We, fans, often complain that there is not enough cricket to go around the entire year. Yet, at times, it appears as the sport has no offseason. There are always stories that captivate viewers, readers, and observers of cricket. In this article we’re going to cover the top stories that are important for the cricket universe, the upcoming games, and make a few match predictions along the way. With the upcoming IPL auction, and the ongoing international cricket test matches, we have plenty to talk about.
Shubman Gill named India’s New Test Captain
A new era of India’s international cricket is upon us. The decision to change captain’s was announced by India Men’s chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, on Saturday. Gill’s deputy is Rishabh Pant. The decision to strip Jasprit Bumrah of captaincy was made due the fact that Bumrah will not be available for all test matches, and the head coach wanted someone who will be there for the team at all times. The squad that also has the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav will be looking to make the most of upcoming matches, and to do that the change in captaincy was merited by the higher ups in the India cricket federation.
Another reason why Gill was made the test captain is because many of the more experienced players that were the key cogs in the team’s success bid farewell to the team. Those that will be missed the most are Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. With a new era of Indian cricket looming over the national team, Shubman Gil is the right choice to lead the new generation forward after becoming the fifth youngest captain in the history of the Men in Blue.
RCB Franchise Likely to Be Sold Soon
Only a few months after winning their first ever Indian Premier League title the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise is finding itself on the market. RCB are seen as one of the biggest teams in the IPL and according to Stake Cricket Betting they were the favorites to win it again next season next to Mumbai Indians. Now with the new owners taking over it remains to be seen whether they will enter the new season with similar ambitions as before. The company that oversees the Royal Challengers, Diageo is divesting its non primary assets and the IPL franchise fits into that description. It is estimated that the team sale, and RCB is already on the market, will be wrapped up before March 31st, 2026, in the eve of the next IPL season. There is still no official price attached to the sale of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but one of the most popular IPL franchises that featured the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, and Glenn Maxwell over the years is worth a couple of hundred of millions.
Sanju Samson Trade Rumour
The IPL retention day deadline is almost here, and as we approach it, the rumour mill is working nonstop. Sanju Samson has been the captain for the Rajasthan Royals for some time now, but he might find himself surplus to requirements for the 2026 IPL season. The team most interested in acquiring his services if he’s top become available are the Chennai Super Kings. It is rumoured that more players might be involved in the deal. With the retention deadline around the corner, we will know more about what the destiny holds for the long time Royals captain. In recent years he hasn’t been as consistent as he got us used to, and each season the rumour mill became louder and louder as far as the end of his RR tenure goes.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is Set to Play in 2026
The legend returns! You could argue that he never even left. MS Dohi is returning to Chennai Super Kings, a five time IPL champions, for what could be his last season in the sport. Dhoni, who is a synonym for CSK, has returned to the team midway through the 2025 IPL season after the team’s captain Ruturaj Gaikwad suffered an elbow injury that removed him from the team for the year. Last season was not a good one for CSK, and they will be looking to gear up for what 2026 holds ahead. When MS Dohi debuts in 2026 it will be his 17th season with the franchise and 19th overall in the top echelon of Indian cricket. So far, in his Chennai Super Kings career, Dhoni has played in 248 matches, amassing 4.865 runs and winning five IPL titles as a team captain.
KKR Says No to Multiple KL Rahul Offers
Most IPL teams are trying to get better before the IPL 2026 auction. One of the most active teams so far have been the Kolkata Knight Riders. Their attempts at signing KL Rahul have been without fruition, as Delhi Capitals have said no to parting ways with their premium asset. KKR are not the only team being rejected in recent days, as CSK also said no to Gujarat Titans advancements for Washington Sundar. The interesting part is that DC have been interested to deal KL Rahul after acquiring him in 2025 for INR 14 crore. The deal with KKR only failed because the two teams have failed to agree on the compensation. The Kolkata Knіght Rіders are in a pursuit to find a new team captain and a wicket keeper batter, so their showing interest in KL Rahul comes as no surprise. What DC had in mind was receiving more than a few assets in return for their premium player. The KKR players on DCs radar were the likes of Angkrіsh Raghuvanshі, Rіnku Sіngh, Sunіl Narіne, and Harshіt Rana. Yet, while fully interested in Rahul, KKR decided to part ways with their best players, and thus no deal was struck.
India v Pakistan not a Rivalry Anymore
A harsh truth, but also a reality. Suryakumar Yadav was not holding back after India’s win against Pakistan in six wickets. It was the seventh consecutive win for Men in Blue against their fierce rivals. Yet, for Yadav there is no rivalry to talk about. Talking to reporters in the aftermath of the team’s latest win he stated that when one team wins all the time by a substantial point difference there shouldn’t be any talks about rivalry between teams. For Suryakumar, India was the better side from start to finish and they’ve been the same in the majority of matches played in recent years. He concluded the interview by saying: “I don’t know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore.”
Cricket in LA Olympics 2028
Cricket is finally back on the Olympics menu, and in 2028 we will have both men’s and women’s T20 tournaments. The teams will be divided into two divisions, each having six teams that will play 28 duels at the Olympics. It’s been 128 years since the last time we’ve had cricket at the Olympics. One of the main reasons why cricket is going to feature at the Olympics is the ICC’s desire to make the sport more globally appealing. To make the Olympics even more appealing to fans all over the world, there will be more than a few competitions organized all over the world leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The competitions in question are 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, the 2027 African Games in Cairo, Egypt, and 2027 PanAm Games in Lima, Peru. With that much cricket coming our way, it will not be easy to keep your eyes from the main events.
Glenn Maxwell on CSK Radar
For a while Maxwell was more than good for his Punjab Kings. Yet, the last few IPL campaigns saw him playing subpar, and his position in the team is no longer cemented. While Kings might no longer need his services there are teams that could benefit from his experience and skillset. One of the teams that has identified Glenn Maxwell as an ideal addition are the Chennai Super Kings. Maxwell would fill the holes that CSK has, but they’re not the only ones looking for his services. Another team that is potentially interested are the Gujarat Titans, and they’re even contemplating sending Glen Phillips the other way. At 36 years of age, Maxwell is no longer in his prime, but the player is embodiment of experience and longevity in the sport and thus is an interesting asset for many IPL franchises, and especially those who are aiming at the top spots come the playoff time in the 2026 IPL season.
Liam Livingstone Deemed Surplus to Requirements at RCB
They say that winning fixes everything but that might not be the case for Liam Livingstone. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won their first ever IPL title, he was not up to standards expected from him. Livingston only had 112 runs across 10 matches. This simply is not enough for a player who was not cheap at the auction. The worst part of the last season was the fact that the team has proven that they can handle his absence. In moments when he was replaced by Romario Shepherd, the quality of the play did not drop. While RCB could do without him, there is no shortage of interested parties to take him on for the 2026 IPL season. Two teams that are in the run as of now are Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants. A simple reason why the number of his suitors might grow in following weeks is the fact that his valuation has dropped to what RCB paid for him last season.
Rishabh Pant’s Fall From Glory
The most expensive player in last season’s auction, Rishabh Pant will not command the same price this time around. He was abysmal last season with 88 runs across 11 innings. His stats were improved by recording 181 runs in only two matches proving that the skill is still there, but 269 runs was nowhere enough for what he was paid. While his worth has dropped, there is no doubt that this cricket pedigree and youth will increase the number of suitors as we get closer to the auction. Delhi Capitals would love to bring Rishabh home. Another interested team are the Mumbai Indians who rightfully believe that they could get the best version of Pant. Lucknow Super Giants who made him the most expensive player in the IPL, are still looking at ways to maximize his worth to the franchise. Generational talents in the IPL do not come too often, so selling now, might prove to be a mistake down the road. Yet, LSG are not hiding the fact that they’ve expected more from their investment.
Venkatesh Iyer New Chapter
Kolkata Knight Riders were quick to admit that Venkatesh Iyer was not what they were looking for. The acquisition KKR made only contributed 142 runs across 11 outings last season, which was enough for 20.28 average. While there were worse performers, none took one fifth of his team’s salary cap. Iyer needed to do better, and even he is aware of the fact that KKR is shopping him. The team that showed the most interest are the Sunrisers Hyderabad, as they need a replacement for Ishan Kishan. Also, RCB are looking to strengthen their title winning team in an attempt to do a repeat of last year’s run. Regardless of where Venkatesh Iyer ends up he will serve as a lesson to all teams that when a player is paid a lot, he either delivers or an immediate change is required.
With a lot of things happening in the world of cricket, you can expect more news coming our way, with the IPL auction and trade rumours being in the centre of it.