India’s former opening batter and coach, Sunil Gavaskar, was furious after he learnt that two Australian women cricketers faced harassment in Indore during the Women’s World Cup 2025. It happened on the eve of their game at the Holkar Stadium against South Africa, where the two players were touched inappropriately by a person on a motorcycle as they were strolling to a café. 

Gavaskar believes that incidents like these will tear the image of the nation, and the accused should face severe punishment. During an interaction with India Today, the former captain hopes to see the guilty person punished.

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“Yes, I think because we are famous for Atithi Devo Bhava, to hear of this is very, very sad. It is, without question, a heinous incident. The law will take its course, but I do hope that the guilty person is punished severely – you lock them up and throw away the key. That’s the only way, I think. Just lock him up and throw the keys away.” Gavaskar expressed on India Today.

Sunil Gavaskar furious at Australian women players facing harassment in Women’s World Cup 2025

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Devajit Saikia, condemned the unfortunate incident as he also thanked the Madhya Pradesh police for arresting the accused and asked the security to get more tightened.

“It is a very condemnable but stray incident. India is known for its hospitality and care. We have zero tolerance for such incidents. We appreciate the Madhya Pradesh Police for their prompt action to nab the culprit. Let the law take its course to punish the culprit. We assure to revisit our safety protocols if required to further tighten the security.” Saikia expressed in an official statement.

“No woman should ever have to endure such trauma, and our thoughts and support are with those impacted by this distressing incident. This unfortunate event has deeply affected everyone at MPCA, who cherishes the values of respect, safety, and the dignity of women. It is truly inspiring to see the players rise above this painful experience.” MPCA revealed in a statement.

Former India captain Virat Kohli looked in sublime touch during India’s practice session ahead of the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide, scheduled for Thursday, October 23. After a rare failure in the series opener in Perth, where he was dismissed for a duck by Mitchell Starc, Kohli spent extended time in the nets fine-tuning his technique, particularly focusing on playing on the front foot and timing through the off side.

This marks Kohli’s first international assignment since leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year. Having retired from T20Is and Test cricket, the veteran batter now plays exclusively in ODIs and has been a vital presence in India’s setup. The ongoing series also comes after India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier in 2025, adding further motivation for the side to continue their winning form.

Kohli’s track record in Adelaide offers plenty of encouragement for Indian fans. In four ODI innings at the venue, he has scored 244 runs at an impressive average of 61. Across all formats, he has piled up 975 runs at the ground, with five centuries and four fifties to his name. A strong innings in the upcoming game could see him surpass Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history. Kohli currently sits on 14,181 runs, just 54 shy of the Sri Lankan legend’s tally of 14,234.

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Virat Kohli looking in great touch the day before the 2nd ODI!@rohitjuglan #ViratKohli #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/YlB4bNwNri

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 22, 2025

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Gavaskar backs Kohli and Rohit to bounce back on familiar Adelaide surface

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar also came out in support of Kohli and Rohit Sharma following their low scores in Perth. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Gavaskar noted that the pitch in the opening ODI was among the bounciest in Australia, which made stroke-making difficult for players returning from a short international break.

“India are still a very strong team. They have won the Champions Trophy recently, and I won’t be surprised if Rohit and Kohli score big in the next two games,” Gavaskar said. With Kohli eyeing a personal milestone and India aiming to level the series, all eyes will be on the Adelaide Oval as the Men in Blue look to bounce back strongly against Australia.

The former Indian opening batter, Sunil Gavaskar, has blamed the fans of Indian cricket for spreading a false claim of how the former ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, has deliberately underperformed under the new leadership of Shubman Gill during the opening 50-over clash against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Gavaskar felt that the misconception is far from the truth. He also revealed that similar things had also been made in the past. Rohit Sharma returned with a struggling score of eight runs in the middle after he ended up getting an outside edge into the slip region.

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“Over the years, a significant misconception among Indian cricket fans is that if a player is replaced as captain, he will attempt to undermine the new captain by not performing to the best of his ability. Nothing can be further from the truth, for the simple fact is that if a captain has been replaced and then doesn’t perform, he could be out of the team altogether.” Gavaskar wrote in his column on Sportstar.

Sunil Gavaskar slams Indian fans for their misconception about former Indian captains

Along with Rohit, Virat Kohli was dismissed for an eight-ball duck in the middle. The right-handed batter couldn’t keep the ball on the ground when he went for a flashing drive and was caught by the backward point fielder.

“So, no player, however aggrieved he may feel at losing the captaincy, is ever going to underperform deliberately. With that misconception still going strong, many are questioning if young Shubman Gill will be able to handle two former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are part of the three-match One-Day International series against Australia.” The former opener addressed.

“Gill has gone out of his way to say that his equation with them hasn’t changed simply because he is the captain now. If anything, he will only benefit by having these two stalwarts by his side. Both would be happy to offer suggestions if asked, and what could be better for a captain leading in this format for the first time than to have two of the greatest ODI players playing in his team?” Gavaskar concluded.

The former Indian captain, Sunil Gavaskar, has dropped a massive statement on the two former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, after the duo failed in the opening ODI of the three-match series against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. He revealed that it would challenging for those two, who haven’t played for six months.

Rohit Sharma and Kohli’s last fixture for the Blue Brigade came during the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium against New Zealand. They played the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for their respective franchises before taking retirement from the longest format ahead of the England series in the United Kingdom.

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“They were playing on probably the bounciest pitch in Australia. It wasn’t going be easy, especially for players who haven’t played international cricket for a couple of months. It was challenging even for Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who play regularly.” Sunil Gavaskar expressed as quoted by the India Today.

Sunil Gavaskar expects big scores from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in last two ODIs vs Australia

Rohit started well with a single on the very first delivery of the innings before driving Josh Hazlewood for a beautiful straight boundary past the bowler. He, however, looked in good shape with the bat in the small knock before getting an outside edge into the hands of the slip fielder for eight runs.

On the other hand, Kohli failed to open his account in the eight-ball stay. He missed the flashing drive before misjudging the length ball into the hands of the backward point region. The Indian crowd went silent as it was a failure for both batters. Gavaskar, however, reckoned that both could make a fine comeback in the next two games.

“India are still a very good team. Don’t be surprised if Rohit and Kohli score big in the next two games. The more they play, the more time they spend in the nets, the quicker they will find their rhythm. Once they are back among the runs, India’s total will be 300 or 300-plus.” Gavaskar concluded.

India's ODI return wasn't impressive as they suffered a seven-wicket defeat in the rain-affected Perth ODI, which was the first game of the three-match ODI series against the hosts Australia. It was the much-awaited return of the two most popular Indian cricketers, the former Indian captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but their returns were far from memorable. Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has made a big comment on RoKo before their second ODI at Adelaide.

On Sunday (October 19), the ODI series opener was majorly affected due to the rain, as the first innings, where India batted, was stopped multiple times due to rain. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to international cricket after seven months, as they last appeared during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final, but both of them struggled in the Perth ODI. While Rohit and Kohli are the top two most ODI run-scorers in the battle between Australia and India in Australia, Rohit was dismissed for eight runs, and Kohli recorded his first ODI duck in Australia. 

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They were playing on probably the bounciest pitch in Australia: Sunil Gavaskar

While it was very sad for the Indian cricket fans are really sad with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's poor return in international cricket, Sunil Gavaskar is confident enough in both the legendary Indian cricketers. Gavaskar pointed out the crucial factor of India's poor performance in the ODI series opener.

Gavaskar told India Today, "They were playing on probably the bounciest pitch in Australia. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially for players who haven’t played international cricket for a couple of months. It was challenging for Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, who usually play international cricket quite regularly."

Don’t be surprised if Rohit and Kohli score big in the next two games: Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar feels that there will be no surprise of big scores from Rohit and Kohli in the next fixtures of this ODI series. The legendary Indian cricketer believes that once they find their rhythm back, India can comfortably score 300+ totals in the ODIs.  

Gavaskar added, "India are still a very, very good team. They’ve won the Champions Trophy. Don’t be surprised if Rohit and Kohli score big in the next two games. They are coming back after a few months away from international cricket. The more they play, the more time they spend in the nets, the more throwdowns they get — maybe even from the reserve bowlers bowling at them from 20 yards instead of 22 — the quicker they’ll find their rhythm. Once they’re back among the runs, India’s total will be 300, 300-plus."

India and Australia will face each other in the second ODI at Adelaide on Thursday (October 23). Sydney will host the last game of the ODI series on Saturday (October 25). 

When Shubman Gill became the Test captain of the Indian side ahead of the five-match red-ball series in the United Kingdom against England, many speculated whether the youngster would be able to crack the code in challenging conditions, especially in the absence of two veteran star batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their Test retirements in a span of one week. 

But Shubman Gill stood on his feet for the entire series as the new number four batter and ended with a 2-2 drawn result, which no one predicted by the start of June against the Ben Stokes-led side. In the opening game, he smashed 147 runs during the first innings, which was his maiden overseas Test century in the SENA countries.

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With India being 1-0 down coming to the second game at Edgbaston, he hammered 269 in the first innings, followed by a fine knock of 161 in just 162 balls in the second. After a silent Lord’s clash, he backed it up with 103 at Manchester. That century for Gill came when India were 0/2 in their second innings with a deficit of more than 300 runs.

Shubman Gill and Sunil Gavaskar celebrated identical Test numbers after 12 innings as Test captains

Gill continued the same rich form during the ongoing home red-ball series against the West Indies. After a fifty in the opening game at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Punjab-born creamed his fifth Test century as the red-ball captain during the second game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. That equals him with the former captain, Sunil Gavaskar.

Both Gavaskar and Gill have notched up 933 runs after their first 12 innings as captain in Tests. The former had an average of 93.90 with two fifties and five centuries at the best score of 205. Gill, on the other hand, has an average of 84.82 with one fifty and five hundreds at the best score of 269.

Shubman’s next red-ball challenge will be in mid-November when they face South Africa at home for a two-match Test series. Those games will be equally crucial for the World Test Championship (WTC) points.

Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to showcase his hunger for big scores at the Arun Jaitley Stadium during the second Test against the West Indies. The 23-year-old looked in complete control, steadily progressing toward what could have been another remarkable double century in his growing Test career. His fluent strokeplay and timing on display suggested that a massive innings was on the cards.

However, a mix-up with captain Shubman Gill unexpectedly ended Jaiswal’s innings earlier than anticipated. Despite batting with composure and intent, he was dismissed after contributing a commanding 175 runs off 258 balls. His knock was highlighted by 22 elegant boundaries, reflecting both patience and aggression in equal measure.

Walking back to the pavilion, Jaiswal appeared visibly frustrated, knowing he had narrowly missed yet another milestone. Nonetheless, his innings reinforced his growing reputation as a dependable and exciting young batter for India, capable of turning matches with his big scores.

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Sunil Gavaskar’s Golden Words for Yashasvi Jaiswal:

After Day 2 concluded, Jaiswal shared his thoughts with the broadcast team, leading to a touching moment. Harsha Bhogle warmly commended the young batter, highlighting his impressive performance and maturity on the field, making the exchange both memorable and encouraging for the emerging talent. He said, “ Well done. We absolutely loved watching you bat. Don’t worry about how it ended.”

At that moment, Sunil Gavaskar, joining the panel, added a playful remark that made Jaiswal smile awkwardly. The former India captain’s light-hearted comment brought a humorous twist to the conversation, creating a memorable and relaxed moment amid the post-day analysis. 

He said, “ Just to add to that — great job, keep it up. Keep scoring those hundreds, those daddy hundreds. But since I’m a grandfather now, I’ll say, keep making granddaddy hundreds.” Taken off guard, Jaiswal could only respond with a brief “Thank you, sir,” as the studio erupted in laughter, turning the light-hearted moment into a fun and memorable interaction between the young batter and the legendary panel.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 175-run innings marked the fifth time in his budding Test career that he surpassed 150, equaling South Africa’s Graeme Smith for the most hundreds before turning 24. His ability to build big scores consistently highlights his growing impact in the longest format of the game.

Had Jaiswal reached a double century, it would have been his third in Tests, following two impressive knocks against England in the 2024 home series. Even without crossing 200 this time, his reliability and flair for significant innings reinforce why he is considered one of India’s most promising young talents in Test cricket.

The BCCI has announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under, as they also revealed Shubman Gill as their new leader, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being picked only as players. The series will begin on October 19 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

The former leader, Sunil Gavaskar, during a recent interaction on Sports Tak, revealed that the fans should be prepared for more bad news regarding Kohli and Rohit, both of whom have already hung up their shoes from the shortest and longest formats of the game in a span of 10 months.

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“Of course. If you (Rohit Sharma) are non-committal, if you can’t say whether you’ll be ready for the next two years, be ready [for more bad news]. Even if they are aware that if they only have to play ODI, there are rarely any. For that, they need to practice more and play something like the Vijay Hazare Trophy. This is possibly why they have taken that stance.” Gavaskar expressed on Sports Tak.

Sunil Gavaskar fears probable retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma post Australia ODIs

Gavaskar has credited Rohit’s leadership, but has also asked to show support to the young captain, Gill, who also got the leadership in the longest format ahead of the five-match Test series against England in the United Kingdom.

“We don’t know whether Rohit will be ready for the 2027 World Cup. He only plays ODIs now, and if we see the international calendar, the Indian team isn’t playing too many ODIs. Bilateral tours mostly include Tests and T20Is. If he only plays 5-7 ODIs in a year, he won’t get that kind of practice, which you need for a big tournament like a World Cup.” The Mumbai-born addressed during the interaction.

“Personally, he has done a lot – won us the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup before that. There’s no two ways about his captaincy. But even he (Rohit Sharma) agrees with this decision because if you need to think two years ahead, then a young captain needs to be prepared.” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.

India’s new Test series in whites began against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and KL Rahul rose to the occasion with a composed century on Day 2 of the opening Test. His knock gave solidity to India’s batting display.

Resuming his innings on 53 overnight, Rahul batted with patience and precision, converting his start into three figures. He reached the milestone in style, flicking West Indies skipper Roston Chase through mid-wicket. Rahul went into the lunch break unbeaten on 100, showcasing calm control and sound technique against spin and pace alike.

However, his stay ended soon after lunch. In the very first over of the second session, he attempted an uppish drive off Jomel Warrican but was caught at cover. Rahul finished with exactly 100 runs from 197 deliveries, laced with 12 crisp boundaries. It marked his 11th Test century overall, and notably, his 10th while opening the innings.

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India’s Test Openers with 10 or More Centuries:

With that in mind, here’s a look at the four Indian batters who have achieved the milestone of scoring 10 or more Test centuries as openers. Each of them has consistently delivered at the top, playing crucial knocks and setting strong foundations for Team India in the longest format of the game.

• Sunil Gavaskar (33 Centuries)

Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing icons, featured in 125 Test matches, accumulating 10,122 runs at an impressive average of 51.12. He struck 34 centuries and 45 fifties, with 33 of those tons coming as an opener. In 119 Tests at the top, he recorded 9,607 runs at an average of 50.29.

His highest score as an opener was a memorable 221 against England at The Oval in 1979, where he almost guided India to a historic chase of 438. Other standout knocks included 220 against the West Indies in Port of Spain (1971) and 205 at Wankhede (1978). Out of his 33 hundreds as opener, 15 came at home and 18 overseas.

Interestingly, Gavaskar’s career-best score of 236* was his only Test double-century not made as an opener. Batting at No. 4 against the West Indies in Chennai (1983), he produced the marathon innings after India lost two early wickets without scoring.

• Virender Sehwag (22 centuries)

Virender Sehwag, the explosive former Indian opener, featured in 104 Test matches, scoring 8,586 runs at an average of 49.34. He registered 23 centuries and 32 fifties, with 98 of his matches spent opening the innings. Except for his debut century against South Africa in Bloemfontein (2001), all his other tons came as an opener.

Sehwag’s highest score was 319 against South Africa in Chennai (2008). He also recorded 309 versus Pakistan in Multan (2004) and 293 against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium (2009). Known for his aggressive batting, he crossed 200 runs six times in Tests, producing match-defining innings on multiple occasions.

Of his 22 centuries as an opener, 13 were at home and nine abroad. Memorable overseas hundreds include 195 in Melbourne (2003), 106 in Nottingham (2002), and 151 in Adelaide (2008), showcasing his ability to dominate in challenging conditions.

• Murali Vijay (12 centuries)

Murali Vijay, often underrated, featured in 61 Test matches for India between 2008 and 2018, scoring 3,982 runs at an average of 38.28. He registered 12 centuries and 15 fifties, opening the innings in 57 matches, with all his big scores coming while opening the batting.

Vijay’s highest Test score was 167 against Australia in Hyderabad in 2013. Notably, four of his 12 hundreds came against the Aussies. Other standout innings include 139 in Bengaluru (2010), 153 in Mohali (2013), and 144 in Brisbane (2014). He was also unfortunate to be dismissed for 99 in Adelaide in 2014.

Of his 12 Test centuries, nine came on home soil and three abroad. In addition to his 144 in Brisbane, he scored 146 against England in Nottingham (2014) and 150 versus Bangladesh in Fatullah (2015), highlighting his ability to perform in diverse conditions.

• KL Rahul (10 centuries)

KL Rahul is featuring in his 54th Test as an opener. Across 94 innings in this role, he has amassed 3,435 runs at an average of 37.74, including 10 centuries and 16 fifties. His highest score of 199 came against England in Chennai in December 2016. Notably, eight of his ten hundreds as an opener have come in away matches.

Rahul has been particularly successful in England, scoring four centuries: 149 at The Oval (2018), 137 in Leeds (2025), 129 at Lord’s (2021), and 100 at Lord’s (2025). Other memorable tons include 123 against South Africa in Centurion (2021) and 110 against Australia in Sydney (2015).

His only Test century while batting lower down the order came against South Africa in Centurion during the 2023 Boxing Day Test. Batting at No. 6, he scored 101 off 137 balls, including 14 fours and four sixes, though India lost the match by an innings and 32 runs.

Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill, arrived in England for the five-match Test series with lots of expectation and under pressure of the leadership responsibilities, especially after the retirement of two veterans, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. However, he backed up with over 700 runs in those eight weeks and drew the series by 2-2 margin.

Now, the challenge was different with him starting his first home Test as captain against West Indies during the opening game of the two-match Test series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The right-handed batter, Shubman Gill, reached his half-century in 91 balls with a single down the ground against Khary Pierre before getting dismissed on the same score.

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Gill has now joined the former Indian captain and opening batter, Sunil Gavaskar, in the elusive list as he became the first Indian leader in 47 years to record a half-century in the first home Test as captain. The last captain was Gavaskar to get the feat when he hit a century in 1978 against the Caribbean side and went on to score 205 at Wankhede in Mumbai.

Shubman Gill joins Sunil Gavaskar for this record in 47 years during IND vs WI Ahmedabad Test

Winning the toss, Roston Chase decided to bat first on a solid surface in Ahmedabad to put a huge score on the board. But they couldn’t get their eyes in. Most batters made a strong start with the stick but failed to convert them into a huge score. Justin Greaves in the leading run-getter with 32 runs individually.

The two pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, shred seven wickets between them while Kuldeep Yadav ended with fine figures of 2/25 in 6.1 overs. With the bat, India’s role was to put a huge score on the board to eliminate the West Indies out of the clash and that was exactly what they did.

Three half-centuries from captain Shubman Gill, wicket-keeper batter Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja and opening batter, KL Rahul, pushed them to 326 runs for the lose of four wickets. The lead for the Blue Brigade is already over 160 runs for the home side.