• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Gambhir To Continue Atkinson Out And Faheem Ashraf Stars December 29 Cricket Highlights

Gambhir to continue, Atkinson out and Faheem Ashraf stars – December 29 Cricket highlights

Aakash Saini

Gautam Gambhir and Gus Atkinson [Source: AFP]Gautam Gambhir and Gus Atkinson [Source: AFP]

Gautam Gambhir is set to continue as Team India coach, as confirmed by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla. Pakistan fast bowler Faheem Ashraf made instant impact in BPL 2025-26 season for the Rangpur Riders franchise. In other news, Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the final Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series.

Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Monday, December 29.

Faheem Ashraf runs riot with five-fer in Rangpur’s BPL opener

Rangpur Riders fast bowler Faheem Ashraf picked up a sensational match-winning five-wicket haul in match number five of the BPL 2025-26 season. The Pakistani speedster conceded just 17 runs in his 3.5 overs as Riders dismantled the entire Chattogram Royals line for just 102. Ashraf’s spell occurred shortly after it was confirmed that he and several other Pakistan cricketers will miss a part of BPL 2025-26 owing to impending national commitments.

The Rangpur Riders franchise won the match by seven wickets with five overs to spare, with Faheem Ashraf fittingly bagging the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Mumbai Indians appoint Kristen Beams as WPL 2026 coach

The Mumbai Indians women franchise has appointed former Australian cricketer Kristen Beams as the new bowling coach for the upcoming WPL 2026 season next month. Beams, aged 41, played one Test, 30 ODIs and 18 T20I matches for the Australian women’s cricket team during her playing years between 2014 and 2017. She will be joining head coach Lisa Keightley, bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami, batting coach Devika Palshikar and fielding coach Nicole Bolton in the Mumbai Indians coaching set up.

Rajeev Shukla confirms Gambhir to continue as coach

BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has confirmed that former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir will continue to serve as the head coach of the Indian cricket team across all formats. Under Gambhir’s tenure, Team India has suffered crushing home Test series defeats to New Zealand and South Africa; and also conceded the Border-Gavaskar Trophy title to Australia for the first time in over a decade.

While speaking with the ANI, Shukla said that there are absolutely no plans in removing Gautam Gambhir as head coach, a sentiment previously echoed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell retires from all formats

New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell has announced his retirement from all formats of the game. The speedster confirmed the same late in December, i.e., after spending years on the sidelines. Bracewell last played an international match for New Zealand back in March 2023 during a home Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Central Districts paceman picked up 120 wickets in his 69-match international career, including 74 scalps in Tests. One of his most defining performances occurred early in his career when he bowled New Zealand to a historic seven-run win against Australia in Hobart back in 2011.

Gus Atkinson ruled out of remainder of Ashes 2025-26

England fast bowler Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the upcoming final Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series owing to a hamstring injury he suffered at the MCG last week during the ‘Boxing Day’ Test. Atkinson bowled just five overs in the second Australian innings of the fourth Test before getting taken off the attack. In the three matches he has played so far in the series, the 28-year-old has managed to collect just six wickets, and was thrashed around by Australian batters in Perth and Brisbane.