India’s Test head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered a powerful message ahead of the five-match series against England starting from June 20. With stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin retired, the team faces either a void or “a phenomenal opportunity to do something special”. In a BCCI‑released huddle video, he urged players to embrace hunger, passion and sacrifices, fighting in every session, every hour, every ball and enjoy playing for the country, with no greater honour. Gambhir’s stark choice emphasises that this new era, led by Shubman Gill, can seize a momentous tour despite the absence of experienced predecessors. (PC: X/BCCI)

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has criticised the BCCI’s team selection for the England Test series, expressing disappointment over Shreyas Iyer's exclusion. Ganguly said Iyer, who was the top scorer for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, has had a “fantastic” year and deserved a place in the squad, especially in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. “He is not the player who got left out,” Ganguly told RevSportz. Meanwhile, 19-year-old England pacer Eddie Jack, who dismissed KL Rahul in a warm-up match, has been invited to practice with England’s senior squad ahead of the June 20 Headingley Test. (PC: NDTV)

The Karnataka government told the High Court that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and BCCI are responsible for the Bengaluru stampede that killed 11 people outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The state alleged RCB invited fans without permissions or crowd management plans, calling the event “illegal.” Advocate General said social media posts misled lakhs to gather, though the stadium seats only 33,000. No government approvals were taken, and responsibilities under a BCCI-RCB security deal were ignored. RCB's marketing head allegedly tried to flee. CID now leads the probe. The state accuses RCB of seeking publicity at the cost of public safety. (PC: India Today)

Ahead of the five-Test England series starting June 20, concerns loom over Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Bumrah may not play all matches. Gautam Gambhir and ex-NCA physio Ashish Kaushik warned against “under bowling,” saying workload must be consistent across bowling, training, and conditioning. Bumrah's fitness remains key after his back injury during the Australia series. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh is training in Kent, hoping for his Test debut. The left-arm pacer, returning to red-ball cricket after IPL 2025, said he is regaining rhythm and preparing to increase intensity in the tour match against India A on June 13. (PC; BCCI)

United Spirits, which owns IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), responded to reports of a potential stake sale, calling them “speculative.” “Like to clarify that the aforesaid media reports are speculative in nature and it is not pursuing any such discussions,” the company told the Bombay Stock Exchange. The clarification came after shares rose over 3% and social media buzzed with rumours following RCB's maiden IPL title. Meanwhile, Lalit Modi condemned the June 4 Bengaluru victory parade stampede that killed 11. “This should never have happened,” he told IANS, calling the event “poorly planned and executed” by both RCB and authorities. (PC: NDTV)

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom-4 mission, becoming the first Indian to do so. The mission, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, includes astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and the US. Shukla will conduct seven out of sixty planned experiments. This marks a significant milestone in India’s space journey since Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. The launch, initially set for June 10, was rescheduled to June 11 due to weather. Axiom-4 is a collaboration between NASA, ISRO, and Axiom Space. (PC: X)

India A’s two-match unofficial Test series against England Lions ended in draws, but individual performances stood out. Karun Nair was the star with a double century, scoring 259 runs. KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan also impressed with solid knocks. Anshul Kamboj was a surprise package, taking 5 wickets and scoring a fifty. Dhruv Jurel’s consistency with the bat strengthened his backup wicketkeeper claim. However, Shardul Thakur failed to impress with just 2 wickets, while Yashasvi Jaiswal underperformed. Nitish Reddy and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran had a quiet series. The mixed report card leaves selectors with both answers and more questions. (PC: NDTV)

On June 9, 2025, the International Cricket Council inducted seven legends—including five male and two female players—into its prestigious Hall of Fame. The ceremony, part of the “A Day with the Legends” event and broadcast live, celebrated extraordinary contributions to the sport . Among those honored is former India captain MS Dhoni, the only leader to have guided his team to ICC victories across all three white-ball formats (2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy), marking his induction as a capstone to a stellar career . The recognition underscores India’s enduring impact on international cricket. (PC: Britannica)  

Bengaluru’s High Court, on June 9, addressed the petition by Nikhil Sosale, Marketing & Revenue Head of RCB, who challenged his arrest over the June 4 stampede near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium that killed 11 people. His lawyer alleged the Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested him at 4:30 am at Kempegowda Airport on oral orders from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, without jurisdiction or due process—claiming Cubbon Park Police and CCB lacked authority post-transfer to CID . The court questioned if the CM directed arrests, noting infringement of personal liberty and procedural lapses. Interim relief was denied, but the matter was adjourned for full hearing by Justice SR Krishna Kumar. (PC: ANI)

As Rohit Sharma eyes the 2027 World Cup, the BCCI expects the star to retire from ODIs soon after the Champions Trophy. Despite Rohit’s declaration that he won't retire yet, the board is preparing for a leadership transition, with Ajit Agarkar expected to play a key role amid growing captaincy discussions. With 27 ODIs scheduled before the World Cup and contenders like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer in the mix, India’s white-ball captaincy saga intensifies. Rohit’s recent form and age have raised questions about his long-term role as captain and player. (PC: PTI)