Former cricketer Suresh Raina recently added a new point to the ongoing discussion about India’s talented wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan. He also showed support for him in India’s T20I squad, despite Kishan’s omission from the 2025 Asia Cup team. Speaking on a YouTube podcast, Raina praised Kishan’s class and temperament. He also said that Kishan is the most underrated batsman in the world.

The left-hand batter has not played for the national team for many years. Ishan Kishan will not feature in East Zone’s opening match of the 2025 Duleep Trophy, as he is recovering from a minor injury in the UK. The incident happened during his time with Nottinghamshire, where he reportedly suffered cuts and needed stitches after falling off an e-bike.

Although the injury is not serious, he has been kept out as a precaution, considering his potential selection for the India A squad next month. This is also the reason why he will miss the Asia Cup squad.

Also Read -WATCH: Highlights of Rinku Singh's hammering 78* off 48 innings in UP T20 League

Raina Calls Ishan Kishan the Most Underrated Player

Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube podcast, Suresh Raina named fellow left-hander Ishan Kishan as the most underrated player. He said that Kishan can play many strong shots and has done well in his career so far.

“(Most underrated batsman) – Ishan Kishan. He is a very strong player. He has done really well. When he performs, he hits powerful shots,” Raina said. Notably, Ishan Kishan made a century on his SRH debut in IPL 2025. He scored an unbeaten 106 off 47 balls, which helped the 2016 champions reach 286/6 in 20 overs.

Suresh Raina said - "Ishan Kishan is the Most underrated Batsman in the World". (Shubhankar Mishra YT). pic.twitter.com/tg9KeRTqLI

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) August 31, 2025

Replacement Named: Aashirwad Swain Steps In

In Kishan’s absence, Odisha’s Aashirwad Swain has been added to the East Zone squad. Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra is expected to keep wickets as the first-choice when East Zone takes on North Zone, led by Shubman Gill, in the quarterfinal starting August 28 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), Bengaluru.

Why Kishan Missed the England Test Call-Up?

Kishan’s injury also affected his national team chances. He was not considered as a replacement for Rishabh Pant in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval due to his recovery. Instead, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was sent as the back-up keeper to Dhruv Jurel. The Jharkhand-based batter is expected to undergo fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. For Kishan, the main focus is full recovery before a possible call-up to the India A squad, which will host Australia A in two four-day matches next month.

A possible homecoming is on the line ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). The former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter can rejoin with the franchise ahead of IPL 2026. After the initial discussions, the franchise has yet to take a final call on the matter. 

Suresh Raina has made a huge claim about his possible homecoming at CSK, his former IPL team. During his days as an active cricketer, the former batsman had played a pivotal role for the team. Behind CSK's multi-time IPL glory, he played a crucial role. Raina, a former cricketer and now a cricket expert, claimed that the team management has asked him to join the team as a coaching staff member. Though, there is no official confirmation as of now. 

During a recent conversation Raina said, "I approached CSK, and they also asked to join as the coaching However, a final decision will be taken after an internal meeting." 

Read More: [WATCH] Craziest hit-wicket on wide delivery during CPL 2025 as video goes viral

Will he join CSK?

Raina spent 11 years with Chennai Super Kings as a constant middle-order batsman of the team. In 2021, he played his last IPL season, when he scored 160 runs in 11 innings at an average of 17.77. His best season with CSK was back in the 2009-10 season when, at an average of 47.27, he scored 520 runs in 16 matches and 16 innings. The amount of experience Raina gathered through international cricket and club cricket can be useful for nurturing young talents. 

After a setback in IPL 2025, CSK can go under a massive shuffle. During the mid-season of IPL 2025, they signed two young stars—Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis. Ahead of the new campaign, the franchise can opt to go with more emerging cricketers. MS Dhoni is with the club, and if Rainda joined the yellow brigade as a coaching staff, then their think tank can be looking very impressive and promising to push back the team on the right track to regain their glory days. As Raina said, after an internal meeting, the officials will make a final call about his possible appointment. 

It was a very surprising decision from the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) when they appointed the Test captain of the Blue Brigade as their new vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 09 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) across two venues- Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Many reckoned that Axar Patel should have been the new vice-captain of the side after getting the leadership during the previous home T20I series against England. However, most of them forgot that Hardik Pandya was the leader of the side when Rohit Sharma, the former leader, used to take breaks. The former Indian all-rounder, Suresh Raina, has expressed his wish to see the Baroda player as the new Indian leader.

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“Gill is anyway ahead of Shreyas Iyer (for captaincy), but in white-ball cricket, I think Hardik Pandya will do a lot of good as a captain. He has the experience of Kapil Dev with performances in the batting, bowling, and fielding departments. He is a very positive guy. He is also the captain and gives me a glimpse of Mahi bhai. The way he conducts the team is something I like a lot.” Raina expressed during a podcast video with Shubhankar Mishra.

Suresh Raina wants Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 World Cup 2026

The 31-year-old pace all-rounder has overall smashed 1812 runs in 90 innings at an average of 27.87 and a strike rate of 141.67, besides picking up 94 wickets at an average of 26.43 and a strike rate of 19.3 and an economy rate of just over eight with the best bowling figure of 4/16 in an inning.

Statements by Suresh Raina:
- Gill over Iyer any day
- Hardik will do miracles as captain
- He has Kapil dev level experience
- He is a player's Captain
- He gives me glimpses of MS Dhoni

Anyways Hardik is always there as a leader,Target Asia cup and T20wc ❤️ pic.twitter.com/c28RZtTQvz

— Nenu (@Nenu_yedavani) August 30, 2025

Hardik was one of the biggest reasons for India winning the T20 World Cup. His inclusion brought balance in the playing eleven as he gave the option of batting at number six and also contributed with four overs in the middle.

During the 2025 season of the IPL, the veteran smashed 224 runs at an average of 24.88 and a strike rate of 163.50, with the best score of unbeaten 48 runs, besides bagging 14 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 24.42. He will look to hold the same rhythm during the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

An off day from the game is what every cricketer craves amidst the jam-packed cricketing schedule. If the day brings festive season with it, it becomes a memorable one. On the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, cricketers are not celebrating the festival away from the game and with their family members. Several current cricketers and former cricketers took to social media and shared their celebration pictures.

The likes of India T20I captais Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and former cricketer VVS Laxman were seen celebrating the festival with their family members. The other cricketers who were indulged in the festivities are former India cricketers Suresh Raina and Virender Sehwag. Not only cricketers but the Indian Premiers League teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings were also seen embroiled in the festival.

See Also: ‘Thinking what if they stamped on his foot….’- Coach revisits Virat Kohli’s influence on Delhi players during Ranji Trophy comeback

Here are some of the posts from social media:

Suryakumar Yadav & his wife celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/mgju9cTci5

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 27, 2025

Tilak Verma and his family celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LtLFj7ZrIr

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) August 27, 2025

On this sacred day of Ganesh Chaturthi, may Lord Ganesha’s divine presence fill your home with happiness, peace, and success. Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to you and your loved ones! 🙏❤️ #GaneshChaturthi2025 pic.twitter.com/pL60UhCUiR

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) August 27, 2025

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all those celebrating today. 🧡🪔 pic.twitter.com/M5C6vIobRw

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) August 27, 2025

Om ganeshay namah 🥰 Ganesh Janmotsav 🚩#GaneshChaturthi pic.twitter.com/p5LSK8amfD

— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) August 27, 2025

Om Gan Ganapataye Namo Namah
Shree Siddhi Vinayak Namo Namah
Ashtavinayak Namo Namah
Ganapati Bappa Moraya
Mangal Murti Moraya

May Ganesh ji’s blessings always be with you.
Wishing you a very happy #GaneshChaturthi pic.twitter.com/av6nkRS0fq

— Virrender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 27, 2025

Chennai Super Kings poster for Ganesh Chaturthi. 💛 pic.twitter.com/etPvsBAq6g

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 27, 2025

South Africa Champions simply demolished Pakistan Champions in the final of WCL 2025, which concluded on Sunday with South Africa as the winner. After the match, the former India international took a dig at the Pakistan Champions team through his social media post.

The comments made by Raina showcased his confidence in India and the commitment to representing the nation beyond the cricket ground. Raina was confident that India Champions too could have brutally defeated Pakistan. 

"What a knock by AB de Villiers in the final; he absolutely smashed it. Had we played, we would’ve crushed them too, but we chose our nation above everything else," Suresh Raina said this on his social media post. 

Read More: [WATCH] Sunil Gavaskar’s special gift for Shubman Gill during ENG vs IND 5th Test

Here's what Suresh Raina wrote:

What a knock by @ABdeVilliers17 in the final, absolutely smashed it

Had we played, we would’ve crushed them too, but we chose our nation above everything else.

Full respect to @EaseMyTrip and @nishantpitti for standing firm and not supporting any match involving them. That’s…

— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) August 2, 2025

The champions of India and Pakistan were scheduled to collide in the semifinal of the WCL 2025. But the team in blue chose to boycott the match. Thus, as per the rules of the tournament, Pakistan advanced to the final by default and faced South Africa in the title decider. AB de Villiers, who was honored with the man of the series and man of the match awards, single-handedly took the final match away from Pakistan. An unbeaten 120 off 60 from Villiers was enough to thrash Pakistan, supported by JP Jean-Paul Duminy's unbeaten 50. 

Pakistan, batting first, posted a formidable score of 195/5 in their 20 overs; Sharjeel Khan put in an exceptional performance by scoring 76 runs in 44 deliveries. But this total proved not enough to restrict the South African champions from lifting the WCL 2025 trophy. 

The Indian Champions are struggling in this tournament, losing both their matches and currently occupying the bottom position in the points table. They lost their last match by 4 wickets against the Australia Champions, failing to defend the target of 204 runs.

On the other hand, the England Champions have faced a difficult campaign, collecting just one point across four matches, and that came via a match that was called off because of rain.

IAC vs EDC Match Details

Date: July 27th, 2025

Time: 9:00 PM IST

Venue: Headingley, Leeds

Live Streaming: Fancode  

IAC vs EDC Weather Report

Clear weather

Also Read: WCL 2025: SAC vs AAC Prediction– Match 12, Who will win today?

Top Batters IAC vs EDC 

• Phil Mustard (EDC) - 101 runs in this tournament 

• Eoin Morgan (EDC) - 89 runs in this tournament

• Samit Patel (EDC) - 78 runs in this tournament 

Top Bowler IAC vs EDC

• Stuart Meaker (EDC) - 5 wickets in this tournament 

• Piyush Chawla (IAC) - 5 wickets in this tournament

• Ajmal Shahzad (EDC) - 3 wickets in this tournament

IAC vs EDC Recent Performance

IAC vs EDC Today Match Prediction Scenarios

Scenario 1- If EDC bats first

• First Innings score prediction- EDC is expected to score 160-170 runs

• Result prediction- IAC will win the match by 5 Wickets.

Scenario 2- If IAC bats first

• First Innings score prediction- IAC is expected to score 200-210 runs.

• Result prediction- IAC will win the match by 20-30 Runs

IAC vs EDC Predicted Playing XI

England Champions (AAC) Playing XI 

Phil Mustard (wk), Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Tim Ambrose, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ajmal Shahzad, Stuart Meaker, Dimitri Mascarenhas.

India Champions (SAC) Playing XI

Robin Uthappa (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh (c), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Siddarth Kaul.

IAC vs EDC Complete Squad

England Champions -

Phil Mustard (wk), Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Tim Ambrose, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ajmal Shahzad, Stuart Meaker, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Sir Alastair Cook, Chris Tremlett, Ryan Sidebottom, James Vince, Usman Afzaal

India Champions -

Robin Uthappa (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh (c), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Pawan Negi, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Abhimanyu Mithun

IAC vs EDC Today Match Prediction, Who Will Win the Match?

India Champions To win

We predict that India Champions will be winning this WCL 2025 match. The likes of Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Piyush Chawla will be key players to watch out for.

The former Indian all-rounder, Suresh Raina, has praised the wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, as the backbone of the side before the fourth fixture against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. He felt that even as a keeper, Pant helped the two spinners, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, in getting the right bowling lengths during the series.

Raina also addressed Pant’s skills to bat in various situations of the game. He shed light on how the Indian left-handed batter could free his arms when they are under pressure and would need to break the jail, besides showing his defensive batting.

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‘Rishabh is the backbone of the team. He keeps the energy going from behind the stumps, keeping the opposition batters confused, especially helping with Ravindra Jadeja & Washington Sundar's bowling lengths. When he comes on to bat, no matter the situation, he can play freely; even the opposition fielders take a step back and let him play because there's no stopping him. He backs his game.’ The Uttar Pradesh all-rounder expressed during a recent interaction on Sports Tak.  

Suresh Raina claims Rishabh Pant backbone of Indian team

‘He is a once-in-a-generation player who got the backing from his captain and selectors. The way Rohit Sharma backed him gave him the liberty to play his natural game. The success he has had in red ball cricket is his USP.’ The former Chennai Super Kings batter spoke about Pant, who has already scored two centuries in the ongoing England Test series.  

Overall, the left-handed batter has smashed 3373 runs in 81 red-ball innings at an average of 44.38 and a strike rate of 74.19, thanks to 17 half-centuries and eight centuries at the best score of unbeaten 159 runs. In this series, he has clubbed 425 runs in six innings at an average of 70.83 and a strike rate of nearly 80.

‘The shots he plays at any given point in time, the one-handed six, off stump game, his defense and shots in the V, testify that he has a lot of solidity in his gameplan and his mind his clear. He is playing well now, even in difficult spells. We saw how he dealt with Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes. he maneuvered them well, knowing his time will come.’ Raina explained on Sports Tak.

Former cricketer Suresh Raina has thrown his support behind young batter Sai Sudharsan to replace Karun Nair in India's playing XI for the crucial fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. India, led by Shubman Gill, currently trails 1-2 in the five-match series, making the Old Trafford Test a must-win encounter for the visitors.

Karun Nair made his Test comeback after an eight-year hiatus and was initially slotted in at No. 6. In the series opener, debutant Sai Sudharsan batted at No. 3 but was dropped after scoring 0 and 30. Karun was then promoted to No. 3 for the next two Tests but has failed to convert his starts into impactful innings, with scores of 0 and 20 in the most recent outing.

Raina, speaking to Sports Tak, suggested a change could benefit India. He said, “I think India should go with the same team. However, Sai Sudharsan can be an option because he has done really well. You gave Karun Nair a chance, and he played knocks of 30-35. He is playing well, but just give a chance to Sai Sudharsan. You will have another left-handed batter on the side. He plays the sweep and the reverse sweep quite well. I feel Karun Nair is stuck somewhere.”

Experts weigh in on Karun Nair’s inconsistency

Karun Nair has accumulated 131 runs in six innings at an average of 21.83, drawing criticism from former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer. In a conversation with TimesofIndia.com, Engineer emphasized the need for bigger scores from a No. 3 batter: “Karun Nair has been getting brilliant 20s and 30s. He's scored a beautiful 30 runs, beautiful cover drives, and all that. But a beautiful 30 is not expected from a No. 3. You've got to get a not-so-beautiful 100.”

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He added, “We should pick the best XI. I haven’t seen much of Sai Sudharsan. You are playing for your country. Your reputation is at stake. If he's good, play him to win this Test match.” While Karun had a strong run with India A earlier this year, scoring 259 runs across three innings against England Lions, he hasn’t been able to replicate that form in the ongoing series. All eyes are now on India’s final selection for the Manchester Test starting Wednesday, July 23.

Former India batter Suresh Raina has expressed strong belief in Team India's ability to bounce back and win the ongoing Test series against England. Despite trailing 2-1 after a narrow 22-run defeat at Lord’s, Raina is optimistic that the youthful Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, can turn things around and clinch the five-match series 3-2. Speaking to news agency ANI, Raina said, “They will do it. They have that sense of desire, perseverance, and determination. Gill will make his mark as a batter and as a captain. I think he has done really well."

Raina also praised other Indian batters for their contributions during the tour so far. He highlighted the performances of KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant, pointing out the solid foundation they have laid with the bat. “We saw how KL Rahul batted, offered some solidity as an opener, and got good support from Yashasvi Jaiswal. Then Rishabh Pant, he has batted so differently, and his wicketkeeping has been great,” the 38-year-old stated.

Despite being behind in the series, Raina emphasized that India has often outplayed England in patches. “India won, then India lost, then won, then lost (talking about sessions during the Test series). However, as a player, Shubman Gill has done well. He has scored runs. Washington Sundar has done well. Jasprit Bumrah, I think his bowling was outstanding,” he added.

Gill leads with the bat, bowlers dominate charts

As things stand in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill is the leading run-getter in the series, scoring 607 runs at a remarkable average of 101.16, including three centuries with a best of 269. Rishabh Pant is second with 425 runs at 70.83, having notched up two hundreds and two fifties. Among the bowlers, Mohammed Siraj leads with 13 wickets, followed closely by Jasprit Bumrah (12) and Akash Deep (11).

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India will look to script history in the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, a venue where they have never won a Test match. Out of nine games, the team has lost four and drawn five. The last meeting at the venue in August 2014 ended in a heavy innings-and-54-run defeat for India, with Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali dismantling their batting line-up.

On May 29, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) delivered a crushing blow to send Punjab Kings (PBKS) packing in their adopted home ground in Mullanpur. Hazlewood's return boosted RCB massively as he picked up three wickets early doors to lay the foundation for a spectacular batting collapse. Suyash, in the middle overs, tightened the screwes and returned figures of 3-17 to cripple the explosive PBKS batting lineup.

See also: RCB creates another record in IPL 2025 with unprecedented batting feat

The run chase from RCB was menacing, as Salt quickly raced out of the blocks, hammering and unbeaten 56* to help RCB complete a record run chase inside 10 overs. Their massive eight-wicket win has left a deep scar on PBKS's face as they look to regroup ahead of their do-or-die Qualifier 2 match on June 1. 

RCB enter IPL final after nine years

RCB brushed aside PBKS in a one-sided manner in Qualifier 1 to book their spot in the IPL 2025 Final. Their nine-year-long wait has finally come to an end. It is worth noting that the franchise has previously made three appearances in the final before the ongoing edition. RCB brought their A-game to the fore like no one expected. It got all the players involved, most notably King Kohli, who was frequently seen passing suggestions to his bowlers after every delivery. 

The buzz and the euphoria also left the on-air commentators captivated. The commentary panel, featuring Navjot Singh Sidhu, Suresh Raina, and Akash Chopra, was full of praise as they couldn't really come to terms with how RCB went about a rampage. Former Indian batting legend Suresh Raina also expressed his views on Kohli & Co's extraordinary dominance on the field. 

Watch Raina's reaction in the comm box:

WICKET! 💥

Priyansh Arya is gone and RCB is pumped!

Virat Kohli’s energy is unmatched, and the Comm Box is LOVING every second of it. 🔥

LIVE NOW ➡ https://t.co/B4bnHnppgJ #IPLPlayoffs | #Qualifier1 👉 #PBKSvRCB on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/ZYUVEcO8A4

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 29, 2025

In this video, Raina heaped praise on Kohli and recognized the hard work that he has put in over his 18-year-long career with RCB. He beleives that the plan is all coming together for RCB now and aspires them to reach the top summit. 

On the back of a thumping win, experts suggest that we could likely see a new champion this year. However, RCB will have to wait for the outcome of the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 match to determine their opponents for the final that will be played in Ahmedabad on June 3.