Karun Nair, the gifted Indian batsman, is back in the news again for his unbelievable consistency in domestic cricket. Having become only the second Indian to score a Test triple century, Nair's international career took an unexpected turn, but his recent performances indicate that he is now set for a national comeback. With multiple centuries and match-winning knocks, Nair is proving that he still has a lot to offer Indian cricket.

A Match-Winning Performance

Karun Nair stepped up when the chips were down. 

He hit 86 in the first innings and then an excellent 135 in the second.

His timely knocks enabled Vidarbha to gain the upper hand over Kerala in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 final.

Karun Nair's Recent Domestic Cricket Performance

Nair's last 17 innings in domestic cricket have been nothing but breathtaking:                                                                                            122(108), 44(52), 163*(107), 111*(103), 112(101), 122*(82), 88*(44), 27(31), 39(80), 4(7), 3(13), 105(193), 122(243), 45(70), 6(17), 86(188), 135(295)**

• 860 runs in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 with a dazzling average of 57.33.
• 779 runs in Vijay Hazare Trophy with an astounding average of 389.50 with five centuries.

Such a consistency across formats makes him a prime candidate for an India comeback.

The 'Nine' Celebration – A Message to Selectors?

After crossing his century, Nair gestured a 'nine' with his hands. Several people felt this was a message to BCCI selectors, as he has been overlooked for international selection since 2017. However, Nair soon explained that it was a premeditated gesture for the Vidarbha support staff, as he was celebrating his ninth century of the season.

Should Karun Nair be recalled to an India Test?

Even after scoring a record triple century (303*) in 2016, Nair has been ignored for the Indian team since 2017. But with India's middle-order struggling in the current England series, his present form makes him a prime choice for selection.

Karun Nair's run-scoring exploits in the Ranji Trophy final and in the domestic season have once again raised questions regarding his inclusion in the Indian Test team. Given his experience, reliability, and desire for runs, he could very well prove to be India's solution for the middle order.

Match Overview

• Tournament: ICC Champions Trophy 2025
• Fixture: India vs New Zealand
• Venue: Dubai International Stadium
• Date: March 2, 2025

India’s Probable XI :

ALSO SEE: ECL 2025: Full Schedule, New Teams, Match Timings & Must-Watch Matches

New Zealand’s Probable XI :

Head-to-Head in ICC Tournaments

• Champions Trophy 2000 Final: New Zealand defeated India to win their first ICC trophy.
• World Cup 2019 Semi-final: New Zealand knocked out India in a thrilling low-scoring game.
• World Test Championship 2021 Final: New Zealand defeated India to claim the inaugural WTC title.

India will be eager to avenge past ICC defeats, while New Zealand will look to continue their dominance in knockout matches.

Prediction and Key Battles to Watch

• Kohli vs Williamson – A battle between two of the best No. 3 batters.
• Arshdeep vs Conway – Can Arshdeep swing the new ball past Conway?
• Santner vs Pant – Left-arm spin vs left-handed power-hitting.

Both teams have the firepower to win, but India’s spin depth and batting strength might give them a slight edge in UAE conditions.

Indian cricket superstar Ajinkya Rahane has been named as the brand ambassador of the West Zone Finals for the SOGF Grandmasters Series, a huge mind sports competition run by the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF). The initiative showcases Rahane's backing for intellectual sports like online chess and chess for the blind.

A Major Boost for Mind Sports
The SOGF Grandmasters Series has become one of the country's premier stages for strategy-driven tournaments in India, with contests such as Indian Rummy, Chess Masters, and Chess for the Blind. The tournament, which has recorded more than 150,000 registrations, has seen increased popularity, fostering thinking abilities, strategical prowess, and inclusiveness.

RAHANE BACKS ONLINE CHESS & CHESS FOR BLIND..!!! 🇮🇳

Rahane is set to become the Brand ambassador for SOG Grandmasters, great to see cricketers supporting & helping mind sports to grow in the country. pic.twitter.com/YAPcRlCs7F

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 28, 2025

Referring to his alignment with SOGF, Rahane spoke about the enthusiasm he had for being involved with an effort that encourages mental discipline and problem-solving skills.

ALSO SEE: India vs Pakistan Could Face Off Three Times in Asia Cup 2025

"Mindsports such as chess take unimaginable concentration and strategic reasoning similar to cricket. I feel blessed to endorse a tournament which provokes the participation of these same skills from its players and lends a window through which the nation can watch out for their prowess," Rahane said.

West Zone Finals: The Road to Nationals
The West Zone Final of the SOGF Grandmasters Series will be held on March 3-4, 2025, and will unite the best of the region. The champions will proceed to the National Final in New Delhi in April 2025.

This tournament seeks to close the difference between physical and mental sports and bring young minds to it, while also seeing that visually challenged players receive their due.

Rahane's Increasing Role in Chess Promotion
Ajinkya Rahane's partnership with the SOGF Grandmasters Series is another milestone in the increasing trend of cricketers supporting mind sports. His support for chess for the blind is also in line with international initiatives to make chess more inclusive and accessible.

With Rahane's support, the SOGF Grandmasters Series will gain more visibility and participation, motivating more young talents to take up mind sports.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating a strategy to keep players engaged with red-ball cricket throughout the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This is before India's five-Test series in England in June-July, following the IPL. The scheme might involve players showing up at "occasional red-ball practice sessions" or other bizarre pursuits of some players.

🚨 RED BALL PRACTICE DURING IPL 🚨

- BCCI is working on a strategy to ensure players remain in touch with Test cricket ahead of England tour, it is likely that players might be ask for occasional practice with red ball during IPL. [Cricbuzz] pic.twitter.com/qil9BUrUwG

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 25, 2025

ALSO SEE:  Shoaib Akhtar slams PCB Management For Poor Team Handling

The BCCI plans to not let the players lose touch with Test cricket during the two-month-long IPL tournament, to be held between March 22 and May 25.
The very specifics of the plan have yet to be known.
However, preliminary discussions of this twin-track approach have already been made by prominent players from the Indian team management and BCCI planners in Dubai.
The BCCI's decision to keep players engaged with red-ball cricket during the IPL season is in response to India's recent Test performance.
The team has not won a single Test series in England recently. The trend features a 4-0 loss in 2011, a 3-1 loss in 2014, and a 4-1 loss in 2018.
India earned their first away Test series draw in England (2-2 in 2021). It was split due to COVID-19, with the last Test won by England a year later.

India secured their place in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals after New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by 5 wickets in Rawalpindi on Monday in a comprehensive win. Rachin Ravindra made a stunning century after a scintillating bowling display from Michael Bracewell to help New Zealand overpower Bangladesh. The victory also saw New Zealand secure their place in the knockout stages of the tournament as the second team from Group A. But it also left Bangladesh and Pakistan out of the tournament since the two teams already have two defeats apiece. India will host New Zealand in their last group stage game and Bangladesh will face Pakistan but both matches will serve no purpose aside from determining who will lead the group to the semifinals.

INDIA WILL PLAY THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL ON MARCH 4 AT DUBAI...!!!! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/8PrEh4ZHvR

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 24, 2025

ALSO SEE: Pakistan’s Champions Trophy Nightmare: First Team Eliminated After 29-Year Wait

March 2nd - IND vs NZ.

March 4th - IND vs AUS/SA/AFG/ENG.

MISSION CHAMPIONS TROPHY IS ON 🙇 pic.twitter.com/Ctxze6u7O3

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 24, 2025

New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in a Group A Champions Trophy game here on Monday, a triumph that placed the Kiwis and India in the Champions Trophy semifinals. The victory ensured Bangladesh and the two-time defending champions Pakistan, having lost both of their two games till date, were eliminated from the tournament.

India and New Zealand both have four points apiece from two victories till now in Group A. The top two teams of each group advance to the semifinals.

Team India continues to dominate the ICC Champions Trophy as they have won against Pakistan by 6 wickets in the Group Stage game at the Dubai International Stadium. The Men in Blue's professional performance with the bat and ball proved to be decisive for the team as they effectively kept Pakistan at bay. Despite skipper Rohit Sharma's loss and the in-form batsman Shubman Gill, the Virat Kohli-Shreyas Iyer combination went soaring past the opposition as India earned their second Champions Trophy victory.

Fans dancing and celebrating Virat Kohli's Hundred & Team India's Win against Pakistan in Mumbai. 🔥🇮🇳 (ANI).pic.twitter.com/Hxg0VCq43Y

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 23, 2025

ALSO SEE: Virat Kohli's 51st ODI Century Leads India to Victory Against Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Virat Kohli's masterclass against Pakistan showed no signs of slowing down as the star batsman smacked his 51st ODI century and closed the game out with a Team India win. With the aggressive knocks by Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, Team India chased the subpar total of 241 designed by Pakistan. Skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya also made brief cameo appearances and had some big hitting before being given out. The PAK bowling attack was able to scalp wickets but the damage was already caused by Virat.

Virat Kohli hit a stunning hundred, his 51st in ODI, to guide India to a 6-wicket victory against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The veteran regained the form after being disappointed in the last match against Bangladesh. He didn't let Pakistan capitalize on the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill and contributed over 100 runs with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 56 runs from 67 balls.

HUNDRED FOR VIRAT KOHLI...!!!! 🐐

82nd International Hundred for the King, first in Champions Trophy and he led from front in the run chase against Pakistan at Dubai. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/ntFmYvaqA9

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 23, 2025

Most centuries for India in ICC ODI events

8 - Rohit Sharma (40 Inns)
7 - Sourav Ganguly (32 Inns)
7 - Sachin Tendulkar (48 Inns)
6 - Shikhar Dhawan (20 Inns)
6 - Virat Kohli (51 Inns) #ChampionsTrophy #INDvsPAK #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/EBXKONgac6

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 23, 2025

ALSO SEE: Not Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma this indian magician is Headache for Pakistan team

Earlier, Pakistan was bowled out for 241 runs in 49.3 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was accurate and picked three wickets. Two batters were dismissed by Hardik Pandya, while Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Harshit Rana each claimed one wicket. India’s great batter and veteran Virat Kohli scored his 82nd international century. This epic inning came in Dubai when India was chasing a modest target of 242 runs against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. This is Virat Kohli’s first-ever century in the Champions Trophy history and 4th century against Pakistan overall.

Virat Kohli’s century in ODI
Virat Kohli made his 51st ODI century. In 2023 during the match against NewZelaand at Wankhede Stadium in the ODI World Cup, Kohli became the first ever batsman to make 50 ODI centuries breaking the record of India's great Sachin Tendulkar who made 49 ODI tons in his career.

Virat Kohli Century in all formats:

Former Indian Cricketer and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Brand Ambassador Shikhar Dhawan attended yesterday's game between India and Bangladesh at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. ICC announced Shikhar Dhawan as a brand ambassador for Champions Trophy 2025 on 17th February. Shikhar Dhawan won the Champions Trophy in 2013 and the Golden Bat award twice, in the 2013 and 2017 editions.

Shikhar Dhawan made a surprise visit to Team India Camp before the game. He was happy to meet all the boys after such a long time. Dhawan also said that he recreated his memories and he was very happy. He also said Munde Tagde Hai (The boys are tough).

 

 

 

 

 

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Team India kickstart their Champions Trophy 2025 with a 6-wicket victory over Bangladesh. Earlier Mohammed Shami shined with the figures of 5-53 with this 5-fer Shami also completed his 200 ODI Wickets and restricted Bangladesh to 228 in 49.4 overs. Towhid Hridoy was the top scorer for Bangladesh with 100 runs off 118 balls. Team India chased the total in 46.3 overs and won the game by 6 wickets. Shubman Gill shined with 101* off 129 to take India home comfortably. Shikhar Dhawan also congratulated Team India on a brilliant victory.

Congratulations Team India on an excellent win, @ShubmanGill’s brilliant 101 and @MdShami11’s milestone of 200 ODI wickets, along with a fantastic five wicket haul, made it a perfect performance by our boys! Great to see Team India dominating, let’s keep up the same pace for the…

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) February 20, 2025

Shikhar Dhawan was also seen with a mysterious lady while enjoying the action between India and Bangladesh. It left everybody with the question Who is this mysterious lady? Is it Shikhar Dhawan's GF?

The name of the woman sitting with Shikhar Dhawan may be Soph, which is visible on her Instagram account.  As Shikhar Dhawan follows her on Instagram.

After the Indian skipper missed a sitter to deprive the left-arm spinner of a deserved hat-trick against Bangladesh on Thursday in Dubai in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 group match, Axar Patel could be in for dinner surprise from skipper Rohit Sharma. With Shubman Gill's ton, India eventually won the match by six wickets to make a good beginning to their campaign.
Bangladesh decided to bat, but after the loss of the first three wickets in the seventh over, they were deep in trouble. Axar Patel, who came into the bowling in the ninth over, repaid the favour by getting Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Mushfiqur Rahim in his second and third balls respectively.

Rohit Sharma said - “May take Axar Patel for dinner tomorrow (smiles). No, that was an easy catch, I should have taken that catch with the standards I have set for myself. But I do know these things are bound to happen”. pic.twitter.com/UVu7dNGIR6

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 20, 2025

ALSO SEE: Subhman Gill Century Paves The Road To Victory For India

Rohit action and reply:
Against the hat-trick ball, Axar hit down the right channel and Jaker Ali Anik hit one to Rohit in the slip cordon. Yet, Rohit dropped an easy catch as Axar missed out on the chance of taking the hat-trick. Post the match being won by India with six wickets, Rohit said he might take the all-rounder out for dinner and also admitted that he should have taken the 'easy' catch.

“I may take him for a dinner tomorrow. That was an easy catch, I should have taken that catch, the standards I have set standing in the slips but these things happen,” Rohit was quoted as saying in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Indian cricket has discovered yet another treasure in Harshit Rana, a promising fast bowler who has stormed the world of cricket with his stunning debut performances. In a rare and stunning achievement, Rana has taken three wickets on his debut in all formats and even the Champions Trophy, demonstrating his irrefutable talent and promise.

- 3 wickets on Test Debut.
- 3 wickets on T20I Debut.
- 3 wickets on ODI Debut.
- 3 wickets on Champions Trophy Debut.

HARSHIT RANA IS A STAR...!!!! ✨ pic.twitter.com/MZt5Qzkb4h

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 20, 2025

A Dream Start Across Formats
Impressing in one guise is hard enough, but impressing in all guises is a testament to Rana's ability and temperament. Whether it's the red-ball test of Test cricket, the pace of T20s, or the stress of international competitions like the Champions Trophy, he has performed every time.
Test Debut: 3 wickets, making an impression in the longest version of the game.
T20I Debut: 3 wickets in a hard-fought match.
ODI Debut: A match-winning spell that took 3 wickets.
Champions Trophy Debut: Once more, 3 wickets to leave a mark on the big stage.

ALSO SEE:  Social media shower praises for unstoppable Mohammed Shami

A Future Star of Indian Cricket
Harshit Rana's consistent performance indicates that India has unearthed a future pace leader. His capability to fit into varying conditions, bowl with speed and precision, and play under pressure situations gives the team reasons to look ahead.
With his incredible beginning, Rana has already etched his name in cricket history. If he maintains the same course, Indian cricket supporters can hope to see a new fast-bowling superstar being born.