Anshul Gupta

The Punjab Kings built a decent squad after the IPL 2025 auction. Having had the biggest purse walking into the two-day mega auction, Punjab were able to fill all the gaps needed including a new captain but the coach Ricky Ponting was on the receiving end of criticism of favouring Australians.

Team India will be up against the Prime Minister's XI in the two-day pink-ball warm-up match in Canberra as the visitors try and get used to the day-night conditions a bit ahead of the Adelaide Test. India are 1-0 up in the five-match series and will welcome back their regular skipper Rohit Sharma.

West Indies registered a rather comfortable victory in the series opener against Bangladesh to take a 1-0 lead. As the Test cricket returns to Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, the hosts will be keen to seal the series as Bangladesh aim to get out of the rut having lost their last five Tests.

Joe Root since his double hundred in Multan against Pakistan, has scored just 90 runs in five innings as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck by debutant Nathan Smith. New Zealand posted an impressive score of 348 runs on the board riding on Kane Williamson and Glenn Phillips' innings.

The quartet of Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Aamer Jamal and Saim Ayub shared four wickets apiece as Pakistan bowled out Zimbabwe for 204, winning the third ODI by 99 runs and hence, sealed the series. Saim Ayub for his all-round heroics was named the Player of the series.

Rishabh Pant became the apple of the eye for Lucknow Super Giants as they made an offer that Delhi Capitals were forced to refuse, Rs 27 crore, the highest for a player for a season in IPL history at the mega auction. Pant has a big responsibility to now justify that price tag as LSG aim for title.

West Indies pace quintet led by Kemar Roach was sensational during five days in Antigua as the hosts won a first Test match at home in two years, against the very same opposition as they beat Bangladesh by a massive margin of 201 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-game series.

Kane Williamson will return to the XI for New Zealand for the first time since the Sri Lanka series after recovering fully from his groin injury. The first Test between New Zealand and England will kick off on November 28 in Christchurch.

England might be using it as a stepping stone to come back to form after the Pakistan debacle and building towards the home Test summer next year but for New Zealand, these three matches are critical from WTC points perspective after hammering India in their own backyard 3-0.

Sri Lanka and South Africa, a series that from the outside might not look high-profile or asking to be watched but quietly has become a critical two-match assignment with the World Test Championship points at stake. South Africa start as favourites being the home team but Sri Lanka are in form.

The three-match Test series between New Zealand and England will kick off in Christchurch on November 28. England have already announced their playing XI and even though there's nothing in it for the visitors, crucial World Test Championship points are at stake for New Zealand.

Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) splurged INR 27 crore for him at the mega auction. Pant after being with the Delhi Capitals for nine years, bid goodbye even though the franchise did use an RTM for him at INR 20.75 crore.

With some exorbitant prices, a few steals and several high-profile players going unsold later all 10 teams finalised their squads ahead of the 2025 edition of the IPL. The two-day mega auction saw INR 639.15 crore getting spent with 182 players finding homes, some old and most of them new ones.