The BCCI has named a 15-member India squad for the 2026 Under-19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Ayush Mhatre will lead the side, with Vihaan Malhotra as vice-captain. Vaibhav Suryavanshi is set for his first World Cup after strong youth form this year. He scored 690 runs in 12 youth one-day games in 2025. The squad also includes Aaron George and wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu. India will play New Zealand, USA and Bangladesh in the group stage. The team will tour South Africa for three one-day matches from January 3 before the tournament begins on January 15. (PC: India Today)

England snapped a 15-year drought in Australia by defeating the hosts in the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, winning by four wickets while chasing 175. The Boxing Day Test concluded within two days amid dramatic collapses and spirited batting from England’s middle order. Australia’s first defeat in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle still leaves them atop the table with a strong points percentage, while England slightly improved their position but remain in the lower half. The result hasn’t altered the Ashes series outcome, with Australia already leading 3-1.

Fourteen-year-old cricketing prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi received India's highest civilian honor for children, the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP), from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi. Following the ceremony, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside fellow awardees. The Bihar batsman missed the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Manipur to attend the prestigious event. Vaibhav gained national attention after smashing a stunning 190 runs off just 84 balls in Bihar's opening match against Arunachal Pradesh. The PMRBP recognizes exceptional achievements by children aged 5-18 in bravery, art, culture, environment, innovation, science, technology, social service, and sports, celebrating India's youth excellence.

Harmanpreet Kaur created history by becoming the first captain to achieve 77 T20I victories, breaking Australian legend Meg Lanning's record of 76 wins. The milestone came after India's eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram, sealing a 3-0 series lead. Harmanpreet has captained India in a record 130 T20Is, making her one of only three captains to lead over 100 matches in the format. She also became the first captain to win 16 matches against a single opponent (Sri Lanka) and holds the record for most Women's T20I appearances (185 games). This achievement follows India's historic World Cup victory two months ago, marking their first-ever ICC tournament title. (PC: X)

Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has declared the veteran batter "fully ready" for the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa, calling him "the most consistent player of the Indian team." After retiring from Tests and T20Is, Kohli now exclusively plays ODIs for India. Following back-to-back ducks during the Australia tour, he's rebounded with two centuries and two half-centuries in his last four international matches. He carried this form into domestic cricket, scoring 131 against Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy opener and 77 against Gujarat. Sharma defended Kohli's occasional poor innings, stating his record speaks for itself. Kohli next plays internationally in January against touring New Zealand. (PC: X)

Shreyas Iyer is nearing a comeback after suffering a broken rib and ruptured spleen during a match against Australia two months ago. The Indian ODI vice-captain has resumed batting at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, practicing for nearly an hour without discomfort. BCCI sources confirm Iyer is pain-free and has returned to regular gym training. He will spend four to six days at the Centre for assessment before finalizing his return timeline. Iyer is eyeing the Vijay Hazare Trophy for his comeback to competitive cricket. With India's ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11, his inclusion cannot be ruled out, with squad announcement expected January 2-3. (PC: Times Now)

Round one of the Vijay Hazare Trophy on December 24 produced a rare flood of men’s List A records across India. Bihar smashed 574 for six against Arunachal Pradesh, the highest team total ever in the format. Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck a 59-ball 150, the fastest in List A history, and also became the youngest centurion. Bihar captain Sakibul Gani added a 32-ball hundred, the quickest by an Indian. Karnataka chased down 413, the highest successful run chase in the tournament. Virat Kohli reached 16,000 List A runs in the fewest innings, while Rohit Sharma equalled the record for most 150-plus scores. The day also produced 22 centuries and a fielding first, as Vignesh Puthur took six catches in one match. (PC: X)

Virat Kohli marked his return to domestic List A cricket with a 131-run knock for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Thursday. Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he scored 131 off 101 balls as Delhi chased 299 to beat Andhra. The innings took Kohli past 16,000 List A runs, making him the second Indian to reach the mark after Sachin Tendulkar. The hundred came weeks after his back-to-back ODI tons against South Africa. His childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma said Kohli is in strong form and “fully ready” for the World Cup build-up. (PC: X)

Virat Kohli created history during Delhi's Vijay Hazare Trophy opener against Andhra Pradesh on December 24, becoming the second player after Sachin Tendulkar to score 16,000 List A runs. Kohli achieved the milestone in just 330 innings, beating Tendulkar's 391 innings by a massive margin, making him the fastest ever. The 37-year-old is the only player in this elite nine-member club averaging above 50, with a stunning 57.34 average. Kohli holds 57 centuries and needs just three more to match Tendulkar's world record of 60 List A tons. He's also the fastest to 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, 13,000, 14,000, and 15,000 List A runs, with 90% scored internationally.

Ishan Kishan celebrated his India T20 World Cup 2026 comeback by smashing a 33-ball century for Jharkhand against Karnataka in Vijay Hazare Trophy at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on December 24. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter scored 125 from just 39 balls, hitting 7 fours and 14 sixes, helping Jharkhand post 412/9. Ishan broke 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi's record, who scored a 36-ball century earlier the same day. Bihar's Sakibul Gani holds the fastest Indian List A century record at 32 balls. Ishan finished as highest run-getter in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, earning his first India selection in over two years. Australian Jake Fraser-McGurk holds the world record at 29 balls.