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Injured Rohit, Jadeja working in NCA to regain fitness

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 India’s white-ball captain Rohit Sharma and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who have been ruled out of the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa due to injuries, are working at National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to regain their full fitness.

The 25-member India U-19 squad is having a preparatory camp at the NCA ahead of the upcoming ACC U19 Asia Cup, scheduled to be played in the UAE from December 23. And, Delhi’s Yash Dhull who is also a part of the camp and will lead India U-19 team in ACC U19 Asia Cup has shared pictures with both Rohit and Jadeja.

The duo’s absence in Tests against the Proteas means that India will be tested on the opening front as well as in their lower-order batting and five bowlers’ combination.

The 34-year old Rohit was named as India’s full-time ODI and T20I captain by the Selection Committee on December 8 while revealing the squad for the Test series in South Africa. He was also elevated as the vice-captain in the longest format.

However, the star batter sustained a left hamstring injury during his training session in Mumbai and was ruled out of the Test series.

Priyank Panchal has replaced Sharma in the Test squad, which has reached South Africa for the series starting December 26.

On the other hand, Jadeja had suffered a right forearm injury during the first Test match in Kanpur. After undergoing scans, he was diagnosed with a swelling on his forearm.

The all-rounder was advised rest and he was ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand in Mumbai and the South Africa series as well.

During his much-talked pre-departure virtual press conference on Wednesday, India Test skipper Virat Kohli admitted that his side will miss the services of the experienced duo in the red-ball series against South Africa.

“We will miss his (Sharma) abilities a lot. He has proven in England already that he has really worked his Test game out and the opening partnership was very important for us to play the way we did in the series. With his experience and skill, we will miss his qualities,” said Kohli.

“But having said that, I think it’s an opportunity for someone like Mayank (Agarwal) and KL (Rahul) to step up and solidify that start that we got in the last series and make sure that the good work is carried on in this series as well,” he added.

Coming to Jadeja, Kohli believes that the all-rounder makes valuable contributions in all three departments of the game but his absence will not be a ‘deciding factor’ in the series.

“Jadeja has obviously been a very, very important player for us. He contributes in all three departments of the game, which is invaluable especially in overseas conditions. He will be missed,” Kohli said.

“But having said that, we do have quality in the side to be able to create the best combination possible on the field for us and still be in positions to win Test matches because we have created that kind of bench strength and environment where people coming in are seizing their opportunity and making sure the team is helped by their performances.

“As much as we will miss him, I don’t think that will be a deciding factor in the series or moving forward. He is injured and I wish him a speedy recovery and that he comes back soon,” he added.

India will play three Tests and as many ODIs from December 26 to January 23 in South Africa.

International

CT 2025: India to take on Pakistan on Feb 23, likely to play in Colombo or Dubai: Sources

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New Delhi, Dec 19: The much-awaited clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played on February 23 with Colombo and Dubai front-runners to play host for India’s matches in the tournament being played in hybrid format. The development comes after the ICC Board said that “India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue.”

“India will take on Pakistan at a neutral venue on February 23, 2025. ICC looking at Colombo and Dubai to host their matches.”

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to be played in February and March 2025. Meanwhile, ICC said the schedule for the marquee tournament will be confirmed in the coming days.

Pakistan are the defending champions of the tournament, having defeated India by 180 runs in the final at The Oval in 2017. Both teams last played against each other in the T20 World Cup in New York earlier this year which India won by six runs and went on to claim their second silverware in the format.

Due to the strained political relations between the two neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan only play each other in international events including World Cups and Asia Cup. The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13 when the latter toured India for the five-match white-ball series.

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It’s OFFICIAL! All India vs Pakistan Matches At ICC Events To Be Played At Neutral Venue Till 2027

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India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC Board confirmed on Thursday, 19 December. The schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be confirmed soon, with Pakistan aiming to defend the title they won in 2017.

The eight-team event will feature Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, and South Africa, alongside hosts Pakistan.

This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan), set to be played in February and March 2025, as well as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka).

It was also announced that the PCB has been awarded hosting rights of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will also apply. Cricket Australia is set to host one of the senior ICC women’s events during the period 2029 to 2031.

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‘Our dream is getting fulfilled’: Coach Sumit Bhatia elated to see Kho Kho going global

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New Delhi, Dec 16: Coach Sumit Bhatia is all pumped up for the first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup scheduled to take place from January 13-19, 2025. Bhatia, who holds a distinct record of being the only head coach to have won the Asian Championship twice, believes that this historical step is an indication of the realisation of the dream to take the sport to the international level and help it gain global recognition.

Having been honoured with the best coach award by the Delhi government, Bhatia has been a part of various Indian teams’ success, including the 2016 and 2023 Asian Kho Kho Championship victories, and has trained players like Nasreen Shaikh and Sarika Sudhakar Kale. Both of them have been Arjuna Awardees.

Nasreen, who is also a part of the World Cup camp, is the only player who has played in two Asian Championships and won the gold. The coach-student duo is now gearing up for the global event.

Sharing how the journey of Kho Kho World Cup’s inception, the coach said, “We organised an international camp here before COVID happened, in 2020. Coaches and players from 16 countries came here and we gave them training. Now they will be coming here for the World Cup but this campaign started in that camp”.

He further said, “Around 30-35 countries were willing to play the tournament but we picked the best 20 teams for both men and women. Some countries have single teams while some have double teams but a total of 24 countries will be participating in the tournament. It was our dream to take Kho Kho to the international level and now we can see that our dream is getting fulfilled.”

He also lauded the launch of the Ultimate Kho Kho League and shared how the franchise-based model has helped the players and coaches gain recognition, while also bringing forward grassroot talent.

“When the Ultimate Kho Kho league started, I also joined Telegu Yodhas as their head coach and we also played the final. Players have gotten exposure through the league and it’s not just financial. Earlier we used to hesitate while admitting being a Kho Kho coach but today our players introduce us as their coach,” said Bhatia.

He added, “The league got so much coverage that wherever we go, the players are approached for autographs. So the platform of the league started a new world for both coaches and players and now not just India but the entire world knows us. Earlier we used to tell people about our game but now they know what is Kho Kho and Ultimate Kho Kho league and are also waiting for the third season.”

Bhatia also discussed the impact of sports science on Kho Kho and lauded the newly introduced technology and said, “We have benefitted a lot from it. Sometimes we don’t understand why a player is not performing well. But with the introduction of sports science, we now know about the details of the problem.

“For example, a player might be facing issues with his left leg while sitting and so, it gives us an opportunity to work on that weakness… Sports science has helped us in identifying the accuracy and weakness of a player. So it’s very beneficial for us.”

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