DRS, July 16: Gambhir gives Rohit Sharma free hand, England target IPL coaches, MI season review, T20 World Cup format changed

India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup started on the right note with a win against England in the 1st ODI. Now, head coach Gautam Gambhir wants to keep doing the same over and over again. He has given Rohit Sharma a free hand at the top of the order and wants him to go berserk. The ICC, on the other hand, has changed the format of the T20 World Cup. England are looking for Brendon McCullum’s successor and have shortlisted multiple IPL coaches. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians will hold their season review next week. On that note, take a look at top headlines from Wednesday.

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Series win in sight, Shubman Gill’s India look to have Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma join party in Cardiff

Gambhir wants Hitman back in ODIs

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and the management have assured Rohit Sharma space and a bit of time to play in the ODI format. While the outsiders could say that the pressure of proving time and again has added pressure on Rohit, the reports suggest otherwise. In the first ODI at Edgbaston, Rohit made a rusty 21-ball 11. However, the next two ODIs will be crucial for the Mumbai Indians star because after this, Rohit will be seen in Indian colours only in September when the West Indies tour India. Read more here.

T20 World Cup format changed

ICC is spicing up the World Cups. Apart from the big changes made to the Men’s ODI World Cup, the board has approved a major revamp of the Men’s T20 World Cup format as well. The ICC has introduced a new “Super 10” stage and Eliminator matches from the 2028 edition onwards. While the tournament will continue to feature 20 teams, the road to the semi-finals is set to become much more competitive. One of the biggest changes is the removal of the Super Eights stage. In its place, the ICC has introduced a larger Super 10 round, along with Eliminator matches that will effectively act as quarter-finals. Read more here.

PCB accused of extortion by MLC team

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has landed itself in a new soup as Major League Cricket (MLC) franchises have accused the board of alleged extortion. As per reports, the PCB demands a whooping $25,000 fee to grant No Objection Certificates to the Pakistan players to take part in the league. A source claimed that when the matter was raised with PCB cheif Mohsin Naqvi, the response was that this was a means of revenue for the PCB and that they had every right to ask for the money. Read more here.

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England’s hunt for new coach widens

The ECB has commenced its hunt for a new Test coach and has zeroed in on nine possible candidates. After losing yet another Test series, Brendon McCullum was sacked as the red-ball coach of the Three Lions, bringing his four-year stint to an end. The candidates on the list of potential coaches who could replace Baz include Justin Langer, Andy Flower, Richard Dawson, Jonathan Trott, Kumar Sangakkara, Stephen Fleming, Tom Moody, Mike Hesson and Adi Birell. Read more here.

MI season review

The Mumbai Indians (MI) team management are scheduled to meet next week to hold the review for the recently concluded season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). A variety of issues ranging from trade talks involving Hardik Pandya to deciding on the new captain will be discussed during the meeting, as per reports. MI failed to make it the IPL 2026 playoffs and finished at the 9th position on the standings, marking yet another poor season for the five-time champions. Read more.

Smriti Mandhana ready to become captain

India women’s cricket team star Smriti Mandhana is ready take over the reins from Harmanpreet Kaur as the captain across formats of the game. The highest run-getter among the current lot, the batter from Maharashtra currently serves as the vice-captain. It has been ten years since Harmanpreet became the captain of the Indian team, and it is about time she paves way for a new leader. Read more here.