All the speculation regarding the possible return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to India's T20I squad was put to rest on January 7 when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the senior men's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. Rohit was named the captain of the team while Virat was also included in the squad. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's superstar all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan found himself gripped in controversy after a video of him slapping a fan went viral on social media.
Let's have a look at top 10 trending sports news on January 8's sports roundup:
Rohit, Virat return to T20Is ahead of World Cup
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently unveiled a 16-player roster for India's upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were both named in the 16-member squad. Notably, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are making a return to India's T20I squad after a hiatus of 14 months, marking a significant moment for the team as they prepare for the series.
India’s T20I squad for Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
'Hitman' to lead India against Afghanistan
Rohit Sharma, who last led India in the shortest format of the sport in 2022, will once again lead the Men in Blue in T20Is against Afghanistan. Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, who were the stand-in captains in Rohit's absence, have been ruled out of the Afghanistan series.
Big names missing from India's squad for Afghanistan series
Veteran Indian cricketers like Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were not named in the squad for Afghanistan T20Is. Fans have been speculating whether this is the end of the road for Jadeja and Rahul in T20Is.
Bumrah, Siraj rested
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom performed superbly in the Cape Town Test against South Africa, have been rested from the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. The duo will return for the high-octane Test series against England.
Shami likely to miss 2 Tests against England
Veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who has been sidelined from the sport since the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup, is expected to be absent from cricket for an extended period. As per a report in The Indian Express, the 33-year-old fast bowler, currently recovering from an ankle injury, hasn't yet returned to bowling. The report also states that Shami must demonstrate his fitness at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to be considered for selection in India's national cricket team again.
Suryakumar Yadav to miss 2-3 months
The world's top T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav has been the focus of recent news due to health issues. After leading India's T20I team in South Africa, Yadav is now dealing with an ankle injury. This setback sidelines him for the forthcoming T20 series against Afghanistan. Additionally, Yadav is scheduled for hernia surgery in Germany, which is set to affect his participation in the domestic cricket season and the initial games of the IPL.
Australia women level series against India
In her milestone 300th T20I match, Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry played a pivotal role in securing victory for her team. Perry's unbeaten knock of 34 runs off just 21 balls was instrumental in Australia leveling the three-T20I series against their opponents at 1-1. Under the captaincy of Alyssa Healy, Australia clinched the match with a comfortable margin of six wickets and an entire over to spare.
Shakib Al Hasan loses his cool again!
Bangladesh's celebrated all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is currently facing controversy following the emergence of a video on social media that appears to show him slapping a fan. Although the exact timing of the video is unclear, it is thought to have been recorded while Shakib was visiting a booth, as he was involved in campaigning for a parliamentary seat at the time.
Liverpool gun down Gunners at Anfield
In the 2023/24 FA Cup third round, Liverpool emerged victorious with a 2-0 win against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, resulting in Arsenal's elimination from the competition.
Haryana Steelers, Puneri Paltan register contrasting win in PKL
Haryana Steelers displayed a remarkable defensive performance, securing a 41-35 victory over the Bengal Warriors. The Steelers' defensive trio, Mohit Nandal, Jaideep Dahiya, and Mohit, played a pivotal role by accumulating 12 tackle points, which ultimately made a significant difference in the match. Puneri Paltan narrowly defeated Tamil Thalaivas with a 29-26 victory on Sunday. The stars of the match for Puneri Paltan were Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, who contributed 5 tackle points and 3 raid points, and Gaurav Khatri with 6 tackle points. Tamil Thalaivas' standout player was their captain Sagar, who earned 7 tackle points.
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