In one of the most exciting matches of IPL 2025, CSK faced off against RR at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Adding spice to the encounter, veteran Ashwin made a comeback and delivered a remarkable off-side wide that produced an electrifying moment in the stadium.

Ashwin’s Deceptive Delivery Traps Rana

During RR’s innings, Ashwin bluffed an off-side wide, which lured Nitish Rana to try to send it to the roof. The flighted delivery deceived the batsman and turned with a vengeance, leaving Rana stranded.

R. Ashwin got his man Nitish Rana 81(36)

One of the worse match with ball for Ash 4-46-1#IPL2025 #csk #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/NmjPq6AKV3

— Arv (@Arv922137579481) March 30, 2025

Also read:MI vs KKR : Match 12 Weather and Pitch report IPL 2025

MS Dhoni’s Lightning Stumping

As always, Dhoni, with his marvelous glove work, got rid of the bails before Rana had the opportunity to recover. The legendary keeper showed once again why he is considered to be one of the best in the game.

This instance turned out to be a watershed moment for CSK, shifting the momentum as RR collapsed and could not recover from the setback. With Ashwin’s brilliance and Dhoni’s insane reflexes, CSK sustained their dominance over the match.

 They engaged in a friendly contest of chess onboarded upon the intellectual magnificence enclosed in both games.

Ashwin's Unique Gesture Towards Gukesh

Known for his strategic meddling in cricket, Ashwin greeted Gukesh with a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey to honor his feats in the world of chess. This demonstration exemplified the mutual appreciation each celeb has for their opposing sports of mastery.

CHESS MASTER WITH SCIENTIST. 🔥

- D Gukesh meets Ravi Ashwin at the Chepauk. Ash presented the CSK jersey and also played Chess with Gukesh. ♟️ pic.twitter.com/cFAwlqn3UK

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 21, 2025

ALSO READ:-RCB vs KKR 1st Match Of IPL 2025 May Get Cancelled Major Update Arrives

The Clash of Strategies and Mindsets

Afterward, the two brans clad in jerseys of chess pieces played a mini game of chess, showing off Ashwin's chess skills. In the intersection of his athletics, he has constantly noted that chess sharpens his cognitive thought on the battlefield. Likewise, Gukesh, one of India’s youngsters chess masters, relished the maneuver of playing against an accomplished cricketer who had taken up the chess flag.

This encounter at the Chepauk was a meeting of blending sound mind with a sound body, exposing how champions from different hobbies appreciate each-others talent, hardwork and love for their profession.

Varun Chakravarthy is in a hail of praises for an exceptional spell against New Zealand in their last group game of the Champions Trophy. When others are hailing his performance how can another co-Tamilnadu player will stop? It's Ashwin the former Indian spinner who just can't hide his praises for him. He went on to say that Varun has strong adaptability in reading the batsman's mind. 

I am really happy that he has delivered for the team when required the most. It was crucial time for India when they were bundled with a score of 249/9 even New Zealand was considered as most balanced side and the chase would be easy for New Zealand. 

Read More: Will Shreyas Iyer Give His Best On An Important Match Against Australia

He is the X factor for the team.

But between them came Varun Chakravarthy who dismantled the openers and continuesly took wickets in regular time then coming back into the game was difficult task for New Zealand and India won the match by 44 runs. In the same Ashwin too narrated a story related to IPL when he was appointed as Punjab Kings captain and that year Varun Chakravarthy was bought by Punjab team. 

He said he couldn't play a single play due to his shoulder injury which was unfortunate for him to have a guy who is most useful but can't be utilised due to injury. Seriously it was my bad luck or I was not fortunate enough. If would have been available at that season it would be really helpful for me and the team. But now it's all about the past which cannot be changed. 

Read More: Does Steve Smith Have Any Special Message For India Ahead Of Their Semi Final Clash

He is equally important as Bumrah. 

Ashwin went on to praise team captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir who decided to play Chakravarthy against New Zealand. I had a thought he would be playing that day and my assumption was correct. He bowled brilliantly that day on the flight in the air and the nostalgia of reading the better mind what he is trying to do. He has highlighted that he can be the X factor of the team. He has compared Varun and Bumrah same contradiction where batters can't read their bowling. 

To avoid controversy he has highlighted that he not comparing Bumrah and chakravarthy just depicting their presence of both how cautious the batters are, Just like in semi give the new ball to him to dismiss Travis Head he will toss off the ball while Travis shows his three stumps he tries to attempt a lofted shot and may lose his wicket. 

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised Rohit Sharma's Selfless knocks for the team. He believes Sharma’s selfless approach is a sign of great leadership and shows his commitment to India's success. Ashwin also shared that he understands the struggles Sharma goes through when things don’t go his way. He said that he prays for Sharma to score a century in a series and hopes he gets the recognition he deserves in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Ravichandran Ashwin Praises Rohit Sharma’s Selfless Nature

This statement will give a sleepless night to under 18 fans 🤣

Selfless nation is back 🐐
pic.twitter.com/OYEPOZjhGK

— 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐮 (@Ro_45stan) February 13, 2025

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: RCB announce captain

Speaking about the criticism Sharma faces, Ashwin said that while it can be frustrating, he is confident that the Indian captain will bounce back in the Champions Trophy.Sharma doesn't go for own achievements,he played selfless knocks for the team. Ashwin , calling him a “true OG and legend.” As India prepares for the Champions Trophy, Sharma’s captaincy and determination will be key for the Indian team. With the support of his teammates and fans, he will be looking ahed for the winning of ICC Champions Trophy.

Ravi Ashwin former Indian Cricketer has raised his concern at match officials allowing Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube who was got hit by Overton during bowling. It was a do or die for England as they were trailing the series 2-1. If they won the series will be on a decider. 

Read More : Pictures of Mohammad Siraj And Zanai Bhosle Creates Viral Sensation

Dube Substitution

India were in terrible situation in 4th T20 where they lost five wickets near 70 runs from there Hardik and Shivam took charge and suceeded India to a respectable total. Both played really a explosive innings where others couldn't able to withstand on the slowey pitch

 It was the last over of Indian innings, Overton peach delivery hit hard near the helmet of Shivam Dube and walked off owing a concussion according to the rules. Which permits like to like substitution. 

Cause Of Debate

According to ICC rule if a player gets an head injury during the cause of play. After the blow the player is asked about the present happening or anything related him to know whether he can continue or not, if its found he cannot able to continue he gets substituted. 

Read More : Top 5 Reasons Why India Lost The 3rd T20 against England

 The substitution states it should happen in serious cause, and the player should be a like to like substitution not paving any extra advantage to the opposition. The bowler should be replaced as bowler, the all rounder should be replaced by all rounder. 

What Goes Around Comes Around

The ace spinner raised his concern to the umpires and the match officials for allowing Harshit Rana to get into play. It was Rana debut T20 international match. Ashwin says India has clinched yet another T20 series many congratulations to the team. 

But my doubt was whether it was an IPL match or international match. How can Harshit can be substitute of Shivam. It had happened in past too in Canberra where Chahal was replaced with Ravindra Jadeja addressing in his You Tube where he shares all his cricketing ideas. If no one in the squard that would have been another case but you have Ramandeep Singh who is in the dug out. I would say it's a clear mis calculation from the umpires side or match refree side. Today it hurted England, Tomorrow it may hurt India too. 

So, the annual award ceremony of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Naman Awards 2025, is running. The Indian cricket governing body is awarding the best performers in the 2023-24 season. 

Mumbai is hosting the BCCI Naman Awards 2025, where the legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah are present. 

Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy 2023-24

Ishwari Awasare (Best Woman Cricketer – Jr Domestic)

Priya Mishra (Best Woman Cricketer – Sr Domestic One Day)

H Jeganathan (Highest Wicket-taker in U16 Vijay Merchant Trophy)

L Raichandani (Highest Run Getter in U16 Vijay Merchant Trophy)

M.A. Chidambaram Trophy 2023-24

Neizekho Rupreo (Highest Wicket-taker in U23 Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy – Plate Group)

Hem Chetri (Highest Run Getter in U23 Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy – Plate Group)

P Vidyuth (Highest Wicket-taker in U23 Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy – Elite Group)

Aneesh KV (Highest Run Getter in U23 Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy – Elite Group)

Madhavrao Scindia Award 2023-24

Tanya Thyagarajan (Highest Wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy – Plate Group)

Agni Chopra (Highest Run Getter in the Ranji Trophy – Plate Group)

R. Sai Kishore (Highest Wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy – Elite Group)

Ricky Bhui (Highest Run Getter in the Ranji Trophy – Plate Group)

Lala Amarnath Award 2023-24

Shashank Singh (Best All-rounder in Domestic Limited-overs Competitions)

Tanush Kotian (Best All-rounder in the Ranji Trophy)

Best Umpire in Domestic Cricket 2023-24

Akshay Totre

Best Performance in BCCI Domestic Tournaments 2023-24

Mumbai – Won Ranji Trophy, Senior Women's T20 Trophy, Vijay Merchant Trophy

Highest Wickets in Women's ODI 2023-24

Deepti Sharma (13 wickets in 6 matches)

Highest Run Getter in Women's ODI 2023-24

Smriti Mandhana

Best Women's International Debut 2023-24

Asha Sobhana

Best Men's International Debut 2023-24

Sarfaraz Khan

Best Women's International Cricketer 2023-24

Smriti Mandhana

Polly Umrigar Award (Best Men's International Cricketer) 2023-24

Jasprit Bumrah

BCCI Special Award 2023-24

Ravichandran Ashwin

Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award 2023-24

Sachin Tendulkar

The BCCI Awards 2025 scheduled to take place on February 1, 2025, in Mumbai. Those achieving glorious feats will be rewarded, and those delivering outstanding performances in international cricket, domestic cricket, junior cricket, or umpiring, will be there.

BCCI Naman Awards?

The BCCI Naman Awards are considered the best form of recognition for Indian cricket by felicitating legendary stars and emerging heroes. The list of awards features trophies, medals, and shields, and a few of them are the highly prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the Polly Umrigar Award.

Event Information:

Date: February 1, 2025
Location: Mumbai (likely Wankhede Stadium)
Gathering: Cricketing legends, administrators, and young talents.

ALSO READ:12-year-old student in Kanpur: Cricket coach drugged, sexually assaulted

Complete List of Cricketers and Events :

International Cricket Awards

Domestic Cricket Awards

Women's Cricket Awards

Junior & Age-Group Cricket Awards

Ranji Trophy Awards

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin slammed “Bazball” style cricket after England’s batting line-up struggled in the third straight T20I, which was played at Rajkot.

Hosts India and the visitors England are battling in the five-match T20I series, which is also the beginning of the new era of England white-ball cricket under the head coach Brendon McCullum. McCullum has already shown his coaching skills for England's Test side, as the aggressive batting strategy is now known as “Bazball," which has hits and flops. 

In Test cricket, the “Bazball” strategy earned some good memories as the over-aggressive batting style has been called “braveness.”. However, it has also earned many negative criticisms.

IND vs ENG T20I series 2025: England batters failed to impress

In the five-match T20I series, hosts India comfortably won the series opener at Kolkata by seven wickets and thrillingly clinched another two-wicket win in the second game at Chennai. In both those T20Is, English batting failed massively. Poor shot selections were the major reasons for England’s defeat in both those T20Is. 

Rajkot T20I also experienced a similar story. While England were batting at 83/1 at one stage on a comfortable batting pitch, they later found themselves at 127/8. Opener Ben Duckett provided a positive start with his 51 off 28 balls, but the visitors still struggled in the first innings. Liam Livingstone’s late smashing 43 off 24 balls (one four and five sixes) somehow helped England to score 171/9 in 20 overs.

Due to the disciplined bowling from the English bowlers, they restricted the hosts to 145/9 as the visitors finally tasted a win in the away T20I series. However, their unpopular batting strategy still can’t be overlooked. 

See Also: Varun Chakravarthy creates world record after Rajkot T20I success

Ravichandran Ashwin called English batting reckless cricket 

Legendary Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last December, called the present English batting strategy reckless cricket. He surely doesn’t feel confident with this batting performance from the English side. 

There is a very fine line between playing aggressive brand of cricket and reckless cricket. #INDvENG

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 28, 2025

Former star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on Shubhman Gill's recent appointment as India's vice-captain for the upcoming Champions Trophy starting in February. The veteran now-retired spinner calls the move a "forward-thinking" move from the BCCI. Ashwin further stresses that such an elevation in the ranks will further secure his spot in the team. 

See also: Ind vs Eng 1st T20I 2025: Team India's probable XI for 1st T20I

Ashwin shares his takeaways on his YouTube channel

Gill's role as Team India's vice-captain in the upcoming Champions Trophy also means that the youngster can be further groomed as a future leader across formats. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin appreciates the move from the BCCI and believes that the board is looking ahead. 

“Think about who else in the current squad could be considered for the vice-captain role. I’m not saying whether the decision to make Shubman Gill vice-captain is right or wrong, but it’s clear that the management is looking ahead. He was the vice-captain in the last series too, and I believe he has some vice-captaincy experience in Tests as well."

In addition, Ashwin also believes that Gill has prior vice-captaincy experience which could come in handy in his newly assumed role.

Axar Patel named the T20I vice-captain for India

While Gill has filled the vice-captain slot for India in the ODI format, Indian spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel has been awarded the same position in the T20I setup. Ashwin highlighted that this move is considered highly stable given Gill's established position in the team.

“Both Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul could play in the XI, but the management has opted for a player whose spot is secure. If Shubman Gill is groomed for leadership, he can lean on the guidance of senior players like Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah."

However, the Indian legend is not impressed by the overall Indian squad handpicked for the forthcoming Champions Trophy edition. He feels that there is a strong resemblance with the 2023 ODI World Cup squad which underperformed at the last hurdle. The lack of left-handers in the top seven and the absence of a reliable batting option at No. 8 have left the start spinner visibly concerned. 

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 proved to be a disappointing outing for India, as they suffered a 3-1 series defeat to Australia despite a promising start. India’s commanding victory in the first Test in Perth had raised hopes for a successful campaign. However, the team struggled to maintain momentum and failed to win any of the remaining matches, ultimately conceding the series to Australia.

Also Read: 3 Big Changes India Needs to Make in Test Cricket to Avoid Agonizing Defeats

Following the rain-affected draw in the third Test in Brisbane, R. Ashwin shocked fans by announcing his retirement from Test cricket and all forms of the game, leaving the tour midway. Watching the final two matches from home, Ashwin has now opened up about the series loss, discussing the factors that led to India’s struggles and shedding light on the pivotal role played by Australia’s standout performer, Scott Boland.

Ashwin on Scott Boland’s Game-Changing Impact

R. Ashwin praised Scott Boland’s exceptional performance, calling him the key factor behind Australia’s success. Ashwin said,

“Everyone said Pat Cummins had a great series, but he struggled against left-handers. Australia was lucky that Scott Boland came into the team. If Boland hadn't played, India would have won the series.”

Ashwin added,

“No offense to Josh Hazlewood; he's a fantastic bowler. But if they had continued with the same attack, we would have won. Boland's round-the-wicket deliveries to our left-handers were a major factor.”

Scott Boland came into the team as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood after the first Test in Perth. He played the second Test in Adelaide, a day-night match, where Australia leveled the series 1-1 with Boland playing a crucial role. Although Boland was benched for the third Test in Brisbane, he returned to the playing XI after Hazlewood was officially ruled out due to injury. Boland’s performance in the last two Tests, especially in Sydney where he took 5 wickets, helped Australia clinch the series.

Also Read: Captain Rohit Sharma Travels to Pakistan?

Scott Boland: The Unsung Hero

In the three matches he played during the series, Boland bowled 101.4 overs and took an impressive 21 wickets. His consistency and ability to trouble India’s left-handed batters were game-changing. Boland’s Test career has been short but remarkable, with 13 matches, 56 wickets, and an incredible bowling average of 17.66. Despite not being a first-choice bowler in Australia’s pace trio of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood, Boland has always delivered whenever given a chance. At 35 years old, Boland continues to prove his worth.