Rohit Sharma with Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant [Source: @Johns, @ImTanujSingh/x]
Rishabh Pant has been confirmed as the captain of the LSG franchise. Rinku Singh is set to add a new chapter to his life, while Rohit Sharma is bracing himself up to join ‘captain’ Ajinkya Rahane in the Mumbai team for the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy.
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, January 20.
Rishabh Pant Confirmed As LSG Captain
Rishabh Pant has been officially confirmed as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. The dashing wicketkeeper-batter was acquired by the LSG management back during the IPL 2025 mega auction, after having spent nearly a decade of his IPL career at Delhi Capitals.
Pant also became the most expensive player in IPL history, fetching a staggering Rs.27 crore at the bidding event back in November 2024. The 27-year-old holds an experience of 111 IPL games, all for the Capitals, and has amassed 3,284 runs at an average of 35.31.
Virat Kohli Likely To Play Ranji Trophy
As per an ABP report, Virat Kohli has made himself available for Delhi’s Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match against Railways from January 30 onwards. The legendary Indian batter, however, will likely miss Delhi’s match against Saurashtra owing to a neck sprain. The 36-year-old recently experienced an underwhelming Test series in Australia, scoring just 190 runs across five Tests, which included an unbeaten century in the single innings of the Perth affair back in November.
Soon after Delhi’s four-day fixture against Railways later this month, Kohli will be expected to join the Indian cricket team for the ODI series against England. The series itself serves as a prelude to the impending 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in the UAE.
Rohit Sharma To Play Under Rahane As Mumbai Announces Squad
The Mumbai Cricket Association has announced Mumbai’s squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match against Jammu & Kashmir. While Rohit Sharma has been selected in the team, it is worth noting that the Indian captain and struggling opening batter will be playing under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane. The Mumbai cricket team, under the leadership of Rahane, will face Jammu & Kashmir from January 23 onwards at the BKC Stadium in Mumbai.
Sharma, meanwhile, is undergoing one of the toughest phases of his career, considering the legendary Indian opener scored just 32 runs in three Tests recently in Australia, and failed to notch up a single notable score in the preceding home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
MS Dhoni Prepares For IPL 2025
Former Indian cricketer MS Dhoni has been spotted practicing in the nets for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter is set to reprise his role for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after getting retained by them as an ‘uncapped player’. Prior to the IPL 2024 season, Dhoni relinquished his captaincy responsibility in favour of rising star Ruturaj Gaikwad.
On Monday, January 20, a viral picture circulating on social media indicated that Dhoni has started gearing up for the tournament.
Rinku Singh Set To Marry MP Priya Saroj
India’s limited-overs specialist Rinku Singh is all set to marry Samajwadi Party MP Priya Saroj. As reported by the Economic Times, their families have already met each other and have agreed to the union.
However, no pre-wedding or ring engagement dates have been finalised yet.