sought-after name.
Uncapped Indians Prashant Veer, and Mukul Choudhary will attract bidders while Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan would also hope that their low base price of Rs 75 lakh finds takers.
Pathirana, Duffy and uncapped Ashok Sharma&nbsp;
Matheesha Pathirana was released by CSK but teams like Lucknow Super Giants (purse of Rs 22.95 crore) might bid aggressively as their fast bowling resources look depleted despite the presence of Mohammed Shami and a perennially injured Mayank Yadav. However, Pathirana is believed to have remodelled his action but whether CSK will be interested in him is a big question.
Also on the list is Jacob Duffy, the New Zealand paceman who has already made a name for himself in the T20I circuit and is one of the top-rated players in the ICC rankings. Among uncapped Indians, Ashok Sharma, who has previously been a part of IPL teams and is in the midst of a fine Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, is expected to attract very good bids.

Argentine football star Lionel Messi arrives in Delhi for the last leg of his G.O.A.T India tour following a delayed Mumbai flight. He will attend a meet-and-greet, ticketed event, and photoshoot before returning to Miami.

Lionel Messi Wraps Up G.O.A.T India Tour With Delayed Arrival in Delhi

Argentine football star Lionel Messi arrives in Delhi for the last leg of his G.O.A.T India tour following a delayed Mumbai flight. He will attend a meet-and-greet, ticketed event, and photoshoot before returning to Miami.

Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Delhi on Monday for the final leg of his G.O.A.T India Tour after his flight from Mumbai was delayed considerably due to inclement weather.&nbsp;
Messi, who was in Mumbai for the second day of his three-day whirlwind trip to India, was to land in the national capital around 10:45am but his charter flight was held up due to foggy conditions. He landed at the Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport around 2:30pm, and straightaway proceeded to the Leela Palace Hotel where he will have a Meet and Greet session for around an hour with a select group of people.&nbsp;
His final set of engagements includes an appearance at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium for a ticketed event and a photo-shoot programme at Purana Qila before leaving for the airport for the return to Miami, his current base.&nbsp;
The World Cup winner regaled fans in Mumbai last evening, posing alongside cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and a bevy of Bollywood stars and politicians.&nbsp;
Before Mumbai, he also made similar appearances in Hyderabad and Kolkata. The Kolkata leg was marred by chaotic scenes at the venue as frustrated fans ripped apart seats and stormed the Salt Lake Stadium pitch after failing to catch a glimpse of the superstar, who was surrounded by politicians and officials.&nbsp;

India’s fast bowlers produced a stunning swing bowling display before Abhishek Sharma’s brisk knock powered a comfortable seven-wicket win over South Africa in the third T20I at Dharamsala.

Pacers shine bright in India's seven-wicket win over SA in 3rd T20I

India&rsquo;s fast bowlers produced a stunning swing bowling display before Abhishek Sharma&rsquo;s brisk knock powered a comfortable seven-wicket win over South Africa in the third T20I at Dharamsala.

Abhishek Sharma played a sparkling little innings after the pacers produced a riveting exhibition of swing bowling, powering India to a smooth seven-wicket victory in the third T20I in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 118 for a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, vice-captain Gill (28, 28 balls) and his opening partner Abhishek (35, 18 balls) added 60 runs in 5.2 overs as India achieved their target without much effort in 15.5 overs.
The lone point of interest in India&rsquo;s chase was whether the South African pacers could emulate their Indian counterparts with the new ball, and make the opponents&rsquo; task tougher. However, Abhishek and Gill never allowed the South African bowlers to settle, as the former carted Lungi Ngidi for 16 runs in the first over. In fact, the very first ball of the chase went for a six -- an early indicator of the Indian openers&rsquo; intention.
In the second over, Gill too joined his partner to garner 16 runs as India sped to 32 for no loss in the initial two overs. Abhishek, as is his wont, batted in a single gear and it required a gem of a catch by Aiden Markram in the deep off Corbin Bosch to snap his stay.
Once the left-hander was dismissed, India's chase of the remaining 58 runs settled into a much more sedate rhythm as Gill, who was saved by a DRS call early in his innings, and Tilak Varma (26 not out) did not look for any adventure. Gill's run-a-ball 28 will certainly not rank among his fluent ones, but it might have boosted his confidence after two lukewarm outings in the first two matches of the series.
He eventually dragged a Marco Jansen delivery back on to his stumps, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav too failed to remain till the end. But those were the minor aberrations on the night.
All the credit for this canter should go to India&rsquo;s pacers, who produced a mesmerizing spell of swing bowling to bundle out South Africa for a below-par 117. Leading India&rsquo;s show with early wickets were Arshdeep Singh (2/13), Harshit Rana (2/34) and Hardik Pandya (1/23) after the hosts chose to bowl.
Skipper Markram offered a tiny spark for South Africa with a spirited 46-ball 61. Undoubtedly, the brightest stars under a cool sky were India&rsquo;s quick bowlers, who procured lethal swing and lateral movement with the new ball. It had its effect on the low-key power play effort of South Africa -- 25 for three -- and the phase contained just two fours.
Arshdeep, who had a horror outing at Mullanpur a couple of days back, redeemed himself with a dream first spell (3-0-9-1). He bowled three deliveries which angled away from Reeza Hendricks and then jagged one back to trap the South African opener leg before with the help of DRS.
Rana did precisely the same to Quinton de Kock, a nip-backer, trapping the frozen-legged left-hander inside the crease. Dewald Brevis was slightly unfortunate to get castled while attempting a release shot off a wide delivery from Rana.
South Africa suddenly found themselves at 7 for 3 in 3.1 overs, and it was always going to be an uphill climb for them from there. Markram crunched a couple of sweet drives in between to keep the board moving but Tristan Stubbs and Bosch departed in quick succession to further derail South African innings.
Stubbs&rsquo; wicket helped all-rounder Pandya to complete 100 wickets in T20Is, the third Indian bowler to do so after Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah, who did not play this match after returning home to attend to a personal situation. The BCCI said his availability for the remainder of the series will be announced in due course.
Kuldeep Yadav too came into the eleven for an unwell Axar Patel. Spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2/11 in 4 overs) too reached a milestone, capturing his 50th T20I wicket while flattening the stumps of Donovan Ferreira (20, 15 balls).
The big-hitting Ferreria was dropped on 13 by Arshdeep at long-on off Shivam Dube, but that did not hurt India. Chakravarthy cut open the lower-order with his bottomless bag of tricks as the pitch also continued to offer good pace and carry. The spinner also added the wicket of Jansen to keep South Africa pinned to the mat.
Markram completed his fifty off 41 balls with a slashed six off Rana, as the 18th over produced 19 runs. But the South African surge came tad too late.

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According to their sources, France international Giroud will join the MLS side LAFC on a free transfer in June.

AC Milan star Olivier Giroud signs for LAFC - reports

AC Milan star Olivier Giroud has signed a contract until December 2025 with LAFC, ESPN and transfers guru Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday.

According to their sources, France international Giroud will join the MLS side LAFC on a free transfer in June.

AC Milan star Olivier Giroud has signed a contract until December 2025 with LAFC, ESPN and transfers guru Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday.
According to their sources, France international Giroud will join the MLS side LAFC on a free transfer in June.
The 37-year-old has scored 15 goals and picked up nine assists in 42 appearances across all competitions this campaign.
The move would see the former Chelsea and Arsenal striker link back up with former teammate Hugo Lloris, who joined LAFC in February.

Travis Head scores his fourth straight Test century at Adelaide Oval as Australia takes a 356-run lead over England, putting Ashes series out of England’s reach.

Ashes 2025: Travis Head slams unbeaten 142 to crush England's Ashes hopes

Travis Head scores his fourth straight Test century at Adelaide Oval as Australia takes a 356-run lead over England, putting Ashes series out of England&rsquo;s reach.

Danger man Travis Head crunched his fourth century in as many Tests at Adelaide Oval Friday as Australia built a 356-run lead over England to stand on the brink of retaining the Ashes.
The hosts were 271-4 at stumps on day three of the third Test with Head on 142 and first-innings century-maker Alex Carey not out 52, taking the five-match series out of England's reach.
England must win after crashing inside two days at the first Test in Perth and inside four in Brisbane, both by eight wickets.
But it appears to be an impossible task with the highest run chase at the ground 316 by Australia against England in 1902.
Head said the job was not finished yet and Australia had to "rock up again" on Saturday.
"We've had another really, really good day today.
"Tomorrow will be another huge day, the wicket is deteriorating and starting to spin.
"The goal is to try and put on as many as we can in the morning and get to work and try to win the Test match."
Head's crucial ton, his 11th, came off a composed 146 balls although he almost didn't get there, dropped on 99 by Harry Brook as impatience got the better of him.
He has now scored a century in four consecutive Tests on his home ground, following 140 against India last year and 119 and 175 against the West Indies.
 - 'It calls for heroes' -
"The way Head has batted is next level, and he has shown us how to go about it," conceded England spin coach Jeetan Patel.
"Every game of Test cricket we play, especially out here in Australia, calls for heroes.
"And we haven't had them just yet, but maybe we will have them tomorrow and the day after."
Australia suffered an early setback in a tense 20 minutes before lunch after England were all out for 286 on the back of Ben Stokes's gritty 83 in response to Australia's first innings 371.
Bryson Carse trapped Jake Weatherald lbw for one and he did not review although replays showed the ball was pitching outside leg stump.
It gave England a glimmer of hope, but after the break Head slammed the door shut, cutting and chopping boundaries all around the ground.
Marnus Labuschagne went for 13 when he edged Josh Tongue to Harry Brook at slip, with reviews showing it carried.
Usman Khawaja, who hit a defiant 82 in the first innings after his last-minute call-up for the ill Steve Smith, was a perfect foil for the more aggressive Head.
But on 40 he was caught behind off Will Jacks and Cameron Green followed soon after for seven, edging Tongue to Brook.
After getting through the nervous 90s, Head finally brought up his century with a four off Joe Root, taking off his helmet and kissing the turf before pumping his fists.
While not in the same vein as his match-winning 69-ball century in Perth, it was a critical knock, supported by Carey and aided by Stokes not bowling.
 - Gutsy Stokes -
Patel said Stokes, who batted for two sessions on Thursday in 40 Celsius heat, was not injured.
"From what I understand he is fit to bowl," said Patel.
"He's just knackered, he's taken a lot out of himself to get to this point in the game."
On Friday's resumption, Stokes and Jofra Archer kept England's dreams just about alive with a stirring 106-run ninth-wicket stand.
They began at 213-8 in muggy conditions with Stokes not out 45 and Archer on 30.
Stokes, who suffered leg cramps and dehydration during his gutsy rearguard action on Thursday, brought up his slowest ever 50 in Tests, off 159 balls.
He finally fell when Mitchell Starc took the new ball and bowled him, with Stokes one of the few players who showed the fight he had demanded before the game.
Archer was another, ably helping his captain.
The fast bowler was the last man out when caught by Labuschagne off Scott Boland for 51 -- his highest Test score and a maiden half-century
Boland ended with 3-45 while Pat Cummins took 3-69 in his first Test since July.

Alex Carey slammed a heartfelt 106, Usman Khawaja scored 82, as Australia reached 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.

Emotional Carey slams ton to give Australia upper hand in 3rd Ashes Test

Alex Carey slammed a heartfelt 106, Usman Khawaja scored 82, as Australia reached 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval.

An emotional Alex Carey slammed a majestic 106 on his home ground and Usman Khawaja hit a defiant 82 Wednesday to put Australia in the driving seat of the third Ashes Test against England.
Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as temperatures topped 36 Celsius at Adelaide Oval, the hosts were 326-8 at stumps on day one after the shock of Steve Smith being ruled out with illness.
Mitchell Starc was not out 33 and Nathan Lyon yet to score.
"To make a hundred here in front of home fans and family was special," an emotional Carey told Australian TV.
As he celebrated his maiden Ashes ton, Carey gestured towards the sky in a nod to his father Gordon, who died from cancer in September.
"I guess you know as well why I was looking to the heavens. I'm trying not to tear up. But, no, it was great."
The wicketkeeper's wife Eloise was spotted in tears by TV cameras as he celebrated.
"To have, mum, brother, sister, Eloise, the kids (here), it was a special moment," Carey added.
A tireless Jofra Archer ended with 3-29 on a tough day for England's bowlers in the field.
"I thought it was a good performance from our bowlers, the heat took us a bit by surprise," said England bowling coach David Saker.
"The boys toiled away.
"(Archer) had a point to prove, he sustained his pace and bowled at the stumps, and he was well supported."
 - Khawaja reprieve -
Australia lead the five-Test series 2-0 and will retain the Ashes if they win or draw, after back-to-back eight-wicket thumpings in Perth and Brisbane.
Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was on Tuesday named in the side.
He was on the field during the morning warm-up but left 20 minutes before the toss shaking his head.
His absence gave an unexpected reprieve to Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and had been overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald.
Khawaja, who missed Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, grabbed his chance in a stoic knock.
He was eventually out just before tea, slog-sweeping to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.
Carey picked up the mantle, first alongside Josh Inglis (32), then Pat Cummins (13), and latterly Starc, who once more showed his prowess with the bat.
Carey hit eight fours and a six in his third Test century, bringing up the milestone in front of family, friends and 56,298 fans -- the biggest cricket crowd ever at the venue.
 - Archer burst -
A blistering first over after lunch from Archer had left Australia reeling at 94-4.
He removed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball after the interval.
Two deliveries later Cameron Green was gone, with Brydon Carse collecting catches at midwicket to dismiss both.
Inglis and Cummins fell in the final session to Tongue and Carse respectively.
Players from both teams wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
A moment of silence was held before the game with security tightened and flags flying at half-mast.
At the start, Weatherald raced to 18 off 27 balls but his gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer, who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Head followed next over for 10, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left off Carse.
Khawaja, on five, was fortunate to survive when Harry Brook dropped a sitter at second slip and went on to bring up his 28th Test 50 to big cheers.
Carey had a life on 52 when Carse put down a difficult chance in the covers and the 34-year-old made the most of it before falling when he top-edged Jacks to Smith just before the close.

Lionel Messi thanked India for its warm hospitality during his three-day tour and expressed hope for a bright future for football in the country, visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Lionel Messi's Memorable India Tour: Football Hopes & Promises

Lionel Messi thanked India for its warm hospitality during his three-day tour and expressed hope for a bright future for football in the country, visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Lionel Messi hoped that football has a "bright future" in India and expressed gratitude for the "generous hospitality" that he received during a whirlwind three-day tour, which had thousands of fans jostling to catch a glimpse of the Argentine star in four different cities.
Messi, after extending his stay by a day to visit the Anant Ambani-founded Vantara wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation centre in Jamnagar, left for his base in Miami on Wednesday.
Taking to Instagram, the 38-year-old posted a one-minute highlights clip of the tour, featuring his interactions with Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, and several young footballers.
&nbsp;
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"What amazing visits to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Thank you for the warm reception, generous hospitality, and all the feelings of love with which you surrounded me throughout my tour. I hope that football has a bright future in India," he wrote underneath the video.
His good wishes come at a time when Indian football finds itself at its lowest ebb. The domestic season has been brought to a halt for the want of a commercial partner, and the national team's fortunes have been in a free-fall following a string of poor results. An ongoing court case over administrative issues has further deepened policy paralysis.
The superstar striker, who is among the most recognisable and adored sportspersons in the world, did not play any competitive football during the trip. He was accompanied by Uruguay great and close friend Luis Suarez and Argentina teammate Rodrigo de Paul.
Messi made stadium appearances for ticketed events in all four cities, starting with Kolkata, where things turned ugly after politicians and officials surrounded him, denying fans who had paid thousands for a seat a clear view of the icon. Agitated by this, the gathered spectators indulged in vandalism at the Salt Lake Stadium, prompting Messi to be whisked away sooner than originally planned.
However, his visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi passed off smoothly as he charmed fans by posing for pictures, showcasing some of his warm-up routines, and playing briefly with young players.
"...we carry all this love with us, and we will definitely return, hopefully one day to play a match or on another occasion, but we will definitely return to visit India," he said after the final leg of the tour in Delhi.

FIFA has reduced World Cup ticket prices for loyal fans, offering $60 seats for all games, including the final, following criticism over high prices and limited access for supporters.

FIFA Cuts World Cup Ticket Prices, Faces Global Criticism

FIFA has reduced World Cup ticket prices for loyal fans, offering $60 seats for all games, including the final, following criticism over high prices and limited access for supporters.

FIFA slashed the price of some World Cup tickets for teams' most loyal fans following a global backlash, with some fans now able to get $60 seats for the final instead of paying $4,185.
It was a rare climbdown by the soccer body and its president Gianni Infantino after facing waves of criticism for World Cup strategies, including top-dollar prices and closer political alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump.
FIFA said Tuesday that $60 tickets will be made available for every game at the tournament in North America, going to the national federations whose teams are playing. Those federations decide how to distribute them to loyal fans who have attended previous games at home and on the road.
The number of $60 tickets for each game is likely to be from 400 to 750 per team, in what FIFA is now calling a &ldquo;Supporter Entry Tier&rdquo; price category. FIFA is using 16 host cities, including 11 NFL stadiums in the United States, plus two in Canada and three in Mexico.
FIFA did not specify exactly why it so dramatically changed strategy, but said the lower prices are &ldquo;designed to further support traveling fans following their national teams across the tournament.&rdquo; However, the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) group, which represents grassroots fan groups, said the limited price cut was &ldquo;an appeasement tactic due to the global negative backlash.&rdquo;
&ldquo;This shows that FIFA's ticketing policy is not set in stone, was decided in a rush, and without proper consultation,&rdquo; the group said in a statement.
The World Cup in North America will be the first edition that features 48 teams &mdash; up from 32 &mdash; and is expected to earn FIFA at least $10 billion in revenue while being the most expensive ever for fans.
Despite the outcry over prices, FIFA says it has already received more than 20 million ticket requests in its latest sales phase.
The FSE group said that even with Tuesday's announcement, &ldquo;the vast majority would still have to pay extortionate prices, way higher than at any tournament before.&rdquo;
Initial pledge for cheap tickets
Fans worldwide reacted with shock and anger last week on seeing FIFA's ticketing plans that gave participating teams no tickets in the lowest-priced category. Their standard allocation is 8% of stadium capacity per team.
The cheapest prices ranged from $140 to $265 for group-stage games that did not involve co-hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The $265 games involve Lionel Messi's Argentina, Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo, and well-supported teams like Brazil and England.
FIFA had set those prices despite the co-hosts having pledged eight years ago &mdash; when they were bidding for the tournament &mdash; that hundreds of thousands of $21 tickets would be made available for games before the knockout rounds.
The hospitality program in modern NFL venues, now managed in-house instead of outsourced to an agency, is expected to earn FIFA billions of dollars rather than hundreds of millions.
European criticism
Criticism from fans, especially in Europe, had been increasing for several months over plans for &ldquo;dynamic pricing&rdquo; plus extra fees on a FIFA-run resale platform &mdash; both features common in the U.S. entertainment industry but not to soccer fans worldwide.
Fan anger intensified last week when it became clear loyal supporters would have no access to the cheapest category tickets, and fans who wanted to reserve a ticket for all of their team's potential games &mdash; through the final &mdash; would not get refunded until after the tournament.
In another climbdown Tuesday, FIFA said it would waive its administrative fees when refunds are made after the July 19 final.
Fans with disabilities Even before the FIFA statement, the supporter group FSE called Tuesday for a re-think on World Cup policy for fans with disabilities.
It said FIFA's resale platform was offering disability access seats at multiple times face value with no assurances those tickets actually would be sold to people with a disability. Those fans also can no longer get free tickets for companions as they could at the last World Cup in Qatar.
In Qatar, Infantino started an eve-of-tournament speech with a tirade at perceived critics of the host nation, FIFA, and himself that included the line &ldquo;today I feel disabled.&rdquo;
&ldquo;True inclusion requires action,&rdquo; FSE said Tuesday, reminding Infantino of that speech. &ldquo;It's time for FIFA to move away from populistic statements and respect its own commitments.&rdquo;

Steve Smith was sidelined from the third Ashes Test in Adelaide due to a potential vestibular issue but is expected to return for the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Steve Smith Aims Ashes Return; Misses Third Test Due to Health

Steve Smith was sidelined from the third Ashes Test in Adelaide due to a potential vestibular issue but is expected to return for the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Steve Smith is aiming to be back in Ashes action for Australia on Boxing Day after being ruled out shortly before play started Wednesday in the third test at Adelaide.
Smith was talking to Australian coach Andrew McDonald on the field in the hour before the toss of the coin, when it appeared the final decision was made to leave him out of the XI so he can continue recovering from dizziness and nausea.
That allowed Usman Khawaja an unexpected recall for Australia, batting at No. 4 to replace Smith rather than opening the innings.
Australian team management later said Smith was being treated for a &ldquo;potential vestibular issue&rdquo; in the inner ear, ruling out speculation that the star batter had sustained a concussion during a net practice session.
He practiced with the Australia squad on Saturday and Sunday, skipped Monday's session, but returned on Tuesday and batted again in the nets on Wednesday morning.
&ldquo;Steve is feeling a little bit unwell the last couple of days,&rdquo; returning captain Pat Cummins said at the coin toss. "He came and gave it a crack this morning but didn't think he was going to get up for this one, so he's headed off home. But we're pretty lucky we have got someone like Usman who can step right in.&rdquo;
Team management said Smith, who has dealt with vertigo symptoms in the past, is likely to return for the fourth test starting Dec. 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
&ldquo;He was assessed and monitored closely and was close to being available to play," Australian team management said in a statement. &ldquo;However, given the persistence of symptoms, a decision was made not to proceed.&rdquo;
Smith led Australia to eight-wicket wins in Perth and Brisbane in the absence of Cummins. He hit the winning runs in Brisbane as Australia took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first in Adelaide, his first test since sustaining a back injury in July. England needs a victory in the third test to have any chance of reclaiming the Ashes.

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