mi

We probably might never get out of these post-IPL withdrawals. It’s been nearly three weeks since it all ended, a WTC final came and went, the Ashes are here. While cricket moves on, it’s time we do too, from nostalgia of the Blue and Gold to the building up for 2024. So here, in this section, we bring you everything our stars are up to, from their on-field exploits, to their off-field excursions, to what-they-said, to what’s newsy. It’s a running blog, keep scrolling, keep reading, keep manifesting ..

August 26, 2023

Chris Jordan: Our Englishman and his Southern Brave team fell one short of qualifying for The Hundred 2023 final. Jordan registered 1/43 on a night when his opponent Manchester Originals were unrelenting to make room and eventually secured a seven-wicket win with four balls to spare.

August 23, 2023

Jasprit Bumrah: Series win. Check. Man of the Series. Double check. And there you go, that's the recipe of how you make a COMEBACK like a king. A 327-day wait was surely worth enough as Boom Boom would grab four wickets in the IREvIND T20I series and also give an exhibition of his tactics on the field as the newest India captain.

Chris Jordan: Impact man Jordan ensured he played a pivotal role to keep Southern Brave's hopes alive in The Hundred. With a wicket (1/28) and a runout (Calvin Harrison), the Englishman helped Brave book their place in the playoffs and set up an emphatic rematch between the sides on Saturday (August 26).

******

August 21, 2023

India's Asia Cup squad 2023: The biggest news first. TILAK VARMA COMES INTO THE ODI SQUAD. On the back of some stunning knocks in the Caribbean, our young 20-year-old makes another massive stride to stake his claim for a spot in the World Cup 2023 squad now. He now joins skipper Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan among the other MI-kars in the 18-man squad. Let's bring it home! 

Full squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (backup) 

******

August 20, 2023

Jasprit Bumrah: Captain Boom Boom spearheaded India to an unassailable 2-0 T20I series lead and also won his first bilateral series as a skipper. Bumrah had a patient outing with the ball, as he had to wait for the death overs to grab his two victims. But of the two, his wicket maiden final over rubberstamped his status as one of the most-feared bowlers in cricket. His final figures read 2/15 in four overs. MASTERCLASS.

Tilak Varma: Tilak's game today unfortunately turned out to be similar to the first T20I. His innings lasted just two balls but he put that frustration behind him after he combined with Bumrah to dismiss Mark Adair.

Tim David: The hard-hitting Tim almost got Southern Brave to the finish line, with his 18-ball 44 lifting his team from 70/4 to 131/7. This included a 22-run partnership with Chris Jordan.

Chris Jordan: The Englishman was all over the pitch, be it with the bat or ball. First, he finished with figures of 3/20 to help Southern Brave restrict Oval Invincibles to 139/7. Having shown his capabilities with the bat early on in the series, Jordan contributed a 10-ball 15 to the cause however it wasn't enough for Brave to chase 140 in 100 balls. 

******

August 17, 2023

Jasprit Bumrah: There are good ways to announce your comeback and then there is this - captaining India, taking wickets and registering a victory. Boom Boom claimed two quick wickets in his first over in 327 days, and bowled a tight 19th over where he gave away just one run. Coupled with his decisions with the bowlers, the mercurial pacer and the latest Indian skipper masterminded a two-run victory.  

Tilak Varma: TV had a mixed day on the field for India. Starting with the positive, the southpaw took a catch at short third to claim Harry Tector's wicket for debutant Prasidh Krishna. However, when he came to bat, his stay lasted briefly as he was dismissed for 0 by Craig Young.

******

August 16, 2023

Tim David: The game was firmly in the Southern Brave's kitty when our man walked out to bat, smashed a heave through mid-wicket to bring his team right at the brink of victory, but then perished in search of the glory hit. His score: a five-ball five.

Chris Jordan: A 12-day stay on the sidelines didn't deter Jordan from doing what he does best - taking wickets. The English veteran bowled 15 balls, conceded 20 runs but claimed the wicket of Birmingham's Benny Howell.  

******

August 14, 2023

Dewald Brevis: Few days ahead of seeing our Baby AB in action in CPL 2023, Dewald Brevis has a reason to cheer! Why? Because he has been selected to play in South Africa's upcoming white-ball tour against Australia. It is a boon of his continuous exciting displays from the 2022 U-19 Cricket World Cup to multiple franchise cricket leagues, including the IPL (Mumbai Indians) and SA20 (MI Cape Town). The call-up also comes after Brevis contributed 165 runs in MI NY's championship-winning MLC campaign last month. We couldn't be more proud of our fa-MI-ly member!

******

August 13, 2023

Tilak Varma: Hitting when it mattered, young Tilak contributed 27 runs with the bat when India were hit with an early roadblock. This included a fantastic sixth over against Alzarri Joseph that read 0-4-6-4-4-1. And among the tools in his bag, he showed his bowling prowess and claimed a wicket on his very second ball. RAINA 2.0 is here. 

Suryakumar Yadav: Aapla Dada Surya doesn't chase runs, rather it is the other way round. SKY notched yet another fifty-plus score on the board to power India to 165 in a must-win game. Alas, it went against his favour as the Windies chased the 166-run target.

******

August 8, 2023

Tilak Varma: Although one short of a well deserved fifty, young Tilak ensured he is a vital cog in the mix for India as he became the second Indian batter after SKY to register 30+ scores in each of his first three T20I innings. In his 37-ball unbeaten 49, the southpaw ballooned four boundaries and a maximum to add his caught dismissal in the first innings.

Suryakumar Yadav: Aapla Dada Surya protrayed himself as Colossus tonight, going on a rampage - 83 off 44 balls - to keep the WIvIND T20I series alive. The Windies bowlers had no room to breathe as SKY attacked every inch and corner of the Providence Stadium with 10 fours and four sixes. Along the way, he completed 100 career T20I sixes. JUST MAGICAL. 

Tim David: He came out at Lord's, faced one ball off Liam Dawson that he cut to deep cover, and the heavens opened up. It then just refused to stop. That was it, curtains were drawn, and Tim David will have to wait longer to go on a rampage in the UK. 

******

August 6, 2023

Tilak Varma: After nearly getting a fifty on his T20I debut, Tilak went up a notch as he stitched a composed 51 runs in 41 deliveries. Five boundaries and one six from the southpaw anchored India on course to register a 150-plus score. Despite the defeat, Tilak's knock brought smiles in the dressing room.

Ishan Kishan: The pocket dynamo was involved everywhere in the game. First, he hit 27 runs in 23 balls and later, he had a hand in two dismissals - a run out and stumping.

Suryakumar Yadav: Our run-machine didn't get to celebrate his 50th T20I appearance the way he wanted. He got run out for just one run but would later effect a caught dismissal in the second innings. Thus, it all wasn't bad at all.

******

August 4, 2023

Chris Jordan: Showcasing the 'Brave' factor to the T, Jordan rescued Southern Brave from 76/8 to 147/8 with an exhilarating unbeaten 70 in just 32 balls. With seven skyscraping sixes and three boundary fours, the Englishman not only wowed us but also the 12,403 fans at the Ageas Bowl.    

******

August 3, 2023

Tilak Varma: The latest MI player to graduate and don the India jersey, Tilak announced his arrival with two bully-like sixes. His maiden exhibition of his innate hitting power read as this: 22 balls faced, 39 runs scored, two fours, three sixes. Although India failed to win the game, Tilak's knock was the saving grace for the Indian faithful.

Suryakumar Yadav: A run-a-ball 21 came at a crucial time when India were reduced to 28/2 inside five overs. Earlier in the game, SKY took the important catch of Windies skipper Rovman Powell who was on a mild free-scoring run. 

Ishan Kishan: Ishan's new-found purple patch on the Windies tour hit the roadblock, after he was dismissed cheaply for six runs. 

******

August 1, 2023

Suryakumar Yadav: His 30-ball 35 might get lost in the context of the game when Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya went hammer and tongs, but SKY's knock was the perfect puzzle-fitter, playing his role as the second fiddle to Hardik in the death overs as India piled on 351 against the hapless Windies. 

Ishan Kishan: The fourth successive fifty in a row on this tour, after one in the final Test, and three in each of the three ODIs. He was the aggressor at the top forming a record 143-run stand with Gill, and scoring 77 at a strike-rate of 120. The platform he built was enough to inflict the second-biggest defeat in terms of runs over the West Indies. What more, he was deservedly the Player of the Series. 

Chris Jordan: There are good ways to announce your arrival in a big tournament, and then there is this. Turning up for the Southern Brave, our man scalped three wickets in his spell of 20 balls conceding at lesser than a-run-a-ball, and then sent chills down the Trent Rockets' camp with his 11-ball 22 in the chase to nearly pull off a miracle. 

Tim David: Absolutely fresh from lifting the inaugural MLC trophy, Tim David flew out to the UK immediately, and drove straight to Trent Bridge. Although he got off to a superb start, flicking the first ball he faced off his legs for a boundary, he didn't last long, mistimgs his leave down long-on's throat for a 4-ball 5. 

******

July 31, 2023

Jasprit Bumrah: HE IS OFFICIALLY BACK. And he is back as the captain of the side. Named in the Indian T20 squad on the tour of Ireland, he is roaring to put months of rehab and recovery behind him and hit the ground running. Or rather uproot stumps off the ground, running. 

Dewald Brevis and Tim David: Our MI stars conquered the inagural MLC as part of our victorious MI NY side. While stand-in skipper Nicholas Pooran was the choir master of a MI-raculious run chase, our boys made some cameo appearances. Brevis, with a 18-ball 20, and David, with a catch and an unbeaten 10 runs as a side-kick to Pooran during his blitzkrieg knock.

******

July 30, 2023

Shams Mulani: The fishing-for-wickets season continues for Shams, as he grabbed three wickets for 29 runs in his 10 overs. He also chipped in with a catch to dismiss Nishant Sindhu off Rahul Tripathi.

Ramandeep Singh: Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪 fell one short of winning the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup. He was restricted to a knock of just 11 runs as he would oversee his team fall to a seven-wicket loss. 

******

July 29, 2023

Ishan Kishan: On a super-tough Barbados pitch that had steepling bounce, our pocket dynamo was the only Indian batter who actually got going and looked comfortable. In a-run-a-ball 55, he had the team off to a good start, but alas, the rest of the Indian batting (with Rohit and Kohli resting), couldn't quite keep up. 

Suryakumar Yadav: Walking in at number six with the team in a spot of bother, SKY stitched up a good partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, but fell to extra bounce (something that was the entire team's nemesis) as he cut one off the top-edge to third man for a 25-ball 24. 

Dewald Brevis: A 33-ball 41. It's no longer a purple patch, it's a Blue patch. After a stellar batting show in the Eliminator, Brevis was the calm face in the Challenger against TSK. He was scratchy at the start, but then slowly upped the ante, and after Tim David fell, ensured he took it upon himself to carry MI New York into the final! 

Tim David: Three match-winning sixes! Short, sweet, effective. In a chase that was threatening to get derailed against the Super Kings, Tim turned the tables, first with a pump over the Santner's head for six, followed by three more off four deliveries against Md. Mohsin to bring the required run-rate that was touching 11 to well under 7. 

******

July 28, 2023

Dewald Brevis: 'Baby AB' was the hero for MINY, as his 41-ball 57 propelled us to a match-defining score of 141 in the first innings. Striking at 139, Brevis smashed four fours and three sixes to punish the Washington Freedom bowlers for their early onslaught. 

Tim David: It was a Pollard 2.0 performance from our star all-rounder. A confident 75-run partnership with Brevis, 23 runs off 12 balls, one catch, one run-out; that summarizes Tim's 10/10 performance today. While the 'LLord' was missed in the game, his protege ensured that he is still very much present for the team.

Arjun Tendulkar: Our young all-rounder got off the mark in his first appearance in the 2023 Deodhar Trophy. Early into his spell, Arjun got rid of North Zone opener Anup Ahlawat. His match figures would read seven overs, one wicket, two maidens and 21 runs conceded.

Shams Mulani: Shams was on song against Central Zone, effecting three dismissals - a catch and two wickets. His efforts were not restricted to the ball, as he pitched in a 33-ball 15 that paved the way for West Zone to chase 244 with two balls to spare and a wicket in hand.

Nehal Wadhera: A confident run in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup came to an end for Nehal, as his Trident Stallions team suffered a five-wicket defeat to BLV Blasters. After an off start with the bat, the all-rounder took three catches. But, perhaps, luck wasn't on his side today.

Ramandeep Singh: Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪 is a finalist! While he didn't have a happy outing with the bat, the all-rounder claimed a wicket in his solitary over in the night game. Now, just one game separates him and the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup trophy. 

****** 

July 27, 2023

Nehal Wadhera: Walking in at number three, Nehal Wadhera signaled his intentions immediately with a four off the second ball he faced, following it up with another couple of boundaries in the next over. But in a modest chase of 141, his wicket for a 22-ball 27, sadly took momentum off the Trident Stallions’ innings, as they got stuck in the chase to lose by eight runs.

Rohit Sharma: The captain doing leader things. In an easy chase against the West Indies, the Hitman was more than happy to demote himself down the order to give some of the ODI specialists a hit out there in the middle. What more, he gave the finishing touches, coming in at number seven.

Ishan Kishan: The dhamaka had to come, didn’t it. Carrying on his good work from the Tests, Ishan Kishan, with the opportunity to now open the innings, was in a hurry to dust off the 115-run target. On a tricky Barbados pitch, he smashed a half-century at lesser than a-run-a-ball.

Suryakumar Yadav: A sweet cameo, but left with some unfinished business. SKY came out in T20 mode and wasted no time in getting into the act with Ishan Kishan going strong at the other end. Remember, he was coming off three first ball ducks in his last three ODIs, but safely put that behind him with a couple of early boundaries. He slowed down then, started playing a bit more cautiously, but in a quest to go for one sweep too many against leggie Gudakesh Motie, he missed and was trapped LBW for a 25-ball 19.

****** 

July 25, 2023

Nehal Wadhera: Despite the result, Nehal ensured he made an impact in the game vs Royal Phantoms. With his Trident Stallions bowling first, he bowled three overs and squeezed out two wickets for himself.

Ramandeep Singh: One way or the other, Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪 continues his match-winning quality. After a perhaps off day with the bat (5), the all-rounder did the talking with the ball as he scalped 3/17 in just 12 balls. 

****** 

July 24, 2023

Nehal Wadhera: The southpaw has been enjoying the Sher-e-Punjab to the T, as he notched yet another unbeaten half-century and a win. With a statement knock of 56 in 31 balls, Wadhera safely guided Trident Stallions to a comfortable run-chase that earned them a six-wicket victory.

Shams Mulani: The leggie began his Deodhar Trophy stint with wickets and a win. Donning the West Zone shirt, Shams grabbed 2/37 in his 10-over spell that restricted North East to 207. West, in turn, chased the target in just 25.1 overs.

Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan: Hitman and pocket dynamo were denied the chance to claim a 2-0 series cleansweep as the weather had the last laugh on the final day of the 2nd WI v IND Test.

Here's what RO said at the post-match presentation.

"Every win is different. Playing in WI has its own challenge. Happy with the way things went. We gave it a good shot, unfortunately we couldn't get any play today. We actually went out with a positive intent yesterday. Rain had its final say. We were quite confident. You know how difficult it is batting last. We always wanted that kind of score where we wanted the opposition to go for it. There wasn't much on the surface. No play today, unfortunate for us."

****** 

July 23, 2023

Ishan Kishan: An all-round day of supremacy on the field by our pocket dynamo. First, he assists in two wickets of Mohammed Siraj's five-wicket haul and then concocts a cool 34-ball maiden half-century in the Test whites of India. Not to forget how he reached his fifty in a Rishab Pant-esque way - a one-handed swing of the ball for a six over long-on that was an absolute chef's kiss shot.  

Rohit Sharma: The Hitman continued his intention of making the Windies batters quiver with fear with his 35-ball 50. With five fours and three sixes in his knock, Rohit scripted a record 30th instance of consecutive double-digit scores in Tests. Record-breaker.

Ramandeep Singh: The bar of consistency just keeps getting raised when Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪 takes the field in the Sher-e-Punjab T20. A fantastic display of cricket with the bat and ball as he slammed 39 off 24 balls to ensure Agri Knights post a 140-plus score. Next, he calls the shots with a match-winning spell of 4/29 - including a hat-trick in the 17th over. Magnifico!

Cameron Green: The all-rounder didn't avail an opportunity to add to his run tally on Day 5 of the fourth Ashes Test as the rain gods were in attendance. 

****** 

July 21, 2023

JASPRIT BUMRAH: Oh how badly we've waited to have his news here. He is in the final stage of his rehab and is bowling with full intensity! The BCCI have also confirmed that he would take part in some practice games at the NCA. Start the chanting, Boom, Boom, Boooooomraaahhhh!!!

Ishan Kishan: The first proper Test outing for our pocket dynamo. And it was one where he looked in solid touch. Coming in to bat with a solid foundation laid by India, Ishan Kishan looked to play his natural game to accelerate the scoring, hitting four crisp boundaries in his 37-ball stay for 25 runs. Be assured, it's just the start of something big!  

Cameron Green: The big guy is known for seizing the big moments, and that's precisely what he did on Day 3 of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford. After being rather underbowled through England's first innings, he was called up to blow away the tail, and he did his job to perfection, trapping Jimmy Anderson LBW to end their innings. 

Nehal Wadhera: Another day, another Nehal Wadhera masterclass. He's seriously achieving some unheard of consistency here in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament. 80 runs off just 37 balls with nine fours and four sixes with the bat, and then as if it wasn't enough, 1/30 with the ball. True champion stuff this!

******

July 20, 2023

Rohit Sharma: Ro-Hit Sharma commemorated the 100th Test between West Indies and India in true Hitman style, hitting his 15th career Test fifty. His patient 80 runs in 143 deliveries was infused with nine fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 55.94.

Ramandeep Singh: It seems Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪's cylinders will never get exhausted as he notched yet another half-century in the Sher-e-Punjab T20, with his 74 against RPT. Fifty-plus score and a win in the bag, quite an eventful midweek outing for the all-rounder.

Nehal Wadhera: Captaincy + Half-ton + Victory and a smiling Nehal, what more could we ask for. The southpaw hit a quickfire 66 off 48 balls to set the tone for Trident Stallions' successful chase of 165 against Hampton Falcons.  

Cameron Green: Cam bowled 10 overs, and managed to get rid of a free-scoring Zak Crawley. Some sigh of relief having conceded 40 runs in his spell.

******

July 19, 2023

Ramandeep Singh: A so-close-yet-so-far game for our spirited Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪. With his team struggling at 86/5, the all-rounder slammed a quick-fire 63 off 28 balls which included five consecutive maximums against BLV Blasters' Krishan Alang in the 14th over.

Cameron Green: A short stay out in the middle, smashing a solitary boundary during his 29-ball 16. His contribution was vital in 65-run stand for the sixth wicket.

******

July 18, 2023

Ramandeep Singh: A happy day in the office for Raman 𝘱𝘢𝘢𝘫𝘪. With 1/19 in two overs with the ball and then a match-winning 46 not out in 29 balls against Trident Stallions, Ramandeep Singh is certainly enjoying his time in the Sher-e-Punjab trophy. This confidence. This hunger to win. This! is what we want to see more.

Nehal Wadhera: Facing his MI team-mate, Nehal could only muster a modest return with the bat and ball against Agri Kings Knights. A nine-ball 19 and 0/19, the southpaw couldn't carry the momentum he set in his previous outing against RPT. 

******

July 17, 2023

Nehal Wadhera: The southpaw *finally* brought his 'impact player' persona into the Sher-e-Punjab trophy. 44 in 30 balls with the bat to set the tone for Trident Stallions' score of 199 in 20 overs against RPT. Later, he would combine with bowler Harshdeep Singh to dismiss Taranveer Singh (29) and Raman Arora (8) to see off Stallions' first win of the tournament. 

Tim David: David tried to get MI New York over the line, but fell short after his mistimed shot fell straight to TSK's Faf du Plessis at long-on. Hitting a 19-ball 24 that included one boundary four and a six, the MI star was dismissed in the final over that eventually led to a 17-run defeat for us.

******

July 16, 2023 

Shams Mulani: In an West Zone that was quickly going downhill, Shams Mulani tried to stick it out in the middle with a 28-ball defensive stay, but alas, V Koushik's four-wicket burst that saw South Zone lift the title, consumed our man as well. 

Ramandeep Singh: A day of modest returns for Raman paaji after his heroics the previous night. A-run-a-ball 12 with the bat, and then 3/34 with the ball, getting the dangerous-looking opener Raman Arora. Alas, he couldn't get the Agri Kings Knights over the line this time around in the Sher-e-Punjab trophy. 

******

July 15, 2023

Suryakumar Yadav: Not something the sky-high-standards of our SKY would want to remember here. Chasing a tough target of 298 for the Duleep Trophy title, Surya was a part of West Zone's mini-collapse, getting trapped LBW off the bowling of V Koushik for a 3-ball 4. 

Shams Mulani: He kept it tight in the morning spell, giving away with just 11 runs in his five overs to prevent the South Zone tail from bagging some vital runs. 

Chris Jordan: Despite a fairly economical spell of 4-0-26-1 and a 14-ball 16 with the bat, Chris Jordan couldn't quite ensure a victory for Surrey, who were kind of undercooked in their batting response, chasing a pretty modest total. 

Nehal Wadhera: A short stay out in the middle, smashing a boundary and soon getting out in the Punjab T20 game. A so-so bowling spell too, conceding 19 runs in 1.2 overs. Yep, not the usual Nehal days we've gotten used to seeing. 

Ramandeep Singh: There are assaults, and then there is this! There are complete games, and then there is this! That's the thing with all-rounders, they have such complete days, and our Raman paaji had one such - 70 off 29 with the bat including 7 fours and 4 sixes against HMF, to them top it up with a spell of 2/17 to seal the game. 

******

July 14, 2023

Tilak Varma: It was a day of mixed emotions for our talented left-hander. On the field, TV mustered just three runs in five balls. Off the field, the southpaw learnt that he will join the Indian men's cricket team for the Asian Games in September.

Shams Mulani: The spinner didn't have a confident day with the ball, as he gave away 22 runs in his five overs without a wicket in the bag. 

Ishan Kishan: Our Pocket Dynamo made his batting debut in the traditional whites of the gentleman's game. He faced 20 balls and managed to get off the mark with his first Test run for India before skipper Ro-Hit Sharma declared the first innings for the visitors.

Nehal Wadhera: The left-hander got his Sher E Punjab T20 Cup campaign underway, albeit on the losing side. Wadhera registered 19 runs in 11 balls which included a delicious six straight towards long on.

******

July 13, 2023

Rohit Sharma: Captain Fantastic. 10 years after hitting a Test hundred against the Windies in 2013, Ro-Hit Sharma went excutioner mode once again with his 10th Test ton and third against WI. His knock, packaged with 10 exquisite fours and two maximums, saw the Indian skipper cross 3,500 runs in Test cricket and stitched the highest opening stand in a WIvIND Test.

Ramandeep Singh: The Agri King's Knights star gave an early exhibition of his match-winning abilities. Operating with a strike rate of 155.9, Ramandeep hit the accelerator and smacked four fours and four sixes in his 34-ball 53. With the ball? 1/23, with the wicket of SPS' skipper Sanvir Singh.

Shams Mulani: Having grabbed a wicket on Day 1, our homegrown spinner proved to be the most effective West Zone bowler with 3/29. Besides plucking out Hanuma Vihari (63), Shams also claimed the wickets of Sachin Baby (7) and V Vyshak (13).

Suryakumar Yadav: It wasn't Aapla Dada Surya's day today, as his time at the crease lasted only six deliveries and eight runs on the board. However, knowing his capabilities, the Paltan can expect SKY to return to his best in the second innings.

******

July 12, 2023

Ishan Kishan: Years, months and days after, our Pocket Dynamo can finally say he plays Test cricket for India. The Jharkhand star, who earned his maiden Test call-up in January this year, was handed the Test cap #307. His first act on the field saw him register two caught dismissals in the first innings.

Rohit Sharma: It seems to be going as per plan for our Hitman. With India bowling first, Rohit turned the contest in India's favour early on by deploying Ravichandran Ashwin (5/60) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) at key stages in the first innings. After contributing with a caught dismissal of Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, Ro-Hit Sharma ended Day 1 with 30 runs on the board.

Tilak Varma: Following an early setback for South Zone, TV came, saw, smacked a few balls across the periphery of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and then departed for 40. His effort helped SOZ recover from 15/1 in 6.5 overs to 121/2 in 38 overs.

Sandeep Warrier: Heartbreak for our Warrior. The Nellai Royal Kings star was the best bowler of the night for his team with 2/39 in his four overs, but NRK couldn't brush past the pressure put by Lyca Kovai Kings. 

******

July 10, 2023

Sandeep Warrier: Wickets and Win are guaranteed when Warrier steps on the field, and it was proven once again in the Qualifier 2 match between Dindigul Dragons and Nellai Royal Kings. In his four overs, the 32-year-old claimed a wicket while maintaining an economy of 8.50. Thereafter, he would witness team-mates Rithik Easwaran and Ajitesh Guruswamy combine to strike 6,6,6,1,6,N1,6 in the final overs to power NRK into the TNPL 2023 finals.

******

July 8, 2023

Tilak Varma: In a thriller in Bengaluru where the rain was playing hide-and-seek and threatening to derail the game, South Zone's batters played their version of Bazball, smacking everything and going hard after the target to finish the game late in the final session with just two wickets to spare. Our man, TV, did his bit perfectly, with a 19-ball 25 comprising of two sixes. 

******

July 7, 2023

Chris Jordan: He's made a habit of these complete do-it-all shows. Let's start with the batting: 12*(7) to close out the innings. The bowling: 2/28, doing the death overs duties to seal the game for Surrey against a star-studded Lancashire side that included the likes of Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Daryl Mitchell and Liam Livingstone. 

******

July 6, 2023

Tilak Varma: The young southpaw carried South Zone out of troubled waters with his composed 46 in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy semis against North Zone. With his team stranded at 35/4, he and Mayank Agarwal (76) set the tone for South Zone to a score of 195. 

Suryakumar Yadav: As a means of celebrating his vice-captaincy selection, Aapla Dada Surya made the Central Zone bowlers dance to his tunes with a 58-ball 52. His effort elevated West Zone from 40/2 to 135/3, until his side would end the day at 149/3.

******

July 5, 2023

Tilak Varma: While he began his day unbeaten in the Duleep Trophy semi-finals, our young southpaw would end it knowing he has earned his maiden call-up to the Indian senior team for the T20I series in the Caribbean Islands. Truly well deserved!

Suryakumar Yadav: Aapla Dada Surya had a disappointing outing with the bat (seven runs) in the first innings of West Zone vs Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy. However, all was not doom as he would be named as the vice-captain for the WI v IND T20I series later this month. This counts as a reward of his spectacular performances in 2022.

Ishan Kishan: For a player known to give India and Mumbai Indians strong headstarts in T20 games, it was inevitable for our pocket dynamo's selection by new chief selector Ajit Agarkar. The 24-year-old will enter the series with a renewed spirit of scoring runs for fun and hunger to win.

Sandeep Warrier: Doing what he does best, he bowled four miserly overs that yielded a wicket for 18 runs against Ba11sy Trichy in Nellai Royal Kings' final league game of TNPL 2023. He would end the day on the winning team, with NRK chasing 130 in a rain-hit fixture.

******

July 2, 2023 

Chris Jordan: A proper, certified thriller. Our death-overs wizard had another one of his miserly days. With 14 runs to defend in two overs, Chris Jordan produced the perfect 19th over, giving away just six runs which had two dots, creating a run-out and finishing his spell with figures of 1/23 in a high-scoring encounter. 

Cameron Green: It may have come under controversial circumstances, but Cameron Green had what was probably the death knell in this second Ashes Test. Jonny Bairstow, looking and reputationally dangerous, stepped out of his crease after blocking the ball to speak to the non-striker, and the keeper knocked the bails off because the batter didn't signal it to the slips or the umpire. Hmmm. Nevertheless, a massive moment, and as usual, our man's right in the middle of all the action! 

******

July 1, 2023 

Cameron Green: A dogged, determined outing with the bat in the second innings to follow up his first innings duck. In tough batting conditions at Lord's, Cameron Green strung up a solid stand with Alex Carey to help the Aussies stretch their lead. 18 runs | 67 balls | 3 fours. 

Sandeep Warrier: He got just the two overs to bowl for the Nellai Royal Kings in the TNPL game at Tirunelveli and had a so-so day with figures of 0/19 in them. For the record, Dindigul Dragons nailed the 160-run chase easily. 

******

June 30, 2023

Chris Jordan: Our man's in the zone. It might have been in a lost cause as Surrey were up against a mountain of 209 that Somerset had piled up, but skipper Chris Jordan sent chills down their spine with a 11-ball blitz of 23. 

Cameron Green: Another day, another belter of a catch! It's just getting too normal. At gully, Cameron Green continues doing what he's been doing all along - sticking his hand out and getting edges to stick. And it was the big fish this time around. Stokes c Green b Starc 17(58). 

******

June 29, 2023

Cameron Green: And... the signal is back to Green again for Cam. Bowling the 39th over, our Aussie star bowled an 88mph-bouncer that invited Ollie Pope to lift it over deep backward square; but it fell a little short into the hands of Steve Smith.

******

June 28, 2023

Cameron Green: Australia ended Day 1 of the second Ashes Test with 339/5 on the board. It was all smiles in the Aussie camp, except for our Aussie star Cam Green (0). Although he failed to get runs on the scoreboard, you can expect him to bounce back with the ball over the course of Day 2's play.

******

June 27, 2023

Rohit Sharma: In exactly 100 days, the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup will be in operation. Led by Hitman, India's quest for a third CWC crown will get underway against the mighty Australia. 12 years ago, we hosted the mega event and.... won it. Will be repeat the feat once again?

Well, here's what our skipper had to say:

"This World Cup is going to be very competitive as the game has become faster and teams are playing more positively than ever before. All this augurs well for fans worldwide, promising them many thrilling moments. We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November.”

******

June 26, 2023

Akash Madhwal: Three overs, one maiden, 18 runs. This impressive tight spell from Akash Madhwal was perhaps the icing on the cake, as his Ninjas team successfully defended 158 runs against Haridwar Heroes.

******

June 24, 2023

Sandeep Warrier: Our warrior finally earned his first wicket of his TNPL 2023 season with the dismissal of Chepauk Super Gillies' Pradosh Ranjan Paul (2). His early breakthrough set the tone for Nellai Royal Kings to restrict CSG to 159 in 20 overs, and thereafter chase it, with seven balls remaining.

******

June 23, 2023

Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan: Putting the WTC 23 final heartbreak behind, India will begin the new cycle with a two-Test series against West Indies from July 12. While Hitman and 'Pocket Dynamo' Ishan feature in the Test squad, Aapla Dada Surya will join the Indian side for the three-match ODI series from July 27 to August 1.

Akash Madhwal: With 1/23 in his four overs with an economy of 5.75, Akash was the most economical Nainital Ninjas bowler in the 43-run defeat to Dehradun Dabangs.

******

June 22, 2023

Chris Jordan: Jordan's purple patch as a bowler continued, despite his Surrey team's loss against Middlesex. The English seamer claimed the wickets of free-scoring batters Stephen Eskinazi (73 in 29 balls) and Ryan Higgins (48 in 24 balls) however it wasn't enough to thwart MIDDX's run chase of 253. Earlier, Jordan's unbeaten 16 helped Surrey post 252 in 20 overs.

Nehal Wadhera: Our flamboyant southpaw saw his status change from stand-by to a member of the main North Zone squad after it was announced Nehal would replace the injured Mandeep Singh.

Akash Madhwal: Akash made his mark as captain of the Nainital Ninjas in the 2023 Uttarakhand Premier League. He claimed 1/28 in his four-over spell while maintaining an economy of 7.00. His team managed to chase a target of 165 with four wickets in hand.

Sandeep Warrier: Sandeep may have bowled just two overs in Nellai Royal Kings's five-wicket win over Salem Spartans, but they were quite stingy. Two overs, nine runs. His bowling lengths were impressive enough to frustrate the Spartans as they were only able to post 115/4 in a rain-hit fixture.

Tristan Stubbs: After his emphatic century in the first innings, Stubbs was kept silent by the Lanka bowlers as he managed just 12 runs in South Africa's chase of 324. In the end, however, he could breathe a sigh of relief as the fixture ended in a draw.

******

June 21, 2023 

Tristan Stubbs: Stubbs' dismissal of Nishan Madushka reduced the hosts to 73/2, but thereonwards, the former was at the receiving end as Sri Lanka would end Day 3 at 230/2. 

******

June 20, 2023

Chris Jordan: Captain Jordan tapped into the 'red-hot mode' in Surrey's Vitality T20 Blast encounter against Glamorgan. With GLAM chasing 239, the Englishman ripped into the opposition's batting order grabbing four wickets for just 21 runs. For three of his dismissals, Jordan combined with keeper Josh Blake as the former engineered an 81-run victory.

Cameron Green: With AUS needing 138 runs to put the ghosts of the 2005 Egbaston Test to rest, Cam Green played a vital cameo of 28 runs and forged a 49-run partnership with Usman Khawaja to get the Aussies within 90 runs of a memorable victory. A crucial effort at a crucial moment from a crucial man. 

Tristan Stubbs: Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Stubbs entered at a stage when South Africa 'A' were 15/2, and went on a riot with his 181-ball 117. Smacking 15 boundaries and a six at a run rate of 64.64, the 22-year-old ensured there was no stopping to his rich vein of form on the tour as he got the visitors to 224/4. His innings was brought to a halt when Vishwa Fernando dismissed him for an LBW.

******

June 19, 2023

Tristan Stubbs: With Sri Lanka ‘A’ batting first, onlookers would see Stubbs bowl two overs where he gave away just nine runs as the hosts went to stumps with a score of 257/7 on Day 1.

******

June 18, 2023

Cameron Green: Looks like Cam Green might walk away with the ‘Test fielder Of The Year’ award. Reprising his now-famous dismissal of Shubman Gill in the recent WTC Final against India, Green - fielding at gully- dived onto his left to catch a Pat Cummins delivery that took a thick edge off Ben Duckett’s bat. The catch dismissal stayed after reviews showed that Green’s fingers were wrapped all around the ball before it touched the turf. With the ball, he bowled twice between overs 17-20 and conceded 12 runs.

******

June 17, 2023

Cameron Green: While Usman Khawaja was rickrolling the English bowlers, Green was happy to play a support role. Smacking 38 runs in the 68 deliveries he faced, our Aussie star played an important part in the 72-run partnership for the fifth wicket alongside Khawaja. His cameo helped AUS jump from 148/4 to 220/5 at the time of his dismissal. How did he get bowled? Well, Moeen Ali bowled a delivery that spun its way to gatecrash Green’s off-stump.

******

June 16, 2023

Chris Jordan: Playing the ‘lead by an example’ role to the T, Jordan was among the top performers in Surrey’s triumph over Somerset. With his team put to bat first, he carried the team to a total of 195/9 with a 12-ball unbeaten 36. Then, after swapping the bat with ball, Jordan would claim the wickets of Ben Green (18) and Roelof van der Merwe (3) in his four overs.

Sandeep Warrier: Two wins in two games when Warrier took the field. Despite being wicketless in his four spell, the Nellai Royal Kings representative maintained an economy rate of 8.25 as his team confined Lyca Kovai Kings to 181/6 in 20 overs.

Cameron Green: While England had a dominant day with the bat on the first day of the 2023 Ashes, Cam Green made sure he left a mark of his own. Bowling six overs in the first innings, he gave away 32 runs but managed to take a bite for himself, i.e., the wicket of Stuart Broad (16) in the 71st over.

******

June 14, 2023

Sandeep Warrier: Our ‘warrior’ took the field as one of the main bowlers for Nellai Royal Kings against Siechem Madurai Panthers in the 2023 Tamil Nadu Premier League. Known for bowling knuckle balls and off-cutters for fun, Sandeep bowled two cagey overs that saw him only concede five runs in the Kings’ six-wicket triumph.

Arjun Tendulkar: On the back of a debut season in the Tata IPL and his first-class exploits for Goa, Arjun was among the 20 players the BCCI summoned for a 20-day camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. With the camp aimed at developing multi-skilled players across formats, our young all-rounder is poised to develop and push beyond his current limits.

Kieron Pollard, Dewald Brevis, Tim David, Jason Behrendorff: 'Llord' Pollard, our batting coach in the IPL, was given the responsibility to lead our new sister team MI New York. This will see him return to the cricket pitch donning the famous 'Blue and Gold' once again, months after representing and captaining MI Emirates all the way to the Eliminator of the 2023 ILT20. He will be joined by Dewald Brevis, Tim David, Jason Behrendorff - our Class of 2023 members.

******

June 12, 2023

Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs: Both our South African young guns featured in the first unofficial Test against Sri Lanka ‘A’. Brevis, for starters, played knocks of 16 and 20 while taking on the likes of Lakshitha Manasinghe (7/55) and Dilshan Madushanka (4/65). On the bowling front, he would bowl seven overs and leak 31 runs. As for Stubbs, the 22-year-old claimed a wicket for 49 runs in his 11 overs. With the bat, he was dismissed for 0 and he couldn’t bat in the second innings as he was absent hurt.

******

June 11, 2023

Cameron Green: On the final lap of the 2021-23 WTC Final, Green bowled five overs, keeping his lengths tight and conceding just 13 runs. At the end, he would collect the winner’s medal as Australia became the first team in history to win all ICC trophies.

******

June 10, 2023

Cameron Green: Green made himself a talking point this day. His patient 25 allowed Australia to cross 150 and maintain their lead in an upward trajectory. After hitting four boundaries, his innings was cut short by an unusual dismissal. While aiming to defend Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery, the all-rounder saw the ball hit his glove and roll back into the stumps. Green would take that mild frustration seriously as he put on a dash of brilliance to take the catch of Shubman Gill (18). Despite the cloud of controversy surrounding it, Cam breathed a sigh of relief as the third umpire gave it an all-clear sign.

Rohit Sharma: Ro-hit showed some flashes of his true self with a confident 43 off 60 balls, that was laced with seven fours and one six. But, one misjudged attempt to sweep Nathan Lyon’s delivery backfired as he would be dismissed LBW. A call for referral also went against Hitman.

******

June 9, 2023

Cameron Green: The Aussie all-rounder had a delightful Day 3 at the 2021-23 WTC Final. First, Green took a massive leap of faith while fielding at gully to dismiss an in-form Ajinkya Rahane (89). Later, he tricked Shardul Thakur (51) to attempt a drive shot with his outswinger delivery, only for it to take a faint edge towards keeper Alex Carey.

Chris Jordan: Jordan’s workload on the field against his former team Sussex was surprisingly very light. We are not joking here. The right-arm England seamer bowled just the fifth over, conceding 11 runs and claimed a caught dismissal of Nathan McAndrew (7) for Sunil Narine. With his batters and bowlers doing much of the work, Jordan returned from the County Ground in Hove with a big smile and a 124-run victory in the bag.

******

June 8, 2023

Rohit Sharma: A tough outing for skipper RO. He won the toss, chose to bowl, but the Indian pacers just couldn’t keep the Aussie batters in check. When he walked out to bat, he struck two crisp boundaries, but our Hitman couldn’t capitalise on his 26-ball 15 as Australia skipper Pat Cummins pitched a full delivery that angled inwards and hit the front of Rohit Sharma’s pads.

Cameron Green: Under the Baggy Green, Cam Green managed to transfigure his MI form onto the international stage with the ball. His full-length delivery was inclined straight into Cheteshwar Pujara’s off stump, with the latter misjudging the delivering and letting the ball clip the top-of-off.

Tristan Stubbs: Say hello to the top-scorer for South Africa ‘A’ in the List A games and the man who helped the Proteas clinch the three-match series 2-1. Adding onto his last half-century, Stubbs slammed an unbeaten 58 to engineer SA ‘A’ to chase 173 in 35.5 overs. That was not all, though, as he stepped forward to bowl two overs in the first innings and scalped a wicket for just five runs. He’s in some form, Paltan!

******

June 7, 2023

Chris Jordan: Two wickets and a win! His Surrey team batted confidently to a match-winning score of 236/2 in 20 overs. As captain, he made his presence felt with the wickets of Sam Northeast (76) and Callum Taylor (4). With his 2/26, Jordan led Surrey to restrict Glamorgan to 171/8 and walked away happily with a 65-run victory.

Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav: The Ultimate Test, the WTC is here! Ro-hit Sharma would lead a team that was brimming with experience and talent; one that was confident to end a 10-year wait for an ICC trophy. While Hitman started in his playing XI, he would use 'Pocket Dynamo' Ishan and Aapla Dada Surya as substitute fielders over the course of the five-day event. 

******

June 6, 2023

Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs: While Brevis had an off day with the bat (2) and ball (0/49) in the second ODI between South Africa ‘A’ against Sri Lanka ‘A’, Tristan Stubbs (59) played a positive cameo with the bat. His 111-run partnership with Gerald Coetzee propelled the Proteas to 175 in the first innings. Alas, the effort wasn’t quite enough, as the Lankan Lions chased the target in just 29 overs.

******

June 4, 2023

Chris Jordan: A bitter-sweet outing for the English seamer, who didn’t have the best of outings with the ball (0/39) in the Surrey vs Kent fixture in the Vitality T20 Blast but ended on the winning team, as Surrey claimed a five-wicket win.

Dewald Brevis: The 20-year-old sensation, Dewald Brevis showed a glimpse of his enormous talent with an unbeaten 98 for South Africa ‘A’ against Sri Lanka ‘A’. Stepping in when his team was at 104/5 in 19.2 overs, Brevis slammed six fours and seven sixes to champion the Proteas’ chase of 265. Besides his standalone effort with the bat, he stitched meaningful partnerships with Sinethemba Qeshile (51 runs, sixth wicket) and Beyers Swanepoel (113*, seventh wicket). Did you know he can bowl? Now you know! As he claimed a wicket for 40 runs in his six overs with his wily leg-breaks.

******

June 2, 2023

Chris Jordan: Gloucestershire were the opponents, Bristol was the venue, and our man, played the role of a rescuer. It wasn’t the best day for visitors Surrey, and Chris Jordan, in fact, lent the batting effort some respectability, walking into bat at number eight in the 12th over itself. He ensured his team didn’t get bowled out with a 26-ball 24. He did provide an early breakthrough with the ball and was pretty economical in his spell, giving away just 19 runs in 3.1 overs, but alas, the target of 128 was a little too little to defend.

******

May 31, 2023

Chris Jordan: The first Mumbai Indians player to take the field during the MI off-season. The experienced pacer and Surrey captain - who took 17 wickets in 14 matches in the previous season - began his 2023 Vitality T20 Blast campaign with a slightly expensive spell (0/34). It wasn’t all that bad a day after all though, as his team would defeat Hampshire by six wickets.