International
IPL 2022: It’s a wise decision, MS Dhoni will have time to groom Jadeja, says S Badrinath on CSK captaincy change

Former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath feels MS Dhoni has taken a wise decision to hand over the leadership of Chennai Super Kings to Ravindra Jadeja as the charismatic skipper will still be playing and will have time to groom the all-rounder for the captaincy role and help him in taking on-field decisions.
Ahead of the start of the IPL 2022, the 40 year old Dhoni on Thursday decided to hand over the captaincy of CSK to Jadeja. The star all-rounder, who has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2012, will only be the third player to lead the Chennai-based franchise after Dhoni and Suresh Raina.
Dhoni, under whom the CSK has registered a record 121 wins in 204 matches in the IPL, will continue to represent the franchise this season and beyond.
The 41-year old Badrinath, who played under the captaincy of Dhoni at CSK, feels that the captaincy progression is a logical decision considering Mahi is no longer at the peak of his career.
“There is definitely some planning in what MS Dhoni does and he would’ve certainly thought about it for the last year or so. The announcement has come now but it probably was in the pipeline. Jadeja is a senior player now and playing in all three formats for India. I am sure he will do well and Dhoni is also there on the field so that will be a great backbone for Jaddu,” Badrinath told IANS at the sidelines of the National Poker Series.
The cricketer-turned commentator is spending some quality time while playing poker in Goa before he joins the host broadcaster for IPL 2022.
The stylish batter also spoke about the natural progression of cricketers and how Dhoni can groom Jadeja in the upcoming IPL season and help him in taking decisions.
“It’s a natural progression, every cricketer has to go through this and we all know MS Dhoni is not at the peak of his career. So it was going to happen at some point or another. Perhaps, it’s his last season.. we don’t know so we have to look for a captain,” he said.
“It’s better when MS is there and he can groom a captain rather than when he is not there and Jadeja is left on the field all alone. It’s a wise decision when MS is already on the field and he can help Jadeja,” he added.
Dhoni, who was the most expensive buy at the inaugural IPL auction held in February 2008, has been the skipper of CSK right through all the IPL seasons the franchise has participated. Under his leadership, CSK won the IPL trophy on four occasions – 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021. Moreover, CSK also ended up as the runners-up on five occasions – 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019.
And for Badrinath, Dhoni as a skipper CSK has left a big legacy and he believes that the legendary cricketer will continue to serve the four time champions and have big influence either as a player or the mentor.
“Dhoni’s legacy is definitely big for CSK. He has led them to four titles, been also one of the big influences for the franchise and it will continue.I am sure he will be involved with the CSK, maybe as a player, maybe as a mentor for many more years,” the former CSK cricketer said.
The Tamil Nadu cricketer is also highly impressed with Jadeja’s progress as a batter, adding that the all-rounder will now become a 4D cricketer.
”Jadeja has always been a good bowler and batter but his batting in the last two years has improved tremendously. His impactful batting makes him a proper three dimensional player. Now, there will be a fourth dimension as well as captaincy is also there,” he said.
“The only thing is he has never led any team even at first class cricket. So, that is the only thing.. that needs to be looked at but as far as his value to the team is concerned we all know how good he is. However, he already has the workload and it will increase now as he has to field in the hotspot, he has to bat and bowl and there is captaincy also. So, we will have to wait and watch how he does it,” he added.
Badrinath also believes that Jadeja’s finishing ability will be crucial for CSK’s success in IPL 2022.
“He plays the role of a finisher at No 6. So, perhaps, he is more wanting as a batter and I don’t think he is going to bowl four overs in every match but his finishing ability will be crucial for the team,” he said.
The 15th season of IPL will start on March 26 at the Wankhede stadium with a clash between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders.
International
Champions Trophy: Pakistan’s dismal show likely to be discussed in cabinet and parliament

Islamabad, Feb 27: The Pakistan cricket team’s depressing, dismal, and cheerless performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, resulting in its early exit from the tournament, has not only broken the hearts of home fans but also knocked on the doors of the country’s Prime Minister.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has personally taken notice of the team’s early departure and the below-par performance and is likely to take up the issues related to the cricket team in the cabinet and the parliament. Pakistan’s final Group A fixture against Bangladesh was washed out in Rawalpindi due to rain on Thursday, which meant that they ended their campaign without a win. With only one point, thanks to a washout, Pakistan will finish at the bottom of the group.
Prime Minister’s aide on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has said that PM Shehbaz will also take up the matter at the parliament. “The Prime Minister will personally take notice, and we will also ask him to raise these cricket-related issues in the cabinet as well as in the parliament,” said Rana Sanaullah.
It is pertinent to note that Pakistan is hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Special arrangements have been made to glorify the event, with Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi cricket stadiums renovated to increase audience capacity and further enhance the facilities. However, the team’s fans were left dejected after Pakistan lost both its matches and was knocked out of the tournament when their final league match with Bangladesh was rained off.
While anger persists among cricket fans, questions are being raised over the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), its chief Mohsin Naqvi, and the selection committee, which selected the squad. Aqib Javed, head coach of Pakistan, has tried to justify the team selection, stating that all players were selected on the basis of their recent performances.
On the other hand, internal issues within the PCB are also being linked with the team’s bad performance as many believe that the cricket board’s decision-making regarding playing eleven, the team, and the players has prompted foreign coaches like Jason Gillespie to part ways.
Rana Sanaullah said that he will also call on PM Sharif to address the ongoing issues within the PCB, emphasising that the cricket sport as a whole is in bad shape. “The sport at college and district levels is in a bad position, and the amount that has been spent on a professional level should be revealed before the public”, said Rana Sanaullah.
Rana Sanaullah also raised concerns over amounts being paid to mentors, who he highlighted admitted that they were unaware of their responsibilities and were being remunerated for doing nothing. “You will be surprised after hearing about the perks and privileges of other officer-bearers. You will be confused whether they are officials of a Pakistani institution or those belonging to a developed nation”, he said.
It would not be wrong to say that Pakistan’s performance on home grounds has certainly left fans heartbroken. In major ICC events, Pakistan’s performance in the past years has also not been mentionable.
In 2023, Pakistan only won four out of nine matches during the ODI World Cup in India and ended in fifth position on the points table. Pakistan also made an early exit from last year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA after losing to India and the USA in the preliminary stage.
International
Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan’s Cricket Stadiums Far From Ready, Tournament Could Be Moved To Dubai, Claims Report

Problems seem to be mounting for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as they face a race against time to handover a proper stadium to the International Cricket Council (ICC) before the Champions Trophy gets underway. According to The Times Of India report, the construction and upgradation work is still underway at the National Stadium in Karachi, Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
A source following the developments said,”It is a very disappointing picture. All three stadiums are far from ready and it’s not renovation or refurbishment, but proper construction which is underway. There is so much work left with seats, floodlights, facilities and even the outfield and playing surfaces,”
The report further states there is not much time left for the venues to be handed over and it’s not a surprise that there are discussions about moving the entire tournament to the UAE.
The PCB has to hand over the tournament venues to ICC by February 12, however, the stadium work which was scheduled to be finished by December 31, is yet to be completed.
A team of from the ICC will leave for Pakistan towards the end of the week to do a status check and informal contingency discussions are underway in Dubai corridors.
What is the Current stadium of Champions Trophy venues?
Lahore and Karachi are the two centres where heavy construction work is underway and their multi-storied enclosures, which will have dressing rooms and hospitality boxes, are yet to enter the finishing stages. In addition to the new enclosures, there is fencing work, placement of floodlights and seats which is far from the finish line.
The source added, “The weather is not ideal for construction and finishing work to happen at a rapid pace. At Gadaffi, even the plaster work isn’t completed yet. And most of the time is taken by finishing work because we are talking about dressing rooms etc. They just can’t be random rooms/enclosures for an ICC event. ICC has a checklist which needs to be met. National Stadium has decided to not completely finish the new enclosure because there is no time,”
International
AFC Asian Cup 2027 to take place in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar from Jan 7 to Feb 5

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 7: The AFC Asian Cup 2027 will take place from January 7 to February 5 across three cities – Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar – in Saudi Arabia, the AFC announced on Tuesday.
A total of five stadiums in Riyadh will host the tournament’s matches; the King Fahd Sports City Stadium, the King Saud University Stadium, Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium, Kingdom Arena and the Al Shabab Stadium.
Two stadiums have been confirmed for Jeddah – King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium – with a new state-of-the-art venue to be built in Al Khobar, completing the world-class infrastructure set to provide the backdrop for Asia’s top 24 national teams.
Saudi Arabia was announced as the host nation for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in 2023. This will be the first time Suadi Arabia will host the tournament.
“Confirming the dates and selecting the stadiums for the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ is a strategic milestone in our journey to host the tournament. This announcement goes beyond simply identifying locations and schedules; it reflects the ongoing high-level collaboration between us and the AFC as we work towards delivering an exceptional tournament that fulfills the aspirations of the entire Asian continent,” Saudi Arabian Football Federation chief Yasser Al Misehal.
Eighteen teams have already sealed their places at the AFC Asian Cup 2027. The remaining berths will be decided via the Qualifiers Final Round, which is scheduled to commence from March 2025 and features six groups of four teams – confirmed at last month’s draw – with the winners of each group making up the final cast.
India, aiming for its fifth appearance at the AFC Asian Cup, has been placed in Group C alongside Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh. The team will look to replicate or surpass its 2019 performance, where it showcased significant progress on the continental stage.
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