ICC rated Nagpur and Delhi Pitches as 'Average': According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the International Cricket Council (<a href="https://www.icc-cricket.com/homepage" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC</a>) gave an average rating to India's pitches in Nagpur and Delhi for the first two Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Prior to the series, there was a lot of controversy about the playing surfaces. 



Several cricket enthusiasts and fans believed that the Indian administration was creating a surface that would benefit the home team before the first Test in Nagpur. The official rating for the pitch at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur is "average," as per the ICC governing body and Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe, the match referee.



The hosts prevailed in both red-ball matches within three days. The pitch for the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where Australia battled valiantly for two days before being dismissed for 113 runs on the third day, was similarly handed an "average" rating by Pycroft. The surface should be deemed to be fair, if not ideal.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="http://www.icccricketschedule.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/jaddu-and-smith.jpg" alt="ICC rated Nagpur and Delhi Pitches as 'Average' | Ind vs Aus 2023" class="wp-image-102939" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ravindra Jadeja took Smith down
</figcaption></figure>



DON'T MISS:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ind-vs-aus-australia-announced-strong-16-men-squad-for-odi-series-in-india-marsh-maxwell-returns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Ind vs Aus: Australia Announced strong 16-men squad for ODI series in India. Marsh, Maxwell returns!</a>



The Australian team was very intrigued by how the Nagpur pitch was being prepared. Before the game began, prominent batters David Warner and Steve Smith were spotted paying particular attention to the pitch and pressing against it at various points to assess its hardness. Online images of "selective watering," also circulated that made sure the regions outside of left-handers' off stumps were left dry for spinners



The way Warner practiced made it clear that he was concerned about the surface. During the net practice, he batted right-handed, and he even considered doing so during the match.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="http://www.icccricketschedule.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NAGPUR-1.jpg" alt="ICC rated Nagpur and Delhi Pitches as 'Average' | Ind vs Aus 2023" class="wp-image-102937" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Warner and Steve Smith assessing the Nagpur pitch (Cricket Australia)</figcaption></figure>



Owing to the spin tandem of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja overpowering the Australian batsmen, both matches were decided in three days, demonstrating how well Indian spinners were able to exploit the surface.



As discussions over the pitches continue, Rohit Sharma and company enjoy a commanding 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series, retaining the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It's important to note that the Australians haven't won a Test series on Indian soil since the 2004?2005 edition. Moreover, the Indian squad abruptly ended Australia's hegemony after they won consecutive series against West Indies and South Africa at the conclusion of 2022.



READ:<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2023-top-3-batsmen-with-most-centuries-in-ipl-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a><a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2023-top-3-batsmen-with-most-centuries-in-ipl-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPL 2023: Top-3 batsmen with most centuries in IPL history.</a>



Visit?<a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICC CRICKET SCHEDULE</a>?for more cricketing updates.

ICC rated Nagpur and Delhi Pitches as 'Average' | Ind vs Aus 2023

icc-rated-nagpur-and-delhi-pitches-as-average-ind-vs-aus-2023

The cricketing world is gearing up for the highly anticipated IPL 2024 season, and the excitement has reached its zenith with the release and retention of players by the ten franchises: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Titans (GT), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Mumbai Indians (MI), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). In this detailed preview, we explore each team's retained and released players, team captains, purse values, auction date and venue, and the potential target players.



<div class="wp-block-rank-math-toc-block" id="rank-math-toc"><nav><div><div class=""><a href="#ipl-2024-auction">IPL 2024 Auction</a><div><div class=""><a href="#overview">Overview</a></div><div class=""><a href="#purse-value">Purse Value</a></div></div></div><div class=""><a href="#retain-and-release-players-list">Retain and Release Players List</a></div><div class=""><a href="#ipl-2024-captains">IPL 2024 Captains</a></div><div class=""><a href="#ipl-2024-target-players">IPL 2024 Target Players</a></div></div></nav></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ipl-2024-auction">IPL 2024 Auction</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="overview">Overview</h3>



The IPL 2024 auction is scheduled to take place on December 19, 2023, in Dubai. The vibrant city is set to host the bidding war where franchises will compete to secure the services of top-notch players.



<ul>
<li>Total Number of Players: 173</li>



<li>Overseas Players: 50</li>



<li>Total Money Spent (Rs.): 737.05</li>



<li>Salary Cap Available (Rs.): 262.95</li>



<li>Available Slots: 77</li>



<li>Overseas Slots: 30</li>
</ul>



Reference: <a href="https://www.iplt20.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IPL officials website</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="purse-value">Purse Value</h3>



Here are the details of the purse values for each team in the IPL 2024 auction:



<ol>
<li>CSK (Chennai Super Kings): Purse Value - Rs. 31.4 Crore</li>



<li>DC (Delhi Capitals): Purse Value - Rs. 28.95 Crore</li>



<li>GT (Gujarat Titans): Purse Value - Rs. 38.15 Crore</li>



<li>KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders): Purse Value - Rs. 32.7 Crore</li>



<li>LSG (Lucknow Super Giants): Purse Value - Rs. 13.15 Crore</li>



<li>MI (Mumbai Indians): Purse Value - Rs. 17.75 Crore</li>



<li>PBKS (Punjab Kings): Purse Value - Rs. 29.1 Crore</li>



<li>RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore): Purse Value - Rs. 23.25 Crore</li>



<li>RR (Rajasthan Royals): Purse Value - Rs. 14.5 Crore</li>



<li>SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad): Purse Value - Rs. 34 Crore</li>
</ol>



These purse values represent the remaining budget that each team has for the IPL 2024 auction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="retain-and-release-players-list">Retain and Release Players List</h2>



The Chennai Super Kings have held on to stalwarts like MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad while bidding farewell to Suresh Raina and Lungi Ngidi.



Meanwhile, the Delhi Capitals retained the explosive duo of Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer but let go of David Warner and Umesh Yadav.



The Gujarat Titans, after trading Hardik Pandya, retained Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan but released notable names like Dasun Shanaka and Alzarri Joseph.



Kolkata Knight Riders kept faith in young talents like Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer, parting ways with the experienced Shubman Gill and Lockie Ferguson.



Lucknow Super Giants retained captain KL Rahul and dynamic all-rounder Marcus Stoinis but released Suresh Raina and David Malan. 



The Mumbai Indians kept their core intact with Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah leading the charge, while releasing stars like Jofra Archer and Quinton de Kock.



Punjab Kings secured the services of Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal but bid farewell to Chris Gayle and Shahrukh Khan.



Rajasthan Royals, under Sanju Samson's captaincy, retained exciting talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul Tewatia but released Joe Root and Liam Livingstone. 



Finally, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Virat Kohli, retained Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal but released the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Wanindu Hasaranga. 



These strategic decisions set the stage for an intense auction as teams look to strengthen their squads for the IPL 2024 campaign.



Check out the <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/ipl-2024-retention-live-updates-full-list-of-players-released-retained-and-purse-remaining-of-all-ten-teams/">full retain and release players list</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ipl-2024-captains">IPL 2024 Captains</h2>



MS Dhoni continues to lead Chennai Super Kings, while Rishabh Pant, if recovered, will captain Delhi Capitals; otherwise, David Warner takes the helm. New captains include Shubman Gill for Gujarat Titans, Nitish Rana for Kolkata Knight Riders, and KL Rahul for Lucknow Super Giants.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://admin.icccricketschedule.com/uploads/2023/12/MS-Dhoni-CSK.jpg" alt="IPL 2024 Auction: 3 Players CSK Should Buy in IPL 2024 Auction | Chennai Super Kings" class="wp-image-123164"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MS Dhoni CSK Caption (Image: IPLT20.com)</figcaption></figure>



Here is the list of cations of all 10 team, CSK, DC, GT, KKR, LSG, MI, PBKS, RR, RCB and SRH.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Captain</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Chennai Super Kings (CSK)</td><td>MS Dhoni</td></tr><tr><td>Delhi Capitals (DC)</td><td>Rishabh Pant / David Warner (In case of recovery)</td></tr><tr><td>Gujarat Titans (GT)</td><td>Shubman Gill</td></tr><tr><td>Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)</td><td>Nitish Rana (Subject to confirmation)</td></tr><tr><td>Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</td><td>KL Rahul</td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai Indians (MI)</td><td>Rohit Sharma (Potential transition to Hardik Pandya)</td></tr><tr><td>Punjab Kings (PBKS)</td><td>Shikhar Dhawan</td></tr><tr><td>Rajasthan Royals (RR)</td><td>Sanju Samson</td></tr><tr><td>Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)</td><td>Faf du Plessis (Subject to confirmation)</td></tr><tr><td>Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)</td><td>Aiden Markram</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="ipl-2024-target-players">IPL 2024 Target Players</h2>



IPL 2024 Auction Target Players for all 10 teams:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th>Target Players</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Chennai Super Kings</td><td>CSK may set their sights on the experienced batter Manish Pandey and the World Cup-winning seamer Alzarri Joseph to strengthen their squad.</td></tr><tr><td>Delhi Capitals</td><td>DC might target the dynamic Aussie Travis Head for an explosive opening pair alongside David Warner and consider the versatile all-rounder Daryl Mitchell to bolster their squad.</td></tr><tr><td>Gujarat Titans</td><td>GT, in the absence of Hardik Pandya, could aim for the explosive batters Travis Head and Harry Brook to fill the void in their lineup.</td></tr><tr><td>Kolkata Knight Riders</td><td>KKR, known for their aggressive play, might aggressively pursue Travis Head for his power-packed batting and all-round skills to bring dynamism to their squad.</td></tr><tr><td>Lucknow Super Giants</td><td>LSG may look to strengthen their middle order with the addition of experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and the versatile batsman Daryl Mitchell.</td></tr><tr><td>Mumbai Indians</td><td>MI, having made strategic moves in the trade window, might focus on bolstering their bowling attack with players like Gerald Coetzee and the spin sensation Wanindu Hasaranga.</td></tr><tr><td>Punjab Kings</td><td>PBKS, in their pursuit of the elusive IPL title, could target the consistent English batter Harry Brook for stability and a powerful middle-order presence.</td></tr><tr><td>Rajasthan Royals</td><td>RR may eye middle-order reinforcements with players like Harry Brook and Daryl Mitchell, aiming to build a well-balanced squad for the upcoming season.</td></tr><tr><td>Royal Challengers Bangalore</td><td>RCB, known for bold moves, might target the explosive Shahrukh Khan and the seasoned all-rounder Adil Rashid to add flair and depth to their squad.</td></tr><tr><td>Sunrisers Hyderabad</td><td>SRH, in need of a turnaround, may go for experienced spin options like Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi to strengthen their bowling department and provide stability.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

IPL 2024 Auction 10 Team CSK, DC, GT, KKR, LSG, MI, PBKS, RR, RCB, SRH Retain and Release Players List, Captains, Purse Value, Date, Venue, Target Players ? All You Need to Know!

IPL 2024 Auction: 10 Team CSK, DC, GT, KKR, LSG, MI, PBKS, RR, RCB, SRH Retain and Release Players List, Captains, Purse Value, Date, Venue, Target Players ? All You Need to Know!

ipl-2024-auction-10-team-csk-dc-gt-kkr-lsg-mi-pbks-rr-rcb-srh-retain-and-release-players-list-captains-purse-value-date-venue-target-players-all-you-need-to-know

India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant is all set to be appointed as the captain of the Delhi team for the upcoming game of the Ranji Trophy against Saurashtra. As per the reports in Times of India, it is learned that Delhi and District Cricket Association will be announcing the squad for the match on 17th January. 
The second round of Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is all set to begin on 23rd January, and Delhi will be taking on Saurashtra. In the last few weeks, BCCI has taken several strong steps, with one being asking the players to take part in domestic cricket. 
Several Indian players, including Rishabh Pant, are all set to play the Ranji Trophy to get some rhythm and form under their belt ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This is because batters looked in torrid form during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which India lost by the margin of 3-1. 
Rishabh Pant also didn't have the kind of outing he would've wanted as he managed just 255 runs across nine innings, with an average of 28.33. He managed just one half-century, which came during the last game of the series at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. 
<h2>Rishabh Pant will likely be the skipper for the away game versus Saurashtra - DDCA official</h2>
But with him returning to the Ranji Trophy, it will be a massive step, and if he gets some runs under his belt, it will be a massive boost for the team. The official of DDCA confirmed that he will be leading the team and said: 
"A selection meeting will happen in the afternoon tomorrow and Rishabh Pant will likely be the skipper for the away game versus Saurashtra." He told the Times of India. 
Rishabh Pant being set to be announced as the captain of the team comes at the time when India is in a need of a skipper. The keeper-batter's name is being discussed as the potential vice-captain with Jasprit Bumrah being given the full-time leadership role. 
If Delhi performs well under the leadership of Rishabh Pant, then it surely will send a message to selectors. It remains to be seen how the batter performs in the format. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/fakhar-zaman-and-babar-azam-climb-rizwan-and-shaheen-afridi-slip-in-icc-player-rankings/">Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam climb, Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi slip in ICC Player Rankings</a>

India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant is all set to be appointed as the captain of the Delhi team for the upcoming game of the Ranji Trophy against Saurashtra

Rishabh Pant announced as captain of red-ball team

rishabh-pant-announced-as-captain-of-red-ball-team

The wait to see Virat Kohli in Delhi colours for the Ranji Trophy is all set to end. The premier India batter is all set to play the final round of the ongoing tournament, which will begin on 30th January, with Delhi taking on Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. 
The reports in ESPNCricinfo have revealed that Virat Kohli will be joining the Delhi team for the next round of the Ranji Trophy on Tuesday (28th January). The India batter will be training with his state team for two days before taking the field against Railways on 30th January.
Virat Kohli playing against Railways will mark the first instance when he will be playing in the Ranji Trophy after 2012. All the Indian players will be returning to domestic cricket after BCCI made it mandatory for the players to play, especially after the debacle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 
<h2>Virat Kohli playing in the Ranji Trophy will be a great opportunity for him to regain his form</h2>
Virat Kohli playing in the Ranji Trophy will be a great opportunity for him to regain his form. The batter has been struggling to get going in the Tests of late and has been averaging in the mid-20s for the last few years, and this has been a serious cause of concern for the team. 
Returning to domestic cricket will be a great opportunity for him to get back to his best. The batter, since the last week, has been putting the hard yards in Mumbai. He worked with former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar to improve his batting before heading into the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. 
Virat Kohli has been great for India, but in recent times, he has witnessed a decline in the longest format of the game.  He failed miserably in the Tests in 2024. The batter struggled to get runs at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand, and then the same story continued in Australia. 
Kohli started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 on a high as he hit a blistering ton in the first match of the series. However, after that, he looked clueless with the bat as he managed just 90 runs in the last 4 games. He would be keen to get some runs in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 now and get some confidence under his belt.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-gautam-gambhir-kisses-tilak-varma-as-youngster-pulls-off-miraculous-chase-of-india-/">Watch: Gautam Gambhir kisses Tilak Varma as youngster pulls off miraculous chase of India</a>

The wait to see Virat Kohli in Delhi colours for the Ranji Trophy is all set to end.

The reports in ESPNCricinfo have revealed that Virat Kohli will be joining the Delhi team for the next round of the Ranji Trophy on Tuesday (28th January).

Revealed - When will Virat Kohli join Delhi team for Ranji Trophy 2025

revealed-when-will-virat-kohli-join-delhi-team-for-ranji-trophy-2025-

India batter Virat Kohli has joined the Delhi team ahead of the last round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. The Ayush Badoni-led side will be taking on Railways in the game, which will begin on 30th January at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. 
Virat Kohli will be making a return to the Ranji Trophy after 12 years. The batter is back into domestic cricket after BCCI issued strict guidelines to the contracted players, out of which playing domestic cricket regularly was one of the points of the SOPs. 
Unlike all the other players of Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli missed the last round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. This was because he had issues with his neck and told BCCI that he would be playing the red-ball game in the next round of the Ranji Trophy. 
On Tuesday (28th January), Virat Kohli joined the Delhi team for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, and he hit the ground running immediately. The batter was seen training with the young players and then went to the nets to get some batting practice under his belt ahead of the match against Railways. 
Virat Kohli in the nets looked sharp as he was seen working on his backfoot game. The batter played some backfoot drives and the video went viral on the internet. You can see the clip at the end of this article: 
Virat Kohli, ahead of joining the Delhi team, worked a lot with Sanjay Bangar in Mumbai. The batter was seen working on his backfoot game. The batter now will be keen to make an impact in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 for Delhi and get some runs under his belt. 
Virat Kohli, for the last few years, has been struggling to get going in the Tests. The batter has bagged plenty of low scores and this has seen his average taking a massive hit. In 2024 too, he looked torrid with the bat as well and bagged poor scores. 
There have been a lot of talks about his place in the team as well. Playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 will be a great opportunity for him to regain his form and get some confidence heading into the Test series against England.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/3-player-battles-to-watch-out-for-in-the-third-ind-vs-eng-t20-at-the-niranjan-shah-stadium/">3 Player Battles to Watch out for in the third IND vs ENG T20 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium</a>
<h2>Watch: Virat Kohli works on his backfoot game in Delhi nets </h2>

India batter Virat Kohli has joined the Delhi team ahead of the last round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25.

Unlike all the other players of Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli missed the last round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25.

Watch: Virat Kohli works on his backfoot game with Delhi Team ahead of his Ranji Trophy return

watch-virat-kohli-works-on-his-backfoot-game-with-delhi-team-ahead-of-his-ranji-trophy-return-

India batter Virat Kohli was back in the Ranji Trophy after 12 long years as he played for his state team, Delhi, in the game against Railways. The match between the two teams concluded on Saturday (1st February) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. 
Virat Kohli playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy seemed like a festival as a huge amount of people arrived at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi to see their favourite batter play. More than 15000 people were in the stands, and it was the first time that the Ranji game witnessed such huge crowds. 
Virat Kohli grabbed all the spotlight as he fans every moment to cheer and made the crowd chant "Kohli, Kohli". The batter was also seen getting engaged with fans as he involved two different sections of crowds in a competition of who would be shouting louder. 
With a lot of fans turning up to see him, it was expected he would set the stage on fire with the bat and give his fans a gift in return. But that wasn't the case as the batter failed to get going and score just 6 runs before he was removed by Himanshu Sangwan. 
Himanshu Sangwan sent the offstump of Virat Kohli for a ride as the batter got bowled. The India batter didn't get to bat in the second innings as Delhi won the game by a massive margin of innings and 15 runs to bag important points in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. 
Even though Virat Kohli struggled to score runs, he made sure that he entertained the crowd. The batter also came up with a hilarious gesture during the match, and it left many in splits as the video went viral on the internet within seconds. 
In the video that has gone viral on the internet, Virat Kohli can be seen throwing the ball to the bowler. However, as he attempts to throw the ball, it slipped out of his hands and went back. This even made the batter laugh as the ball went past him. 
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/most-runs-most-wickets-in-ind-vs-aus-t20i-series-2025/">Most Runs, Most Wickets in IND vs AUS T20I Series 2025</a>
<h2>Watch: Ball slips out of the hands of Virat Kohli, makes batter laugh </h2>

Virat Kohli playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy seemed like a festival as a huge amount of people arrived at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delh

India batter Virat Kohli was back in the Ranji Trophy after 12 long years as he played for his state team, Delhi, in the game against Railways.

Watch: Virat Kohli hilariously drops ball as he attempts to throw it bowler during Ranji Trophy 2024-25

watch-virat-kohli-hilariously-drops-ball-as-he-attempts-to-throw-it-bowler-during-ranji-trophy-2024-25-

Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh made a massive jump in his career last year after he played some magnificent innings for the franchise in the IPL.

Shocking! Shashank Singh leaks inside details of PBKS playing 11 even before IPL 2025

shocking-shashank-singh-leaks-inside-details-of-pbks-playing-11-even-before-ipl-2025-

The majority of the Punjab Kings players joined the franchise on Monday, March 17, and it was expected that Azmatullah Omarzai would be joining the team as well.

Blow for Punjab Kings! No.1 All-rounder delays his arrival in India due to...

blow-for-punjab-kings-no-1-all-rounder-delays-his-arrival-in-india-due-to-

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be under the spotlight as IPL 2025 is around the corner.

RCB playing XI for the IPL 2025 prediction

rcb-playing-xi-for-the-ipl-2025-prediction-

One of the favourites to win the IPL 2025 will be Sunrisers Hyderabad.

delhi