land-hills.com – Trending Voices & Key Headlines

Bangladesh have named a 16-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025, with Nurul Hasan Sohan and Saif Hassan making comebacks. Litton Das will lead the side, which opens its campaign against Hong Kong on September 11 in Abu Dhabi.

Mohammad Rizwan's struggles continue as he faces setbacks, including being dropped from the Asia Cup squad and demoted in PCB contracts. His poor form extended to the CPL, where he was dismissed for just 3 runs, leading to social media trolling. Pakistan cricket is facing a decline across formats, marked by inconsistent performances and early exits from major tournaments.

With Shubman Gill's return as vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025, India's opening combination is under scrutiny. Ajinkya Rahane anticipates Gill partnering with Abhishek Sharma, despite Sanju Samson's strong form. Rahane also expressed excitement about the pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.

Sadagoppan Ramesh has ignited controversy by alleging that Gautam Gambhir didn't support Shreyas Iyer's Asia Cup inclusion, despite Iyer's stellar form, including a strong IPL and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performance. Ramesh also questioned the praise surrounding India's drawn Test series in England and highlighted Iyer's pivotal role in the Champions Trophy victory, where he was India's top scorer.

Sanju Samson is set to embrace a new role in the Asia Cup 2025, with Shubman Gill's return potentially shifting Samson down the batting order. Likely to bat at number five or six, Samson demonstrated his adaptability by moving down the order in a recent Kerala Cricket League match.

Rinku Singh celebrated his Asia Cup selection by smashing a blistering 108 off 48 balls in the UPT20 League, leading Meerut Mavericks to a six-wicket victory over Gorakhpur Lions after they were struggling at 38/4. In another match, Karan Sharma and Abhishek Goswami's half-centuries propelled Kashi Rudras to an 88-run win against Noida Kings.

With the introduction of the 'Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025', the BCCI faces potential revenue impacts due to key sponsorships from gaming companies like Dream11 and My11Circle. The board has affirmed its commitment to adhering to the new regulations, ready to re-evaluate sponsorships based on the law's stipulations.

India's Sports Ministry has clarified its stance on sports relations with Pakistan, prohibiting bilateral events but allowing participation in international tournaments where both nations are present. Additionally, Pakistani teams will be barred from competing in India. The ministry is also focused on attracting major sporting events by easing visa processes for international sports officials and ensuring proper protocol during their visits.

Mohammad Kaif has said it will be tough for Sanju Samson to secure a spot in India's playing XI for the Asia Cup. Kaif believes Shubman Gill, who is now the vice-captain, will open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Asia Cup 2025: Shreyas Iyer's father, Santosh, has urged the selectors to give his son an opportunity in the T20I format. He revealed that Shreyas was gutted after missing out on a place in the Asia Cup squad.

A Sports Ministry source confirmed that the Indian cricket team is set to compete in the Asia Cup, despite the absence of bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali expressed shock over the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami from India's Asia Cup squad. Ali believes Iyer's omission is particularly unjust, stating that in Pakistan, these players would be top-tier.

The BCCI selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced India's squad for the Asia Cup 2025, naming Suryakumar Yadav as captain and Shubman Gill as vice-captain. The exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer has raised eyebrows, with Madan Lal questioning Jaiswal's omission and Hardik Pandya's changed role.

Mohammed Kaif has strongly supported Jasprit Bumrah's T20I return, dismissing fitness concerns raised during the England Test series. Kaif highlighted Bumrah's match-winning ability across formats and suggested white-ball cricket suits him better due to a manageable workload. He also expressed disappointment over Mohammed Siraj's Asia Cup exclusion, praising his form and wicket-taking ability.

While Shubman Gill is being groomed as a future leader, Ambati Rayudu believes Shreyas Iyer should be India's next ODI captain. Rayudu cites Iyer's calmness and success leading KKR to an IPL title, along with his ability to guide underdog teams. Iyer's consistent ODI performance, including a strong Champions Trophy and World Cup, further strengthens Rayudu's argument.