Ravi Shastri made a big call in 2019. While serving as India’s head coach, he told Rohit Sharma to open in Test matches. Shastri saw Rohit's performance in the 2019 men's cricket World Cup, scoring five hundreds and topping the run charts.

Rohit accepted the challenge. In his first match as a Test opener, he scored a twin century and looked right at home. He started strong and kept going. From that point, he scored 9 of his 12 Test hundreds as an opener.

Shastri said Rohit liked batting early and had all the shots to handle fast bowlers. He praised Rohit for working hard on his technique, mainly during the England tour. 

Rohit retired from Test cricket last week. He finished with 4,301 runs, 12 hundreds, and 18 fifties in 67 matches. His success at the top didn’t come by luck. It came from a smart move and intense effort.

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Chennai opened the 2025 Indian cricket league with a matchup against fierce rivals Mumbai. As the star player, Rachin Ravindra delivered by leading them to a four-wicket win to kick off the Indian cricket league campaign. 

While Ravindra was mostly focused on the game, he did not ignore the pressure of playing alongside a legend like MS Dhoni. It was a win blanketed by honour, but the crowd wanted Dhoni to hit the winning runs.

Ravindra knows the weight of the win

Whenever Dhoni was on the pitch, fans wanted to see him contribute to the game. Ravindra is honoured to be his teammate in Chennai. ‘It's cool to share the crease with him for the first time. He's a legend of the game, and people love him here. So it's special,�?Ravindra stated.

He’s focused on leading Chennai to the win despite the spotlight and crowd’s attention on Dhoni. Ravindra said, ‘All the crowd would have been hoping that I gave him [the strike] and finished the game, and he would have finished it. But it's just about getting the job done�?

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Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur has signed a seven-game deal with Essex, an English cricket club, to make his County Championship debut in April. He expressed his excitement about joining the club and how this will allow him to showcase his skills on a different platform.

‘County cricket is something I always wanted to experience and I am glad that I’ll be representing the Eagles�? Thakur shared. The Essex Director of Cricket, Chris Silverwood, also voiced the club’s enthusiasm for a new, high-quality bowler joining them.

The 33-year-old’s bold move was announced after his outstanding performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. He has scored 439 runs at 39.90 and claimed 34 wickets at 21.67 so far.

Thakur’s Indian cricket league journey

Thakur has made a name for himself in the Indian cricket league. Having played for multiple teams, including PBKS, RPS, DC, and CSK, Thakur steadily proved himself to be an all-rounder on the field. 

The fast bowler’s Indian cricket league career highlights a handful of match-winning performances, including his wicket-claiming skills. He was particularly noted for his 2021 performance with CSK, claiming 21 wickets at an average of 25.09—conceding over 500 runs against KKR. This helped them secure the 2021 Indian cricket league’s title.

However, despite his past successful plays, Thakur was not bought by any team during the 2025 Indian cricket league auction. This news came as a massive shock, sparking discussions about his form and the dynamics of the Indian cricket league this year. Some experts believe that the rise of younger players might have played a role in his unsold status.

Thakur later expressed disappointment in not having any team professing faith in him and his decade-long skills. Still, he pointed out that every player faces highs and lows, but this will never change the quality of his game.

Thakur’s awaiting cricket future

With the 2025 season fast approaching, Thakur takes on this new challenge to prove himself. While his Indian cricket league career might be temporarily on hold, Essex could be the perfect opportunity for him to rediscover his form.

After the County Championship, the all-rounder is eyeing a spot in the Indian squad for their upcoming five-match Test series with England by June. He shared his intentions and determination to play a significant role in the series.

The English Test series is challenging for visiting teams due to the English clubs�?superb pitches for seam and swing bowling. However, Thakur’s top-notch bowling style and batting skills are well-suited to these matches. His participation in the Test series might just be India’s chance to bring home victory.

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