India’s tour of South Africa got off to a wet start with the first T20I in Durban being called off due to rain. This series is crucial for India’s preparation for the T20 Cricket World Cup 2024, and losing a match on this road to the World Cup is a setback. The Indian cricket team now has only five T20Is left – two against South Africa and three against Afghanistan at home in January – before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.

With the IPL 2024 happening before the T20 World Cup, the Indian think-tank will rely on the league to finalize the ideal 15 for the event. First-time visitors to South Africa, like Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, would have to wait until the second match on Tuesday at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth.

Suryakumar Yadav aimed to make a winning start in Durban to strengthen his case for consideration as a potential captain. However, rain disrupted the plans, and there wasn’t much the Indian cricket team could do. Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricket team captain, acknowledged that Cricket South Africa couldn’t control the weather but offered important advice for international cricket boards.

Rohit Sharma is currently not part of the national T20I side and has taken a break from the ODI format for the series against South Africa. While fans hope for his return to white-ball cricket, there are discussions about his role as India’s captain. Despite not winning the ODI World Cup 2023, Rohit’s leadership during the campaign was commendable. However, it’s noted that since MS Dhoni, no other Indian captain has achieved ICC success. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, offering insights into Rohit’s captaincy, describes the respect he holds in the dressing room.

“If you take a look at Indian cricket, everybody will be telling you that MS Dhoni is the best captain. (But), Rohit Sharma is an outstanding person, (and) he understands every single player in the team. He knows the likes and dislikes of each of us and has a great understanding. He puts in the effort to know each player personally,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

In the ODI World Cup, Rohit Sharma consistently provided strong starts for India, even in the final match where Australia ultimately won. Despite discussions about Ashwin playing in the final, it didn’t happen. However, the experienced off-spinner was ready to support the team from the sidelines.

“As far as I playing the final is concerned, the team combination and all is secondary. Firstly, it’s about empathy, (and) I keep stressing it a lot. It’s like standing in someone else’s shoes and looking at things from his/her perspective. Had I been in Rohit’s shoes, I would have thought 100 times about altering the (winning) combination. It was going alright for the team, so why rest a fast bowler for three spinners?,” Ashwin explained.

“Honestly, I understood Rohit Sharma’s thought process. Playing the final is big, (and) I was preparing for three days in the lead-up. At the same time, I was also prepared to cheer for the side and run in with energy drinks if I was not given the opportunity. I was mentally prepared for that as well,” Ashwin concluded.

The Indian cricket team lost in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Despite an unbeaten run until the final, Rohit Sharma’s team couldn’t secure the trophy. After the defeat, PM Narendra Modi visited the dressing room to motivate the players. Ravindra Jadeja shared this special post-match gesture on social media, expressing gratitude for the support from the fans. PM Modi, who watched the match, also presented the World Cup trophy to Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins. India, once favorites, faced bitter disappointment with their second loss to Australia in a final within five months. The team’s last global title came in 2013, and Sunday marked their second consecutive loss in a major final after the World Test Championship in June.

Gurkeerat Singh Mann, the 33-year-old cricketer from Punjab, has decided to retire from both international and Indian cricket. He played three ODIs for India in 2016 and later became an IPL champion with the Gujarat Titans.

Gurkeerat’s skills as an offspinner and a fast-scoring batter were recognized in 2011 when he played for the Punjab Under-22 side, winning the CK Nayudu Trophy. Consistent performances led to his selection in the Indian team, and by 2015, he was part of the ‘A’ team, contributing significantly to a tri-series victory against Australia A. Gurkeerat carried this momentum into the Ranji Trophy, showcasing his talent with a double-hundred and a nine-wicket haul.

Although he was selected for India’s Test squad in 2015, Gurkeerat didn’t play. He made his ODI debut in Melbourne in early 2016 during India’s tour of Australia. He faced 13 balls as a batter and bowled 60 balls as a bowler in his international career, all in one-day internationals.

In the IPL, Gurkeerat started with Kings XI Punjab in 2012 and played for them until 2017, scoring 342 runs in 24 innings. He joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019 and scored 169 runs in eight innings.. In 2022, he joined the Gujarat Titans, witnessing their title win from the dressing room. Similarly, Punjab won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this month, with Gurkeerat playing just one game in the tournament.