Virat Kohli stepped down as India’s T20I captain following the team’s poor campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Shortly after, the BCCI replaced him as the ODI skipper, handing over the reins to Rohit Sharma. In 2022, Kohli also resigned as Test captain. Since taking over, Rohit Sharma has led India to notable success, including winning the T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, showcasing his strong leadership across formats.

In a chat on R Ashwin’s YouTube show, spinner Varun Chakaravarthy was asked to evaluate Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's styles of captaincy. The mystery spinner had played under both leaders, and he discussed how you can see the captaincy style of both in their respective approaches on the field. His view gave fans a closer glimpse into both players' varied styles, leadership qualities, and how, now, perhaps the team is approaching both of them differently through Rohit’s more recent and successful term as captain.

See Also: Former Pakistan all rounder appointed as new Test Head coach for upcoming series

“Virat is a true leader. When you just see him, when you just observe what he is doing and you must have also noticed the match against Pakistan, you were also there. We lost first two wickets to Shaheen Shah Afridi. But when Virat came, he stepped down and hit Shaheen for six and it was so inspiring and motivational, but how he is giving it back and all this. So Virat is exceptional, as in the way he can he can cheer up everyone. So the main thing was whenever I spoke to him his answers were very motivational and in that thing and when I spoke to Rohit Sharma, it was very tactical. So it was two different parts,” Varun Chakravarthy said.

Ashwin backs Varun's claim on the captaincy debate

Ashwin, hosting the discussion, agreed with Varun Chakaravarthy’s views and highlighted the difference in leadership styles between the two former captains. He described Virat Kohli as an inspirational figure who leads by example — always visible, intensely involved in training and practice, and motivating the team through his presence and energy. In contrast, Rohit Sharma was praised for his tactical mindset, with Ashwin noting that Rohit’s strategies are well thought out, particularly when it comes to field placements and exploiting opposition batters’ weaknesses.

Recently Kohli and Rohit became retired players of Test cricket, the retired players from T20Is. Their retirements have led to the end of an era for Indian cricket, but they have both begun an era where succession is evolving. The ongoing Test series against England displays this generation shift, as Shubman Gill becomes captain and Rishabh Pant is his vice-captain. The transfer of leadership represents a new beginning, a new chapter, as India steps towards the future.

Ravi Ashwin, never one to shy away from an honest opinion or a clever observation, had a lot to say about Rishabh Pant’s recent heroics with the bat. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the veteran off-spinner praised Pant for his incredible attacking knock but also cheekily nudged him to aim higher quite literally. Ashwin's message was clear: Pant’s brilliance is unmatched, but with a little more patience, it could turn into something historic.

“If I was Gautam Gambhir, I would tell Rishabh Pant that the way you batted was outstanding,” Ashwin said. “It’s a blessing to have a batter like you. But also, can we please expect a 200 next time when you’re on 130? Because you know your lower order can’t contribute much.” It was part admiration, part constructive feedback and totally Ashwin.

Pant, who smashed a brilliant century in the Leeds Test, once again proved why he’s one of the most dangerous wicketkeeper-batters in world cricket. But like many times before, he got out before turning it into a double — something fans, and clearly teammates like Ashwin, feel he’s more than capable of doing.

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Turning 100s into 200s —A Challenge Only Pant Can Accept

Ashwin’s comment was more than just praise. It was a challenge. He knows how important Pant is in India’s new batting setup, especially now that the middle and lower order isn’t as strong as it once was. A double century from someone like Pant can shift a match and series in India’s favor.

And with Gambhir now at the helm of India’s coaching setup, Ashwin’s words may not be far from reality. If Pant can channel his aggression with a little more discipline, there’s no doubt that 200 is just a matter of time. As Ashwin rightly said players like Pant are rare blessings. It’s time to see how far that blessing can take Team India.

The Indian Test vice-captain Rishab Pant has already started making waves right from the onset of the Test series. The 27-year-old hit the ground running in the opening Test at Headingly and went after the English bowlers to smash a century each in both innings. In a match where the lower order failed to fire, Pant rose up to the challenge and made a significant contribution with the bat to give India an outside chance of emerging victorious. On the back of such a breathtaking performance, the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter has now joined an elite list by becoming the only Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a century in both innings. 

See also: Rishab Pant creates history by becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper batter to reach 800 rating points. Here is how the Twitterati reacted!

Star off-spinner's endless praise for dynamic Pant

Pant's exploits at Headingly have been lauded by several cricketing pundits and former Indian cricketers. Very recently, in a conversation with a journalist, India's now-retired spin-bowling legend Ravi Ashwin shared his thoughts following Pant's splendid show in the Headingly Test. While lauding Pant's dynamic style of batting, the veteran off-spinner also added that the swashbuckling hitter has got a myriad of shots in his books and a great defensive technique. 

Ashwin later confessed that had he been in Gambhir's or Gill's shoes, he would have urged Pant to bat even more responsibly, given the poor state of affairs concerning India's lower middle order. To be on the safer side, Ashwin expects Pant to reach a score in excess of 200 in the upcoming matches in the series. 

Ravi Ashwin who is test legend and great analyst of game has plenty of words for Rishabh pant’s 2 century

-But our coach Mr Gambhir got angry 😡 as soon as he listened name of pant

I am thinking what if this century came under Ravi shastri coaching pic.twitter.com/0WSeM4Snsy

— Harsh shekhawat (@wordofshekhawat) June 25, 2025

Pant's valiant effort with the bat helped India achieve 471 and 364 in the first and second innings, respectively. The Indian vice-captain slammed 134 (178) in the first innings and formed a defiant 209-run stand with the Indian skipper to take India to a dominating position. Subsequently, in the second innings, Pant was once again involved in forming a crucial partnership with Rahul, which was worth 195 runs. Pant was the second-highest run scorer after India in the second innings, scoring 118 (140).

Despite his heroic contribution, India paved the way for an easy victory for England as the hosts managed to trump the visitors convincingly on the final day of the Test match by five wickets.

Ravichandran Ashwin's intellectual reply about Virat Kohli ahead of the England vs. India 5-match Test series has sparked controversy. The former India international spinner does not think that Team India will not miss Virat on the field during. 

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired just before the announcement of the squad for the England series, and Ravichandran Ashwin retired last year during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India appoints Shubman Gill as the new captain of the Test team and hands over mountain-like tasks to fill in the upcoming 5-match Test series. Indian cricket fans still can't believe that Team India will not get the service of Virat Kohli in the upcoming days. 

But Ravichandran Ashwin is not an ordinary cricket fan; he experienced a lot throughout his career journey and only likes to deal with logic. With this mindset, Ashwin chose to offer an intellectual reply when he was asked about Virat Kohli being an 'ambassador' of Test cricket. 

Read More: 3 Reasons why including Harshit Rana for first ENG vs IND 2025 Test might be mistake

"I do not think anybody who has played the game, or will play the game, is higher than the game itself. Nobody who walks the park does good for the game—the game does good or bad by them. I love Virat, but he has come, played the game, left the game, and left it at a great place. It is for someone else to take it forward," Ashwin said. 

Comments about Shubman Gill also

The former international advised Shubman Gill to perform well with the bat. Ashwin said that he was very overwhelmed with the latest attention he got as Test captain. 

"I think Gill is already too overwhelmed by the attention and responsibility he has gotten. If I were in his place with such a high-pressure job, I would want to have a very good start as a batsman. As a batter, he will have his share of questions on his place, as England can be a very tough place to bat. But if he makes runs, runs will give confidence, and that would in turn rub off on the captaincy," R. Ashwin said about the team India Test skipper. 

A day after the Madurai Panthers formally lodged a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), accusing R. Ashwin’s Dindigul Dragons of ball tampering during their June 14 match, the league organizers responded, requesting the franchise to submit concrete evidence. The Panthers alleged that the Dindigul side used towels treated with chemicals, resulting in the ball becoming heavier and producing a metallic sound upon contact with the bat. The claims have raised eyebrows, especially considering the stature of players involved.

TNPL CEO Prasanna Kannan confirmed the receipt of the complaint and acknowledged the gravity of the allegations. While noting that such complaints should ideally be filed within 24 hours of the match, he said the league has still accepted Madurai’s submission and will take appropriate steps once proof is furnished. “They have filed a complaint, which we have acknowledged. Though they have to lodge any complaints within 24 hours of the game, we have still accepted it and have asked them to furnish proof of their allegations. We will be forming an independent committee if we find there is any truth to their allegations. Without sufficient evidence, it is wrong to put forth such allegations against a player and another franchise. If they don’t provide any evidence, then Madurai will face due sanctions,” he told The Indian Express.

In the letter submitted to TNPL, Madurai franchise COO S. Mahesh wrote, “A serious case of ball tampering occurred during our recent match against Dindigul Dragons. Despite repeated warnings, the Dindigul team blatantly tampered with the ball, using towels that appeared to have been treated with chemicals.” The match was held in Salem under damp conditions, with a brief rain delay before Madurai batted first and scored 150/8. Dindigul chased the total in just 12.3 overs, winning by nine wickets. Ashwin, who opened the innings and scored 49, went wicketless with the ball.

Towels, Checks, and Match Protocols

The TNPL, considering the monsoon-affected conditions, provides towels to all franchises for drying the ball—but only under strict guidelines. Kannan clarified that players are allowed to dry the ball in the presence of umpires using official TNPL-issued towels. “They have to dry the ball only using the towels provided by TNPL. And every time the ball is hit for a six or immediately after a dismissal and overbreak, umpires regularly check the ball, and they didn’t find any issue with the ball during the said match,” he said.

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The league’s position is firm: if Madurai does not produce verifiable evidence, they cannot progress with the complaint, and the franchise risks disciplinary action for making unverifiable allegations. The TNPL is waiting to see what will happen next as the focus on the big-money match continues.

Scenes of comedy ensued during the 11th fixture of the TNPL 2025 between Dindigul Dragons and Siechem Madurai Panthers in Salem. During the Siechem Madurai Panthers' innings, the fielding team hilariously failed to seize a run-out opportunity, not just once but thrice! The missed opportunity left Ravi Ashwin, the skipper of the Dragons, dumbfounded and lost for words. Even the on-air commentators could not help laughing and were astonished to see this comical blunder unfold in front of their very eyes. 

See also: TNPL 2025 NRK VS SS: Players battle to watch out for

So how did the blunder look like in real time?

The incident occurred during the second ball of the first innings when Madurai Panthers were batting. Ganeshan Periyaswamy bowled a blockhole length delivery well outside the off-stump line, forcing Gurjapneet Singh to play wide off his body. Gurjapneet reached out for it and did well to get some bat on it, but the ball found Ashwin at short extra cover. He immediately set off for a run despite knowing the risks of it. Ashwin had also released the ball quickly to have a shy at the stumps, but the throw was off target and the bowler did not step in to provide the timely backup. This was the first lapse that resulted in a run. 

Moving on, the fielder at deep square leg backed up Ashwin's throw and later took an aim at the striker's end. But Baba Indrajith, the keeper, didn’t get behind the ball either, and much to their agony, the Dragons allowed another bonus run. Even the third throw missed the bowler and the stumps, but was backed up, and the batters didn’t run again as they were quite content with three runs. All cameras were pointed towards Ashwin, who must have been livid from within but tried to maintain his composure while he was live. 

Watch it here:

Run Out missed 1st time.
Run Out missed 2nd time.
Run Out missed 3rd time.

CRAZY CRICKET IN TNPL. 🤣pic.twitter.com/PgnxJ2h6tr

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 14, 2025

Interestingly, the Dragons' fielders were presented with three chances to run out the batters, but much to their despair, all three opportunities went begging. However, despite the early setback, the Dragons finished strong as they were able to restrict the Panthers to only 150. In the run chase, Ashwin and Shivam slammed a match-winning opening stand of 124 runs and comfortably cruised to victory, winning the game by nine wickets. 

From a spin-bowling all-rounder to directly at the opening spot. Ravichandran Ashwin is rocking in his new role with Dindigul Dragons (DD). On Saturday evening, game 11 of TNPL 2025 witnessed a swashbuckling Ashwin smash a lightning-paced innings at the top of his team's batting order against Siechem Madurai Panthers (SMP). Dragons snatched all the points from the match by defeating Panthers. 

Toss and the first innings:

DD skipper Ashwin chose to chase a target after winning the toss at the Salem Cricket Foundation Stadium. Madurai started the innings with a decent pace, rotating strikes in a regular manner, but their batters were not in a hurry. The run rate started to dip more during the middle overs. Varun Chakravarthy produced a very economical spell, with an economy rate below 5, and took a wicket too. Ashwin and Chandrasekar bowled with a below 7 economy rate. Due to the bowling, panthers got very little room to use their claws and ended their innings at 150.

Second inning 

Ashwin and Shivam Singh took an aggressive approach from the very first over. The first over of the second innings started with 12 runs. Dragon won the match by 9 wickets and 45 balls in hand. Ashwin missed his half-century by only one run. Singh got the man of the match award for playing an unbeaten 86-run innings. 

A dominant victory for the Dindigul Dragons. 🔥#DDvSMP #TNPL #TNPL2025 #NammaOoruNammaGethu pic.twitter.com/VYad1UQOuh

— TNPL (@TNPremierLeague) June 14, 2025

Read More: WATCH: South Africa lifts Test mace after winning WTC Final 2025

Siechem Madurai Panthers vs Dindigul Dragons full match scorecard

Siechem Madurai Panthers- 150/8 (20)

Dindigul Dragons- 151/1 (12.3)

The stage is all set to host the 9th edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). After inauguration in 2016, Tamil Nadu's own T20 tournament has now about to begin its 9th edition. The tournament starts from June 5 and in the first match, the defending champion team Dindigul Dragons will lock horns with Lyca Kovai Kings. A total of 8 teams will try their best to achieve the desired trophy to prove the dominance. 

Through this stage, young players from the state will get the golden opportunity to showcase their talents with renowned players of the country. In this edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Varun Chakravarthy, Sai Sudharshan are set to feature for their respective clubs. 

Here is the list containing names of all 8 teams in TNPL 2025- Dindigul Dragons, Lyca Kovai Kings, Nellai Royal Kings, Chepauk Super Gillies, Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans, SKM Salem Spartans, Siechem Madurai Panthers, and Trichy Grand Cholas. Cricket fans can enjoy the tournament live through online platforms and television channels. 

Read More: WATCH: Fans explain stampede situation outside Chinnaswamy stadium

Live streaming

• Online streaming platform for TNPL 2025 Season 9: FanCode
• Television channel for broadcasting TNPL 2025 season 9: Star Sports 2

Venues: The SNR College Cricket Ground, SCF Cricket Ground, Indian Cement Company Ground and NPR College Ground. 

TNPL 2025 Schedule

League stages: (at Coimbatore) June 5-11; (at Salem) June 13-19; (at Tirunelveli) June 21-26; (at Dindigul) June 28-29.

Playoffs: (at Dindigul) 

Qualifier 1: July 1

Eliminator: July 2 

Qualifier 2: July 4

Final: July 6

Recently, Ravichandran Ashwin had an interview with Ravindra Jadeja in the first episode of his YouTube show Kutti Stories season 3. During that interview, Jadeja clarified why T20 cricket captaincy was tougher than Test cricket. 

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have played together many times for Team India in every format and the Chennai Super Kings. They have great memories as they played massive roles together many times for their teams’ successes on the field.

Ravindra Jadeja on Test cricket captaincy

Jadeja believes that the captaincy is easier in Test cricket. He mentioned that the Test cricket decisions are much simpler than T20 cricket while setting up the fielders, choosing the bowlers, especially using the key bowlers. Jadeja claims that these are more calculative in Test cricket. The all-rounder feels that most of the fielders are generally changed in Test cricket according to the bowlers, not according to the opposition batters.

See Also: Ravindra Jadeja cooks ‘star’ players flexing social media fame

Ravindra Jadeja on T20 cricket captaincy

On the other hand, Jadeja also believes that every ball is an event in T20 cricket, which makes the captaincy job tougher. While every four and six matters in T20 cricket, captains feel under pressure with a boundary, and need to think more about the next move. 

Ashwin also added that the session breaks of each day of Test cricket, which generally come after two hours of play, make Test cricket easier strategically for the captain.

Meanwhile, Jadeja further claimed that the batting order mostly remains the same for Test cricket but needs to be adjusted for T20 cricket according to the situations, which we especially experience in the crucial late middle overs or slog overs.  

Jadeja and Ashwin : Captaining in Test cricket is the easiest Job, while T20 format is the toughest to captain.

Owned Overhyped Chokli. 😭 pic.twitter.com/O1rR34YipE

— Aarchi (@Oye_Aarchi) May 28, 2025

It is the first time cricket fans watched Ravindra Jadeja with such an open mind in front of the camera. On Wednesday (May 28) afternoon, former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin released a full interaction session with Ravindra Jadeja on his official YouTube channel; the caption of the video is "CSK is family—Jaddu gets real."

The duration of the video is about 1 hour 20 minutes. In this time period, Jadeja shared his views about cricket and cricket players on and off the field. He labelled Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the most selfless cricketer he ever saw in his long career.

The star all-rounder made most of his comments directly using the cricketer's name, but certainly there are some comments where he did not mention anyone's name, which led the viewers to speculate. Jadeja talked about social media engagements and respect in real life.

Read More: RCB creates another record in IPL 2025 with unprecedented batting feat

For Jadeja, real life respect matters most for a player

"It's ok for the relentless comments that are posted. I strongly believe that a player should earn respect in the dressing room. Your social media profile engagement doesn't matter at all if you can't gain the respect of your teammates in the dressing room. Some are organic, some are bought, and the trend nowadays is to buy engagement."

And about MS Dhoni, world-winning former India skipper and one of the best captains in the history of IPL, Jadeja said, "My cricket journey has been shaped by two Mahendras—Mahendra Singh Chauhan, my childhood coach, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, my current mentor. I’ve even shared this with Mahi bhai."

Watch the moment of the interview here

Jadeja: Your social media profile and engagement doesn't matter at all if you can't gain the respect of your teammates.

Cooked Chokli 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/PCJaveSsh6

— ` (@WorshipDhoni) May 28, 2025