Mithali’s true blue Raj! Former Indian skipper poses for camera

Former India women’s skipper and reliable batter Mithali Raj had fans admiring her style when she Instagrammed this picture, wearing a two-piece blue suit while working with Sony Pictures Network’s broadcasting team for the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, being played in the United Arab Emirates.

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A post shared by Mithali Raj (@mithaliraj)

Raj, 43, who scored 7805 runs for India in a whopping 232 ODIs, wrote to her 1.9 million Instagram followers: “Some cricket, great conversations, and a little bit of style along the way.”

One of her followers wrote back: “You are looking smart,” while another said, “Rocking in blue.”

The post received over 20,000 ‘likes’.

BCCI review meeting of Team India: The ODI World Cup 2027 is set to take place in South Africa in little over year’s time and the biggest talking point among the cricket fans is whether former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will make the cut for the tournament. Just a couple of months back, there was massive uproar on social media ahead of the third and final ODI match between India and England at Lord’s when a news report suggested that the senior selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar had decided to look beyond Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have now called for a much-delayed ‘review’ meeting of Team India’s performance on the the white-ball tours of Ireland and England. The meeting will now also discuss the India cricket team’s performance in Zimbabwe and in the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka recently.

More importantly, a PTI news agency report is suggesting that the BCCI may also discuss the ODI future and roadmap for Indian cricket legends Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. It was earlier believed that Rohit Sharma may announce his international retirement after the third ODI vs England in July, before he notched up a brilliant century to sign off from the series.

Mar 2025: Rumours that CT Final would be Rohit’s last match. He won the P.O.M award in the Final.

Oct 2025: Rumours that Rohit would retire after the Aus series. He won the Player of the Series award.

Jul 2026: Rumours that Lord’s ODI would be his last. He responded with a… pic.twitter.com/oWlaxvMj8n

— (@Shebas_10dulkar) September 2, 2026

Rohit Sharma was ‘angry’ when asked to announce international retirement

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have already retired from T20I cricket in2024 and from Tests in 2025. Ravindra Jadeja has also retired from T20I cricket in 2024 but is still active in ODI an Test cricket.

Former Mumbai Indians captain was, in fact, intimated by a member of the selection committee (not chairman Ajit Agarkar) that the panel has decided to move on. “Rohit was asked whether he would call time on his career after the Lord’s ODI during the recent tour of England. While the former captain and people close to him maintained a stoic silence, there was buzz that even though he was angry, Rohit had agreed,” a PTI report stated.

Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes has hinted that Team India will need the experience of Rohit Sharma in ODI World Cup 2027. “You’ve got to remember that having experience at a World Cup is another factor that we don’t factor in. We look at the talent of the players, the ability that they’ve got and their performances. Maybe they’ve had a great knock and had a good season,” Rhodes, who is co-owner of Rotterdam Dockers in ETPL 2026, told JioStar.

“But when it comes down to pressure moments, a World Cup is very much high pressure. Players can look after themselves physically, but that mental strength is something that we don’t often factor in when it comes to selection. But as somebody who’s played in four Cricket World Cups without getting past two semi-finals, I know how stressful it can become. So having someone like Rohit Sharma in your squad is such an asset at a World Cup,” Rhodes added.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s contract ends on October 4

Meanwhile, the BCCI review meeting will be attended by President Mithun Manhas and secretary Devajit Saikia in Mumbai on Thursday apart from head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) VVS Laxman and Indian captains Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer.

Agarkar’s contract as the chairman of selection committee is set to end on October 4 but he is likely to get an extension up to ODI World Cup 2027. The BCCI are also hoping that Gambhir, Agarkar and Laxman also remains on the same page till then.

Boria Majumdar

Sports is as much about awareness as anything else. You always need to have a Plan B, for things generally don’t ever go to plan on the big stage. There will be some issue that you haven’t really anticipated, and it can’t come as a surprise. When it comes to shooting, for example, there could be a bad shot, which creates self-doubt. People can scream just when you are taking the shot, and you might lose focus as a result. With the sport being made more viewer-friendly, such things are now par for the course. There could be an equipment malfunction in an extreme scenario. What the fans will look out for is the medal, and no one will care about what happened to the athlete. That’s what makes the process challenging and what the athlete has to brace for.

Esha Singh and Ronak Pandit are doing exactly that. They are preparing for every situation and trying to anticipate everything that can go wrong. That’s what makes Esha a very strong medal contender and one of India’s best shooters at the moment.

“You have to do it,” said Ronak. “You can’t assume that because you are very well prepared, everything will go to plan in Nagoya. It won’t. Something or the other always happens. For example, we have even discussed where she is to look in between shots so that she doesn’t get distracted. Should she look at the gun or in front? You don’t always want her to look back at her coach.”

Esha, who has always shot well in finals, knows what it takes to stay in control despite things not always going to plan. “We train for every situation,” she said. “And now that I have been playing for a long time, I know what all can happen. Also, I have played at an Asian Games in the past and have done well. That makes things a teeny bit easier as well. But the idea always is to prepare for everything that can go wrong so you are not left with any surprises on the day that matters.”

Esha is competing in two events in Nagoya and, if you add the team medals, she could win as many as four medals for India. In the form that she is in, it is a very real possibility, and she knows it well.

“Medals are the end product,” said Ronak. “You don’t go in thinking about medals. Suppose the shooter next to you is shooting brilliantly, you can’t get impacted by that. In fact, it is not your concern. All you need to do is focus on your process, your shooting and your methods. Are you doing what has been discussed and what you have prepared for? Are you following the routine? That’s what you need to do and not focus on others.”

Having followed the duo very closely in the last few months, I have every reason to believe that Esha will be one of the success stories for India at the Asian Games. And yes, we will then celebrate together with some excellent Japanese food!

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A senior member of the Pakistan Cricket Board selection committee has questioned the severity of Imam-ul-Haq's calf injury and called for an inquiry into the treatment protocols after the opener didn't bat during Pakistan's 194-run loss against England in the second cricket test at Lord's last Sunday.

"An inquiry will be conducted into this matter," Aaqib Javed, part of a four-member national selection panel, told Pakistan's told private news channel Geo TV during an interview aired on Tuesday night. "How is it possible that you failed to come out to bat in both innings after pulling up a muscle?" Javed said.

Aaqib Javed. Pic/AFP

"Injuries do occur and we have seen instances in the past where players -- even with casts -- have gone out and made an effort. This situation is different. It is a matter of great concern, and action will be taken regarding it." Former chief selector Mohammad Wasim was among others who expressed concern in the Pakistan media. Imam sustained the injury in the field on the first day at Lord's and didn't play in the rest of the match.

However, after Wasim's criticism, Imam appeared in the outfield before play on the fourth day on Sunday but was visibly limping as he shadow-batted and had his left calf heavily strapped. Imam was among seven players recalled from England by the PCB along with bowling coach Umar Gul and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed after Pakistan's two defeats at Headingley and Lord's. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke will take charge of the team for the final test, starting at Birmingham on Sept. 9.

Pakistan selectors have chosen five uncapped players and two others openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal -- with just a combined experience of 10 tests. There's been reports of serious differences between the team management and Javed regarding the playing XI for the Lord's test, prompting changes midway through the tour.

Javed wanted the head coach and captain Babar Azam to include a fast bowling allrounder, pace bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori - at the expense of Mohammad Rizwan - for the Lord's Test, but the tour management just dropped Salman Ali Agha, who led the team in the first Test in Babar's injury-enforced absence.

"We can't just keep waiting," Javed said. "I had actually spoken to both the captain and the coach after the first Test, suggesting they include Ubaid, who bowls at 140 kph. Agha was rightly rested, Ghazi Ghori was available on the tour and should have played instead of Rizwan."

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