Rain played spoilsport on Day 7 of the ICC Champions Trophy. That meant there was no action on the field, but quite a lot happened off it. To start with, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told players to prepare for the India vs. England Test series during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) couldn’t practice at MA Chidambaram Stadium. Venkatesh Iyer expressed eagerness to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) have a new assistant coach. In the aftermath of Pakistan getting knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy, there are two massive Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) updates as well.
BCCI to players: Prepare for England Tests in IPL
The BCCI is preparing a roadmap for India’s next series, the England Test tour. Since there will be no red-ball cricket from now to then, the board wants players who have been struggling in Test cricket of late to prepare for the England Tests during the IPL 2025 season. There will be a meeting after the ICC Champions Trophy to further discuss the matter.
Venkatesh Iyer ready to be KKR captain
KKR’s most expensive pick at the IPL 2025 auction, Venkatesh Iyer, is ready to captain the team. Having let Shreyas Iyer go, KKR is yet to name his replacement. Venky is the front-runner for the role, with Ajinkya Rahane being the other viable candidate, but he has claimed that even if he isn’t named skipper, he’ll continue to be a leader in the dressing room.
PCB to suffer sponsorship losses
Pakistan’s exit from the ICC Champions Trophy could have bigger repercussions than one might think. A report suggests that this early loss could have huge financial ramifications. It was the first ICC event in Pakistan in 29 years, and such poor results could see a dip in interest in cricket. This could mean the sponsorship money PCB generates will decrease, both in international and domestic (PSL) cricket.
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No practice at Chepauk for CSK
CSK has been forced to practice at the CSK Academy in Chennai for the upcoming IPL 2025 season instead of their IPL home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The reason for the change is BCCI’s new mandate. Last month, the board informed all the state associations that they couldn’t allow IPL franchises to practice on their home grounds to keep them fresh for the 18th edition of the league, which starts on March 22.
New Pakistan head coach
PCB won’t renew interim head coach Aaqib Javed’s contract. Pakistan’s last match of the ICC Champions Trophy against Bangladesh on February 27 will also be Aaqib’s last. The PCB will most likely appoint a former Pakistan cricketer as the new coach before the white-ball tour of New Zealand starts on March 16.
Delhi Capitals name Matthew Mott as assistant coach
Perhaps the final coaching change the Delhi Capitals will make for the IPL 2025 season as Matthew Mott joins the franchise as their assistant coach. Earlier, Hemang Badani replaced Ricky Ponting as the head coach, Venugopal Rao took over from Sourav Ganguly as the Director of Cricket, and Munaf Patel was added to the setup as the bowling coach. Mott has experience coaching in men’s and women’s cricket. He was KKR’s assistant coach in 2008 and 2009 as well.
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