A total of 350 cricketers -- 240 Indians and 110 overseas players -- will go under the hammer in the Indian Premier League auction to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, with South Africa's wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who recently came out of his ODI retirement, featuring in the final list. De Kock is a late addition to the list at a base price of Rs 1 crore. The list also includes Australia batter Steve Smith at a base price of Rs 2 crore. Smith last played in the IPL in 2021. A total of 1390 players registered for the Player Auction. The number was pruned to 1005 players before 350 were finally shortlisted to battle for 77 slots available across the 10 teams for the 19th edition of the world's biggest T20 league. The first set of players in the auction includes India and Mumbai batters Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan, who both have kept their base price at Rs 75 lakh each. The list shared by the IPL features two Australians in Cameron Green and Jake Fraser-McGurk, along with New Zealand and former Chennai Super Kings opener Devon Conway and South Africa's David Miller, with each of them keeping a base price of Rs 2 crore. Venkatesh Iyer, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders, has listed himself at a base price of Rs 2 crore. Three-time winners KKR will go into the auction with the biggest purse of Rs 64.3 crores, followed by five-time champions CSK with Rs 43.4 crores. Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have won the IPL once, have the third highest purse of Rs 25.5 crores. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
09 December,2025 12:05 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIMukesh Ambani’s Reliance-owned JioStar has reportedly informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it wants to pull out from its media rights contract for cricket events, due to financial challenges. As per a report in the Economic Times, JioStar have conveyed to the ICC that it will not be able to fulfil the remaining period of its USD 3 billion broadcast rights contract that ends in 2027. JioStar had acquired the media rights in India from the ICC for the period 2024-2027 for USD 3 billion. However, according to the broadcaster, it suffered huge losses, mainly from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It is learnt that JioStar’s sports vertical’s content losses shot up from around Rs 12,000 crore to a whopping Rs 25,000 crore in a single financial year. It is learnt that ICC, who will now need a new media rights partner, have already started a fresh process for the sale of the India rights for the 2026-2029 cycle for around USD 2.4 billion. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:22 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesEngland captain Ben Stokes has demanded his players toughen up after another embarrassing defeat to Australia left the Ashes hanging by a thread, making clear the team is “not a place for weak men”. Two Tests into the five-match series and England are reeling, crashing by eight wickets in both Perth and Brisbane and waking Monday to yet more fierce criticism. Facing an almost impossible task to win the last three Tests to regain the Ashes, Stokes wants to see more fire from his players. “There is a saying that we have said a lot here — Australia is not for weak men,” Stokes told the BBC. “A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either.” Stokes was particularly critical of England crumbling in pressure moments, in contrast to Australia who have been able to dig deep and get the upper hand. “Do we need to start thinking about what mentality we are taking into those pressure moments?” Stokes said. Close encounters “When we are on top, we are great and when behind the game we are also very good, but when that moment is neck and neck, we are not coming out on top on enough occasions.” Australian media had a field day at England’s expense with headlines including “Humiliated”, “Humbled” and “Bazball in Ashes”, referring to the aggressive style favoured by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum that has failed so far. Former England great Geoffrey Boycott was scathing in his assessment. “Brisbane was a horror show: irresponsible batting, bowling too short, too wide or too full and catches dropped,” he said in a newspaper column. “With this batting and bowling, they couldn’t win an egg cup, let alone the Ashes urn.” England have more than a week to regroup before the must-win third Test in Adelaide on December 17, where Australia are set to be strengthened by the return of skipper Pat Cummins. But a scheduled four-day mini holiday on the beach at tourist playground Noosa after two crushing defeats may not be the best look. Welcome break Stokes defended the decision, saying it was important for players to decompress. “We have been here four weeks and they have been pretty full on. As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I have experienced that. I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well. Trust me when I say it is so, so important for teams to be able to go away as a team and almost put the pressures aside for a couple of days,” he added. 2011The year England won their last Test match in Australia 17No. of matches England have been winless in Australia. The hosts have won 15, while two have ended in a draw This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:20 AM IST | Brisbane | AFPOpener Ajinkya Rahane struck unbeaten 56-ball 95 as heavyweights Mumbai made short work of Odisha en route to a nine-wicket victory in a Group ‘A’ match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy here on Monday. After Odisha posted what seemed a respectable 167-7, riding on a collective effort from their top and middle-order batters, Rahane took charge of the situation while putting on 74 runs for the first wicket with Sarfaraz Khan, who scored 15-ball 28 to put Mumbai in command. As far as the Mumbai bowling unit is concerned, Suryansh Shedge was the most successful on the day with figures of 3-46 in four overs. Meanwhile, in Hyderabad Baroda wicketkeeper-batter Amit Passi has equalled the world record for the highest score on T20 debut with his 44-ball century in their last league match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Passi, 26, scored 114 off 55 balls, featuring 10 fours and nine sixes, to guide Baroda to a 13-run win over Services. His innings matched Pakistan’s Bilal Asif, who scored 114 from 48 balls for the Sialkot Stallions in a domestic T20 match in Faisalabad in May 2015, tying the world record for the highest individual score in men’s T20 debut. Brief scoresOdisha 167-7 in 20 overs (S Pattnaik 31, S Baral 28, A Swain 28; S Shedge 3-46, S Patil 2-42) lost to Mumbai 168-1 in 16 overs (A Rahane 95*, A Raghuvanshi 38*) by nine wickets This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:14 AM IST | Lucknow | AgenciesHaving recovered from a nasty neck injury, Shubman Gill is feeling good ahead of his comeback in the T20 International series against South Africa after undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The CoE cleared Gill to play in the five-match series against South Africa beginning here on Tuesday. India’s Test and ODI captain had injured his neck while playing a sweep shot in the first Test against South Africa last month, forcing him to miss the second Test in Guwahati and the subsequent ODI series. The T20 vice-captain would be looking for some strong performances against the Proteas. “I’m feeling much better. I think the day that I came here, from that day till today, I’ve had quite a bit of skill sessions and some training sessions. So, I feel much, much better,” Gill told ‘bcci.tv’. The BCCI also shared visuals of Gill’s training and rehabilitation under the supervision of strength and conditioning coach S Rajnikanth. Gill was also seen shadow practising the sweep shot in the video. Having spent considerable time at the National Cricket Academy in his formative years, Gill spoke fondly about his times at the facility that has been now converted into a sprawling CoE in the city outskirts. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:12 AM IST | Cuttack | PTISouth Africa T20I captain Aiden Markram put a premium on Abhishek Sharma’s wicket, saying the new-age Indian opener embodies fearless, and the ultra-aggressive style of play that has reshaped the format. Having seen Abhishek up close at Sunrisers Hyderabad, Markram did not hide the respect he has for the 25-year-old left-hander. “I’ve played with Abhi before at Sunrisers, a great guy and bats really well, so no doubt it’s a big wicket for us,” he said on the eve of their five-match T20I series opener at the Barabati Stadium. “Whoever takes the new ball, that’s a challenge to hopefully get him early. He is a match-winner and it’s an important wicket for us.” South Africa, runners-up at last year’s T20 World Cup, have since slipped in bilaterals, losing to West Indies, India, Australia and Pakistan. But Markram insisted the approach won’t change. “No extra plans, I guess. It’s T20 cricket, it’s an entertaining format and that’s the brand we want to play. We want guys to free themselves up, enjoy the game, let their best skills be on show.” A big boost for South Africa is the return of Anrich Nortje, who last featured at the T20 World Cup final. Veteran left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj also returns to the white-ball fold, though the Proteas will sorely miss star batter Tony de Zorzi and young fast bowler Kwena Maphaka. OneNo. of T20I series South Africa have won since September 2022; they lost eight, while three were levelled affairs This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:08 AM IST | Cuttack | PTIIndia skipper Suryakumar Yadav has said that playing in domestic matches is vital as it provides a good challenge to stay in touch with the game when not playing internationally. “Regarding playing domestic cricket, according to me, it’s important to go back to your roots. When we are not playing international games, it serves as a good challenge to go back to the domestic circuit and play there, as it is a highly competitive atmosphere. It helps you prepare well, like how Abhishek [Sharma] and others played [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy] recently,” Suryakumar said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:05 AM IST | Cuttack | AgenciesAhead of the T20I series opener against South Africa, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav welcomed Hardik Pandya’s return, saying the seam-bowling all-rounder’s experience lends crucial balance to the side in preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup. Back from injury Pandya, who has played 120 T20Is for India, is back after recovering from a quadriceps injury sustained during the Asia Cup in the UAE in September. He has already shown good form in the games he turned out for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and was among the first to hit the nets in India’s practice session at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday. Apart from him, India are also welcoming back vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has recovered from a neck injury sustained during the Test match against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata last month. “Both of them look healthy and fit. They have come along with the team. What you saw in the Asia Cup also was that when he opened the bowling with the new ball, he opened up a lot of options and combinations for us with respect to the playing XI. “So that’s what he brings to the table and his experience is invaluable. He has done well in a lot of good games, big games and ICC and ACC events as well. So that experience counts for a lot, and his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side,” said Suryakumar in the pre-match press conference on Monday. Gill returns too Gill’s return to open the batting alongside Abhishek Sharma will give some sheen to India’s preparation for the mega event. Suryakumar also explained how India shifted from having Sanju Samson as the opener to now zeroing in on Gill for that slot. “In terms of Sanju, when he came on the circuit, he batted higher up the order. Now the thing is, other than the openers, everyone has to be very flexible. He did really well when he opened the innings, but Shubman had played before him in the Sri Lanka series and so he deserved to take that spot,” he said. 100SA’s winning percentage at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium — they’ve won both their T20I games vs India here previously This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 December,2025 09:01 AM IST | Cuttack | IANSTeam India is all set to lock horns with South Africa for the five-match T20I series. Ahead of the first match, the skipper of the home team, Suryakumar Yadav, said that his side looks good and strong, but the batsmen need to be flexible. He stated that Shivam Dube, being an all-rounder, can come to bat at any position, similar to how he went to bat at number three in Australia. "Dube is an all-rounder. All the batters from 3 to 7 are capable of batting at any position. For example, you might see Tilak Verma batting at 6. As you saw in Australia, Dube went in to bat at number 3. It depends on the entry point of the batter. We have to be really flexible during that. More likely, this is what the team and the squad look like. It looks good. It looks strong. So, I am very happy with it," he said. The skipper also stated that the preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 started after the conclusion of the previous edition. He added that a team cannot start their preparations for such a marquee event just months before its commencement. "Preparation for the T20 World Cup had already begun after the 2024 T20 World Cup ended. You can't just start preparing for a big tournament a month or two before it starts. It started a long way back. Since then, we have been trying new things, which have been working in our favour till now," said the 35-year-old cricketer. The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa is scheduled to be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Mullanpur will host the second T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday. The third T20I will be played at Dharamsala on Sunday, followed by the fourth on December 17 in Lucknow. Ahmedabad will host the fifth and final match of the series on December 19. India's squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 05:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the first T20I match against South Africa, Team India's captain Suryakumar Yadav has provided updates on the fitness of Shubman Gill and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The skipper said both of them look "fit and healthy". "Right now, both of them look healthy and fit. They are in the team," said Yadav in the pre-match press conference. The first T20I match between Team India and South Africa will be played on Tuesday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Mullanpur will host the second T20I between India and South Africa on Thursday. The third T20I will be played at Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14, followed by the fourth on December 17 in Lucknow. Ahmedabad will host the fifth and final match of the series on December 19. Gill was ruled out of the second Test match and three-match ODI series against South Africa due to the neck injury that he sustained in the first Test. Later, he was hospitalised and completed his rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. On the other hand, Pandya suffered a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup 2025. Following the injury, he missed out on Australia's white-ball tour. The all-rounder then proved his fitness by featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Baroda. Yadav said that considering Pandya's experience, his inclusion in the squad will definitely provide a good balance. "What you saw in the Asia Cup also, when he [Hardik] was bowling with the new ball, he opened up a lot of options, combinations for us with respect to the playing XI. That's what he brings to the table. His experience, the way he has done well in all big games, all ICC events, and ACC events. I think that experience will count a lot and his presence will definitely give a good balance to the side," he stated, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. India's squad for T20I series against South Africa: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar. (With ANI Inputs)
08 December,2025 04:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the second Test match of the Ashes series, England suffered a loss by eight wickets against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. Speaking after the loss, England skipper Ben Stokes said that Australia is not for the weak men, demanding more firepower from the "Three Lions". "There is a saying that we have said a lot here, Australia is not for weak men. A dressing room that I am captain of is not a place for weak men either," he told BCC. "Do we need to start thinking about what mentality we are taking into those pressure moments?" Stokes said. Further, he stated that when there are pressure situations during the match, the English players are not delivering performances enough to cope with it. "When we are on top we are great and when behind the game we are also very good but when that moment is neck and neck we are not coming out on top on enough occasions," said the 34-year-old cricketer. After suffering a loss in the second game, the "Three Lions" will now lock horns against the Aussies for the third Test match, which is scheduled to begin on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval. What could turn out to be bad news for the visitors is the potential return of Australia's captain Pat Cummins. The pacer said that he will be “good to go” for the third Ashes Test after missing the first two with a back injury. The 32-year-old pace spearhead has not played since picking up the issue against the West Indies mid-year. Selectors flirted with including him for the second Test at Brisbane, but erred on the side of caution. “First of all, yeah, I should be right for Adelaide. I’ll have one more bowl [on Sunday], and then we’ll go to Adelaide and have another bowl there. So, barring any hiccups, I’ll be good to go. Body feels great,” Cummins said on Fox Sports. The hosts were also without fellow quick Josh Hazlewood for the first two Tests, and the news from him was less encouraging. He was back bowling after tweaking a hamstring, but reported Achilles soreness this week. (With AFP Inputs)
08 December,2025 03:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
