India 5 lowest target which they failed to chase in Tests

Shubman Gill-led Team India suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of South Africa on the third day of the Kolkata Test. The hosts failed to chase down a target of 124 runs and were bundled out for just 93 runs in the fourth innings. With this win, the Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series. However, this defeat has raised many questions about Team India's World Test Championship (WTC) campaign. The target of 124 runs, which India failed to chase, is now one of their lowest scores in the red-ball format.

1. 193 Runs, India vs England, Lord's 2025

In this match played at Lord's, England scored 387 runs with the help of Joe Root's 104 runs. For India, KL Rahul scored 100 and Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja scored 74 and 72 runs respectively. India equalized the score of 387 runs. England scored 192 runs in the second innings. Root again played the highest innings of 40 runs. India definitely got the target of 193 runs. Ravindra Jadeja scored 61 runs but he did not get support from other batsmen. India was all out for 170 runs. Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes took three wickets each.

2. 176 Runs, India vs Sri Lanka, Galle 2015

The Indian team must have been deeply shocked by the defeat in this match in August 2015. Under Virat Kohli's captaincy, India had taken a good lead in the first innings. Sri Lanka had scored 183 runs in the first innings. In response, India posted a mammoth total of 375 runs, thanks to centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. India gained a lead of 192 runs. Sri Lanka scored 367 runs in the second innings, thanks to Dinesh Chandimal's 162 runs. India had a target of 176 runs. But the Indian team succumbed to the left-arm spin of Rangana Herath and was all out for 112 runs.

3. 121 Runs, India vs New Zealand, 2024 Wankhede

India lost the home Test series against New Zealand 0-3 last year. In the final match of the series, India lost by 25 runs. New Zealand scored 235 runs in the first innings. Daryl Mitchell scored 82 and Will Young scored 71. In reply, India scored 263 runs. Shubman Gill scored 90 and Rishabh Pant scored 60. New Zealand scored 174 runs in the second innings. Will Young again scored a half-century and scored 51 runs. India was set a target of 147 runs, but the entire team was all out for 121 runs.

4. 93 Runs, India vs South Africa, November 2025

In this match played in Kolkata, India was given a target of only 124 runs. India had all out South Africa for 159 runs in the first innings. In reply, India scored 189 runs. India had got a crucial lead of 30 runs in the first innings. In the second innings, thanks to captain Temba Bavuma's 55 runs, South Africa was able to reach 153 runs. Now India had a target of 124 runs. But on a pitch helpful for spinners, the Indian team was all out for only 93 runs. Simon Harmer took 4 wickets in both innings.

5. 81 Runs, India vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 1997

Sachin Tendulkar was in tears after India's defeat. Sachin was the captain of India and the target of 120 runs was not a big one. However, the Indian team failed to achieve it. West Indies scored 298 runs in the first innings. Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored 137 runs. In reply, India scored 319 runs. Sachin Tendulkar scored 92 runs and Rahul Dravid scored 78 runs. West Indies were all out for 140 runs in the second innings. India was all out for 81 runs in the second innings. VVS Laxman, who opened the innings, scored the highest 19 runs.

IPL 2026: Kumar Sangakkara appointed head coach of Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals have appointed Kumar Sangakkara as their new head coach ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the franchise confirmed on Monday, November 17. Sangakkara, who until now served as the franchise's Director of Cricket Operations, will take over the coaching responsibilities after Rahul Dravid was recently bid farewell by the franchise.

Rajasthan Royals have made a major announcement ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The team has appointed Kumar Sangakkara as their new head coach. Before the auction, the franchise also made the biggest deal in IPL history, replacing captain Sanju Samson with Ravindra Jadeja from CSK via trade.

Vikram Rathour will now be the Royals' chief assistant coach. Rathour has been retained by the franchise, although his role has been slightly changed ahead of the upcoming season. The biggest question for the franchise right now is how the Royals will proceed under a new captain, following the ouster of Sanju Samson for the first time. It is highly likely that star cricketer Ravindra Jadeja will captain the Rajasthan Royals in 2026, as the star all-rounder is making a comeback after eighteen years.

Rajasthan Royals 2026 Retention List

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Shimron Hetmyer
3. Vaibhav Suryavanshi
4. Shubham Dubey
5. Luan-Dre Pretorius
6. Dhruv Jurel
7. Rian Parag
8. Jofra Archer
9. Tushar Deshpande
10. Sandeep Sharma
11. Yudhvir Singh
12. Kwena Mphaka
13. Nandre Burger

Rajasthan Royals Trade

• Ravindra Jadeja (included)
• Sam Curran (included)
• Donovan Ferreira (included)
• Sanju Samson (dropped)
• Nitish Rana (dropped)

Rajasthan Royals team spots

Rajasthan Royals have retained 13 players and added three players via trade. All three players are all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, and Donovan Ferreira have joined the Rajasthan team via trade. Rajasthan has also released two players, Sanju Samson and Nitish Rana, via trade. The Rajasthan Royals have nine vacancies in their squad.

When and where will the IPL 2026 auction take place?

The auction for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League will take place on December 16. It will be a one-day mini-auction. The BCCI has officially announced that the auction will take place in Abu Dhabi.

Where and how to watch Women Kabaddi World Cup 2025 for free

 The Women's Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 17 to 24. This will be the first Kabaddi World Cup to be held outside India.

The Women's Kabaddi World Cup will feature top talent from 12 participating countries, making it one of the sport's biggest global events. With teams from multiple continents, the tournament is expected to feature high-intensity matches and highlight the rapid growth of women's kabaddi on the international stage.

Women Kabaddi World Cup 2025 Participating Teams

The countries participating in this tournament are defending champions India, runners-up Iran, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Nepal, Kenya, Uganda, Thailand, Argentina, Poland, USA and Zanzibar (Tanzania).

India squad for Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025

Ritu Negi (captain), Pushpa Rana (vice-captain), Sonali Shingate, Pooja Narwal, Bhavna Thakur, Sakshi Sharma, Pooja Kajla, Champa Thakur, Mini Narwal, Ritu Sheoran, Ritu Mitharwal, Sanju Devi, Dhanalakshmi, Anu Kumari.

Host country for Women Kabaddi World Cup 2025

The International Kabaddi Federation originally planned to hold the tournament in Rajgir, Bihar, from June 1 to 10. However, the state later reversed its decision, forcing organizers to move the event to Hyderabad's Gachibowli Stadium, scheduled for August 3 to 10. The venue was changed once again, this time outside India entirely, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, was chosen as the new host city.

Women Kabaddi World Cup History

The Women's World Cup is returning after 13 years, with the first edition held in Patna, Bihar in 2012. The Indian women's kabaddi team defeated Iran 25-19 in a thrilling World Cup final on home soil to lift the trophy.

The Indian team will start the upcoming Women's Kabaddi World Cup as clear favorites. However, they are expected to face a stiff challenge from arch-rivals Iran, who will be looking to avenge their defeat in the inaugural Women's Kabaddi World Cup final.

Where and how to watch Women's Kabaddi World Cup?

Live Streaming in India: The matches will be available for live streaming on the T Sports YouTube channel and the T Sports app.

Television Broadcast (Bangladesh): The matches are expected to be streamed live on State-owned Bangladesh Television and T-Sports.

Ashes 2025-26: Josh Hazlewood ruled out of first Test against England

 Australia suffered a major blow on Saturday when fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the first Ashes Test against England with a hamstring strain, while Pat Cummins was also injured. Josh Hazlewood suffered a hamstring injury while playing in New South Wales' Sheffield Shield match against Victoria this week. He was initially declared fit after a scan, but further imaging confirmed the strain.

Australia have named Michael Neser as cover for both Hazlewood and Sean Abbott, who has played two Tests. Hazlewood's absence has increased Australia's selection concerns, as captain Pat Cummins is also out with a back problem. Thus, Mitchell Starc remains the only fit member of the first-choice fast bowling trio.

Cricket Australia issued a statement: Josh Hazlewood underwent further imaging today, which confirmed a hamstring strain. "Initial scans on Wednesday did not reveal a hamstring strain, but follow-up imaging today confirmed the injury. Minor muscle injuries can sometimes be underestimated on initial imaging. As a result, Hazlewood will not be able to travel to Perth and has been ruled out of the first Ashes Test match.

Australian team for the Ashes

Steven Smith (captain), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Weatherald, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Michael Neser, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc

England team for the Ashes

Ben Stokes (captain), Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.

5 Players With Most Runs But No IPL Trophy Yet

 Since 2008, the IPL has catapulted the careers of many cricketers to new heights. Some have made their mark on this platform, while others have created history. There are also some veterans who have scored a lot of runs, but their dream of winning the IPL trophy has remained unfulfilled. These include names like KL Rahul, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant.

1. KL Rahul

KL Rahul is one of the most reliable and consistent batsmen in the IPL. He has scored 5,222 runs in 145 matches so far, including several explosive innings. Having played for teams like Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and RCB, Rahul's batting combines class and aggression. Yet, no season has ever been able to make him a champion.

2. AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers is considered one of the most charismatic players in IPL history. He scored 5162 runs in 184 matches. His helicopter shots, backfoot cover drives, and ability to score runs in every direction of the field captivated fans. Even AB, who played for the Delhi Daredevils and RCB, could not fulfill his dream of lifting the trophy alongside Virat Kohli.

3. Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle has set a new standard for destroying bowlers in the IPL. He has scored 4965 runs in 184 matches, including six centuries. Gayle has played many explosive innings for teams like Kolkata, Bangalore, and Punjab, but despite this, he has not been able to win a single IPL title.

At RCB, Gayle, along with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, built one of the most successful T20 teams in the world. During these seven seasons, Gayle played many memorable innings, most notably his 175* – a performance that showed the world the dramatic power of T20.

4. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson also makes this list. His batting is excellent and timely. He has scored 4704 runs in 177 matches so far. As captain of the Rajasthan Royals, he led the team to victory several times, but luck eluded him in the finals. Sanju Samson's career includes three IPL centuries.

5. Rishabh Pant

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant is one of the most exciting batsmen in the IPL. He has scored 4,704 runs in 177 matches. He has single-handedly turned the tide of matches on numerous occasions, but Pant has yet to win a trophy. The aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman, who has previously captained the Delhi Capitals (DC), is known for his explosive power and match-finishing ability. Since reaching the final with Delhi in 2020, he has yet to win a title.

Women ODI World Cup 2029: How many teams will participate? 8 or 10?

 The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has approved a number of comprehensive measures aimed at accelerating cricket's global growth, strengthening women's cricket, and expanding the sport's digital and commercial footprint. These decisions were finalized following an ICC Board meeting on November 7. Among the key announcements, the ICC announced an increase in the number of teams in the 2029 Women's ODI World Cup from eight to ten. This move follows the tremendous success of the 2025 Women's World Cup in India, which set new records for viewership and attendance, reaffirming the ICC's commitment to women's cricket.

The ICC Board is keen to build on the success of the event and has agreed to increase the number of teams to 10 (from eight in 2025) in the next edition of the tournament.

The event attracted nearly 300,000 spectators in stadiums, the largest ever for any women's cricket tournament, the ICC said in a statement. "The tournament also set new records on TV and digital platforms, with nearly 500 million viewers in India alone." The ICC believes that given this popularity and the rapidly growing influence of women's cricket, it is the right time to expand the reach of the World Cup even further.

ICC reviews collaboration with IOC

The ICC reviewed its collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the organizers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Cricket will be included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, featuring a total of 28 T20 International matches with six teams for both men and women. The sport will also be part of the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the 2027 African Games in Egypt, and will make its debut at the 2027 Pan-American Games in Peru.

The ICC has also approved the Invitation to Tender (ITT) for global video gaming rights, opening up partnership opportunities to provide fans with interactive digital experiences. A data consolidation project will further advance AI-driven fan engagement and commercial analytics.

Women's ODI World Records on Digital Platform

India's historic title win in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup set new benchmarks for cricket broadcasting in the country, with a total of 446 million viewers watching the tournament on digital platforms, according to the official broadcaster.JioHotstar said in a release on Friday that the Women's World Cup final, in which India defeated South Africa to win the ICC title for the first time, was watched by 185 million users on its platform.

Viewership for the final was higher than the daily average for the Indian Premier League (IPL), but was on par with last year's men's T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa. The broadcaster said in a release that the 446 million viewers was the highest ever for women's cricket and more than the combined total of the last three Women's World Cups.

The Women's World Cup final attracted 21 million viewers, making Harmanpreet Kaur's team the first Asian team to win the Women's World Cup. Setting another record, 92 million people watched the historic match on Connected TV (CTV), equaling the CTV viewership of the T20 World Cup 2024 final and the World Cup 2023 final.

India A squad announced for the ODI series against South Africa

The BCCI has announced the India A squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa A in Rajkot. Tilak Varma has been named India A's captain for the ODI series against South Africa A, while Ruturaj Gaikwad will be the vice-captain. The team includes familiar faces like Abhishek Sharma and Riyan Parag, as well as strong players like Ishan Kishan and Prabhsimran Singh. Ayush Badoni and Nishant Sindhu will bring new energy to the team. Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana have also been selected for the 50-over matches against South Africa A

However, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not been selected for the three-match ODI series against South Africa. Both players are not part of the India A squad.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli out of the team?

Rohit and Kohli's decision not to play the match is surprising, but it once again raises questions about their limited match practice, as both players have already retired from Test and T20I formats. With only a few series remaining before the 2027 ICC World Cup, their break could prove costly in the long run.

His recent performance against Australia also exposed some weaknesses. Rohit struggled early in the series but later recovered with scores of 73 and 121, while Kohli took time to regain his form and finished the series with an unbeaten 74 after being dismissed for two consecutive ducks.

These ODIs were his first competitive matches in eight months. Since he is away from domestic cricket and India A tours, his rhythm depends almost entirely on net practice and limited international matches. While this may not have much impact on him in low-pressure bilateral series, it could become a major concern during preparations for the 2027 ICC World Cup.

On the Australia tour, Rohit Sharma scored more than 200 runs in just three matches. Virat Kohli also scored a half-century in the final ODI against Australia.

Abhishek Sharma got a chance

Star T20 batsman Abhishek Sharma is waiting to break into India's ODI team. However, before joining the senior Indian team, Abhishek is currently trying to secure a spot in the India A team. He also received a chance against Australia A. He even skipped his sister's wedding to secure a spot in the India A team. Now, Abhishek Sharma has also been selected for the ODI series against South Africa A.

India A team against South Africa

Tilak Verma (captain), Rituraj Gaikwad (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed and Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper).