Ayush Badoni started off his Duleep Trophy 2025 campaign with a well-crafted half-century. Against the East Zone team, Badoni played his fifty-plus innings for the North Zone.

The 25-year-old batter completed his 50 in 49 balls with five 4s. Badoni, who is known for his aggressive batting approach, synchronized today's (August 28, 2025) innings with a calm and composed manner. He could have converted his half century into a big score, but Mukhtar Hussain did not let that happen. Hussain picked up Badoni's wicket when he was batting with 63 runs. The right-handed batter departed, scoring 63 after facing 60 balls. With 7 fours, his strike rate was slightly over 105.

Ayush created two notable partnerships for the North Zone. With Yashasvi Dhull, he stitched a partnership of 67 runs, and with Nishant Sindhu, the partnership was for 61 runs. 

Read More: 3 reasons why Keacy Carty can be good fit for Knight Riders in IPL as well

Ayush Badoni 50 runs in 49 balls (5x4, 0x6) North Zone 164/3 #NZvEZ #DuleepTrophy #QF1 Scorecard:https://t.co/61CVsuVZZT

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) August 28, 2025

After a promising IPL 2025 season with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the ongoing Duleep Trophy is an appropriate stage for him to shine. With LSG, Delhi-born in 11 innings, scored 329 runs at an average of 32.90, including a highest score of 74. During the match against Punjab Kings, the emerging batter got the 74-run knock. Before that, against Rajasthan Royals, Badoni struck a 50-run innings in the previous season of the Indian Premier League. 

North Zone vs East Zone Playing XI:

East Zone XI: Utkarsh Singh, Sharandeep Singh, Virat Singh, Riyan Parag (c), Kumar Kushagra (w), Sridam Paul, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mukhtar Hussain, Mohammed Shami, Manishi, Mukesh Kumar. 

North Zone XI: Shubham Khajuria, Ankit Kumar (c), Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Kanhaiya Wadhawan (w), Sahil Lotra, Nishant Sindhu, Harshit Rana, Auqib Nabi Dar, Mayank Dagar, Arshdeep Singh. 

Liam Livingstone flared his true potential when he single-handedly took a match away from Oval Invincibles in the ongoing The Hundred tournament. Liam played a match-winning 69* off 27 and gifted Birmingham Phoenix their first win of the season. The fantastic knock came into the moment when a group of cricket fans had been discussing the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). Before the IPL 2026, a mini auction will be held. Ahead of that, there is a series of rumors related to multiple big names and their possible moves for the upcoming IPL season.

Liam Livingstone, who helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their maiden IPL title, was not at his prime in IPL 2025. Cricket fans may not be surprised to see if RCB decides to leave Livingstone because of his repeated underperformances. He ended IPL 2025 at an average of only 16.00 in 10 matches. Stats are not always enough to show a player’s actual potential. So, for IPL 2026, there can be multiple interests for the England international.

3 teams that should pay for Liam Livingstone for the upcoming IPL:

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

The multi-time IPL-winning side has to do a lot of repair work after sustaining an unsuccessful season. The champions of IPL 2024 can think about cashing in for multiple new faces in the troop. Liam Livingstone can be a proper replacement for Andre Russell. Russell, who just retired from T20Is and is well past his prime, was looking like a burden for KKR in 2025. Like Russell, Livingstone is also known for his firing abilities from the lower middle order. He can be useful too with bowling. If the Knight management wishes to cash in for an overseas middle-order all-rounder, the Englishman can be the appropriate option.

Read More: 'I hate this...'- Rishabh Pant provides update about his injury

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

It looked all settled for Punjab Kings to lift their first ever IPL trophy until the night of the grand finale came. The batting lineup could not sustain the pressure, and they finished their well-played campaign being the second best. Throughout the tournament, the top and middle order of PBKS looked solid, but their lower middle order was not up to the mark. Marcus Stoinis was simply not at his best. He had a great chance to be the hero for the franchise in the final match against RCB, but the all-rounder got only 6 runs. The 35-year-old scored 160 runs in 13 IPL 2025 matches without any fifty-plus innings. The matches he played after the conclusion of IPL 2025 were also far from promising. Liam Livingstone can be a proper fit in place of Marcus for Punjab Kings.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

After so many investments, LSG again finished their IPL campaign far away from the glittering trophy. Like many other franchises in the tournament, they too have to update their middle-order tactics with probably some new signings. For IPL 2025 they trusted experienced David Miller, who is now 36. LSG can prefer to go with someone who can contribute to a multi-year vision. Livingstone can be the batting all-rounder who can help the management to set a right playing combination according to matches.

Sanjeev Goenka and Co. reportedly expanded their wings more in the cricket ground. They have signed a new contract to acquire a whopping 70 percent of shares of The Hundred franchise Manchester Original. Due to their acquisition, the name of the franchise is going to change.

The Hundred franchise known as Manchester Original—from next year, they will be known as Manchester Super Giants, as a huge chunk of its ownership went under LSG's wing. The contracts were signed on Thursday morning, with the deal reportedly finalized earlier this week, according to media reports. Media reports further claimed that due to Haryali Amavasya, a two-day religious festival, LSG had requested the signing to be done on July 24 to mark their new chapter in cricket as more special.

Before their forward move in The Hundreds, LSG claimed the ownership of the SA20 franchise Durban Super Giants. It is known that the LSG started their initiative to get Manchester Original's ownership in February this year. They place the highest bid to capture the ownership of the popular franchise. Shashwat Goenka, the RPSG vice-president, has the dream to challenge the popularity of two English clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City. 

Read More: [WATCH] Joe Root makes new record during ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

Statements from the franchise owners 

"We are not football; we are cricket. We want the Manchester franchise in the Hundred to become the third biggest sports team in Manchester and challenge those two sports teams in Manchester," Shashwat said. 

"We have been very focused on securing a great partner—ideally from the IPL—and RPSG has been our preferred bidder for some time. We are delighted by the outcome and look forward to working together to create an exciting future. Together, we have a shared ambition to create a very special cricket team for the people of Manchester and the wider Northwestregion," Lancashire said in their statement. 

Along with multiple cricket teams, LSG also owns Mohun Bagan Super Giant, a football club based out of Kolkata.

Although Rishabh Pant is well-known for his aggressive leadership and dazzling batting, his teammate Ayush Badoni of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) believes that there is a more gentle and inspiring side to the star cricketer that no one ever sees.

In a recent conversation, Badoni shared how Pant has not only become a leader, but also a brother figure in the LSG dressing room. "He treats everyone as an elder or younger brother," Badoni said. "To me, he's an elder brother. I've learned a lot from him, particularly his aggressive style of batting. I am a fan of him."

Pant, signed up by LSG for a record ₹27 crore before IPL 2025 and appointed captain, returned to big-time cricket this season after a long spell of injury. His return was one of the tournaments' biggest narratives, and it wasn't only his batting performances that attracted applause it was also how he united the team.

Watch the video:

VIDEO | DPL 2025: South Delhi Superstarz captain Ayush Badoni says, "We all know how fearless Rishabh Pant is. He treats everyone like an elder or younger brother. To me, he’s like an elder brother. I’ve learned a lot from him, especially his fearless approach to batting."

(Full… pic.twitter.com/oAHtSrmbOt

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 6, 2025

ALSO SEE: India Creates History: First Test Win at Edgbaston Under Shubman Gill’s Captaincy

Pant's Leadership Beyond the Bat: Ayush Badoni Elaborates on the Brotherhood Behind LSG's 2025 Campaign

"He's always motivating the young guys," added Badoni. "Whether you're playing well or not, he has a way to keep your morale high. He'll come and joke with you or advise you in a manner that will make you feel confident.

During the IPL 2025 season, Pant set an example by hitting a century against RCB and taking LSG through some hard-fought matches, although the team just failed to make playoffs. For individuals such as Badoni, playing under Pant's leadership was not about cricketing strategies alone, but also acquiring the skill of coping with pressure calmly and with courage.

In a star-studded league, what sets Rishabh Pant apart is not only his big-hitting but also his human touch when interacting with teammates. To put it best in the words of Ayush Badoni, he behaves with everyone like a brother, and this brotherhood binds the team together, on and off the field.

In a game full of drama, redemption, and sheer cricketing genius, Rishabh Pant demonstrated to the world why he is still a generational Test talent, despite his IPL form suggesting otherwise. The left-handed batsman-wicketkeeper made a spectacular return in whites after a lacklustre 2025 IPL season, becoming only the second gloveman in Test history to score hundreds in both innings of a match, after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower. His 118 off 140 balls in the second innings was the deciding blow, with 15 boundaries and three towering sixes that rendered Headingley incoherent. The tone was set by his 134 in the first inning.

If Pant was the spark, KL Rahul was the foundation. The right-hander crafted a masterful 137 from 247 deliveries, anchoring India's second-innings total and building a monumental 195-run partnership with Pant that might define the match. With elegant drives, a calm head, and grit under pressure, Rahul notched up his ninth Test ton and sixth in SENA conditions, his third in England alone, eclipsing even Rahul Dravid’s tally as an opener in the country.

The partnership not only put India in command on Day 4 but also drew admiration from one of India’s most high-profile cricket stakeholders, Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Goenka applauded both the current and former captains of his IPL franchise. “Two good! Back-to-back centuries for @RishabhPant17. Aggressive, audacious, brilliant. Only the second wicketkeeper in history to score a century in both innings of a Test,” Goenka wrote, before adding, “Congratulations also to @klrahul for his hundred. #INDvsENG.”

Two good! Back-to-back centuries for @RishabhPant17. Aggressive, audacious, brilliant. Only the second wicketkeeper in history to score a century in both innings of a Test. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Congratulations also to @klrahul for his hundred. #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/WhU12EYVhE

— Dr. Sanjiv Goenka (@DrSanjivGoenka) June 23, 2025

ALSO SEE: ENG vs IND 1st Test: Rishabh Pant reprimand by ICC for arguing with umpire

Pant and Rahul shine in whites as India push for victory at Headingley

Interestingly, it was a moment of irony, too. Rahul was released by the franchise ahead of IPL 2025, following a public fallout after a heavy loss to SRH. But at Headingley, there were no signs of scars, only supreme class. As the crowd waited for Pant’s signature somersault celebration, Sunil Gavaskar egged him on from the stands. But Pant resisted, saving his energy for the job at hand. He raised his bat quietly after nudging a single off Shoaib Bashir, marking the moment with humility, not high-flying theatrics.

And it’s not done yet. England still needs 350 runs heading into Day 5. Crawley and Duckett are unbeaten, but the mountain is steep. With India’s bowlers raring to go and momentum firmly in their corner, a thrilling finish looms large at Headingley.

No matter how it ends, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul have already authored one of the most memorable days in Indian Test cricket, reminding everyone, especially Goenka, that true greatness often shows up in whites, not just lights.

Rishabh Pant posted a heartfelt message for his Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) teammate Aiden Markram after the historic win of South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter, who is with India's team gearing up for the England Test series, took to social media to praise Markram's match-winning century over Australia on Saturday, June 14.

Pant, who led LSG in the just-concluded IPL 2025, has grown close to foreign teammates Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram. Although LSG missed out on a playoff spot, both Markram and Pooran impressed with the bat, scoring 445 and 524 runs, respectively. Earlier this week, Pant also paid tribute to Pooran after the West Indies star announced his retirement from international cricket.

In the wake of South Africa's five-wicket win over Australia, which finally ended their ICC title drought, Pant lauded Markram's calmness and brilliance during the final. Addressing him as his "brother," India's star player wrote:

A Bond Beyond Franchises

"Well played, Aiden, brother. I am so happy for you—what a great knock under pressure. You have made us all proud, and congratulations to South Africa on lifting the WTC mace," Pant tweeted on X.

Well played, Aiden brother . I am so happy for you - what a great knock under pressure. You have made us all proud and congratulations to South Africa on lifting the WTC mace.👏🏆 pic.twitter.com/YNqaj4gFis

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) June 14, 2025

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Pant is already in Kent, taking part in India's intra-squad warm-up match as part of their build-up to the five-Test series against England, which starts on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. South Africa, on the other hand, will play a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe from June 28 at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.

West Indian batting dynamite Nicholas Pooran shocked the world by announcing his international retirement on Monday. The 29-year-old batter hailing from Trinidad had featured in 61 T20Is for the West Indies and was poised to be the mainstay in his national side after becoming the highest run scorer for his side in this format. 

Following his retirement. Pooran began receiving support from different corners of the cricketing world. His own LSG teammate Rishab Pant stepped in to offer his support in the form of a heartfelt note. 

See also: Nicolas Pooran appointed as skipper of MI franchise

Pant pays tribute to Pooran on his retirement

Pant and Pooran reportedly share a very good bond on and off the field. While being characteristically similar in their batting style, the duo share the same dressing room in the cash-rich league and know each other from the inside out. The Indian vice-captain wished him all the best and lauded him for whatever milestones he had achieved for West Indies cricket.

"You have made your mark bro - a true teammate, friend and an absolute powerhouse. Proud to have shared the field with you, Congrats on everything you have done for West Indies cricket. Wishing you nothing but success for the road ahead. Respect always."

Pooran made his IPL debut in the 2019 season and has represented three franchises - PBKS, SRH, and LSG. The Trinidadian-born batter joined LSG in 2023 and has since then not looked back. He has had the most amount of successing playing for this franchise, scoring 1381 runs, averaging around 43. His retirement came a week after Heirich Klaasen announced his retirement from international cricket. Prior to Klaasen, Australia's Glenn Maxwell had also called time on his ODI career, making 2025 a year of retirements. 

Pooran made the decision to retire when he informed WICB not to consider him for the white-ball tour to England. With nearly eight months to go before the 2026 T20 World Cup kicks off, Pooran's departure will serve as a massive blow for the 2016 champions and a loss for Windies cricket as a whole.

On May 27, 2025, LSG's road to the playoff race officially drew to a close. That day marked the end of LSG's disappointing campaign in the IPL 2025 season. Their journey had been riddled with despair, coupled with a series of highs and lows, leading to their elimination from the playoff race. Facing off in their last league game against RCB at home, LSG found themselves in a very commanding position by the halfway stage. LSG's swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman Rishab Pant, who had been dormant all throughout the season, finally got going with the bat and slammed the RCB bowlers to all parts to register his first century of the season. 

Despite concluding the first innings on a high, LSG bowlers lacked the impetus to close out the game and allowed the likes of Salt, Kohli, and Jitesh to get off the hook. In the end, RCB ran away with the game and completed a record run chase, winning the match by six wickets to finish in the top two. Much to the demise of the LSG supporters, Pant's magnificent century was overshadowed by Jitesh's match-winning knock of 85*, which proved instrumental in getting RCB over the line. 

See also: IPL 2025, Match 70: Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Full Match Highlights

Rishab Pant conveys heartfelt thanks to LSG's support staff 

It's been a season to forget for LSG. Irrespective of what has happened to the Lucknow-based outfit this season, Pant made sure that he conveyed his mention of thanks to his team members and his coaching staff, all of whom supported him diligently throughout his journey. He thanked all the individuals who were in the frame (and those who were not), for meticulously planning and executing everything from scratch. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗩𝗣𝘀 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺.@LucknowIPL#RP17 pic.twitter.com/DVvzS0qWU4

— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) May 28, 2025

Pant has been selected for the upcoming England tour, which will comprise a five-match Test series. He will be handling the keeping responsibilities and serve as Gill's deputy. It is worth noting that Pant averages 32.71 across 17 Test innings with a career-best score of 146.

The summersault after the century talked a lot about Rishabh Pant's IPL 2025 journey. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spent INR 27 crore to bring in Rishabh Pant, a record-breaking bet that proved flop in an unthinkable scenario.

After creating so much hype and attracting a bagful of money, Pant concluded his IPL 2025 season with a 50-plus innings and a century. The century came when LSG was already out of playoff contention. Pant's ton was not enough to grab a win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and after the match the southpaw looked out of confidence when he was asked about next season's squad.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who is named the deputy of Shubman Gill for India's tour to England, in 14 IPL 2025 matches scored only 269, including an unbeaten 118-run innings against RCB, the last league match of the tournament. Not only for being off-color with the bat, Pant's on-field decision as a captain caused criticisms.

Read More: PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2025: Former India cricketer suggest to drop this overseas cricketer in Qualifier 1 match

Now, a part of cricket fans are now not willing to see Rishabh in the Lucknow jersey. Should Rishabh and Lucknow Super Giants choose to make a golden handshake before the next season?

When the middle-order batter asked about the future of the team, he replied, "You have to play good cricket for 40 overs to win a match. 20 overs of good cricket will not help you. This has been our story. Injuries to our bowlers didn’t help us either. I was feeling well with every match. I want to score big after getting a start, and this is what I did against RCB... Lots of areas need improvement. I don’t know where the talks will go. The season has just finished, and I don’t want to talk about cricket for a few days. The England tour is coming, and we will have to start preparations for that."

Lucknow Super Giants are playing their last match of the IPL 2025, where they are facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow in the last league stage game of the tournament on Tuesday evening (May 27). While South African cricketer Aiden Markram is absent from the game, here we are going through the reason for his absence.

Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants lost the toss in their last game of the season, while RCB sent them to bat first. Talking about the squad, LSG skipper revealed two changes. While Digvesh Rathi obviously joined the playing squad after completing his one-match suspension, South African Matthew Breetzke replaced his native Aiden Markram for the match. With this match, Breetzke makes his IPL debut.

Aiden Markram is the third leading run-scorer for LSG in the IPL 2025. The right-handed batter scored 445 runs in 13 innings this season with an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.82, including five half-centuries, the joint second most 50+ scores for the team this season. He smashed 38 fours and 22 sixes this season, the third most sixes by a LSG batter in the IPL 2025. Moreover, Markram has also taken four wickets this IPL season. 

See Also: IPL 2025: Why are Tim David and Lungi Ngidi not playing in today's LSG vs RCB clash?

Why is Aiden Markram not playing today?

Due to his national duty, Markram has left his IPL franchise and is ready to join the national team. Markram is one of the important players for South Africa, who will face the defending champions Australia in the upcoming third ICC World Test Championship Final. 

IPL 2025, LSG vs RCB: Still an important match for RCB

As LSG have already been eliminated from the tournament, there is no replacement requirement for Markram. It is still an important match for LSG, just like RCB, who are battling to secure the top-two finish in the IPL 2025 points table. Before the match, LSG are in the seventh position in the points table with 12 points in 13 games. By ending the season with a victory, LSG will finish the season in the sixth position after surpassing the IPL 2024 runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (13 points in 14 matches).