Sreebhumi FC wants to repeat the result; Sujata says nothing is impossible
Sreebhumi FC wants to repeat the result of last season’s state women’s football league, Kanyasree Cup, defeating East Bengal in the final. Sreebhumi FC edged past New Alipore Suruchi Sangha 2-1 in the semifinal at the East Bengal ground on Saturday. Moushumi Murmu and Rimpa Halder who was especially unplayable to opposition defenders struck the winners while Roshni Baskey reduced the margin for Suruchi Sangha. Sreebhumi FC clinched Kanyasree Cup last year defeating East Bengal. Sujata Kar, Sreebhumi FC coach when asked whether it would be possible for them to repeat the result, said, “Nothing is impossible if you can exert your best. East Bengal have more experienced footballers. They have more players who represent the country. Still, I will say my footballers that nothing is impossible.” Rimpa Halder also agreed to her coach’s notion saying, “East Bengal might be stronger on paper. But we will not give up and if we can offers attacks to our opposition as we did in today’s match then we may have the last laugh.”
End of the road for Mohammed Shami after the snub?
Is it going to become an end of the road for Mohammed Shami in Test cricket after being snubbed in the 18-member Indian squad for the forthcoming five-Test series against England? Shami’s exclusion from the team seems to have drawn attention especially as India will be without a pacer in English condition who is a present-day master in reverse swing. Shami last played a Test match in 2023, featuring in India’s World Test Championship Final loss to Australia at the Oval. Shami has since undergone surgery and returned to the national team with the ODIs, but his form and fitness have been unconvincing. He has been part of India’s last three Test tours of England, in 2014, 2018 and 2021. However, his performance with ball in England are not great, averaging 40 with 42 wickets in 14 matches. He picked 16 in 5 Tests in 2018. “He’s had a little bit of a setback over the past week, got some MRIs done. Wasn’t going to be able to play five Tests. Don’t think his workload is where he needs to be. Medical guys told them he’ll be ruled out. We were hoping he’ll play some part, but if he’s not fit, we’d rather pick guys fit and available rather than waiting,” Ajit Agarkar said in his press conference. Shami was dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad midway through IPL 2025. Agarkar confirms the veteran has faced a fresh injury. The BCCI already had concerns regarding his workload, with doubts about his ability to bowl. With seaming conditions in England, pacers will be required to bowl longer spells, and his fitness to last in a 5-day was unknown. The exclusion seems to have given a signal to Shami that it would be not possible for him to return to the national squad as Gautam Gambhir has expressed that he likes to rely on the new generation of pacers, with Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna filling in for Shami. Since making his debut in 2013, Shami has featured in 64 Tests picking up 229 wickets. At 34, a comeback to the Test team seems unlikely for the veteran pacer. The Bengal pacer was hopeful of featuring in the Indian team for the England tour. But at the same time, he admitted that he needed to increase his workload. “I’m trying my best, doing hard work, performing strength exercises, attending practice sessions regularly, delivering maximum numbers of balls in the nets, and managing my workload as much as possible. The workload needs to be increased for red-ball cricket,” Shami said speaking to TOI.
Shubman becomes the fifth-youngest Test captain for India; Shami ignored
Shubman Gill will become the fifth-youngest player to captain India’s Test team when he leads the side against England at Leeds on 20th June. The Punjab batsman, aged 25 years and 285 days, was named captain for the five-match series following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket earlier this month. Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi remains India’s youngest Test captain, having led the team at 21 years and 77 days in 1962 against the West Indies. Meanwhile, Pacer Mohammed Shami was not picked in India’s squad for the five-match Test series. Shami, whose last Test was the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June 2023, made a comeback to the national side earlier this year after undergoing an ankle surgery in February 2024. Abhimanyu Easwaran, however has cracked into the side following his impressive performance in the domestic cricket last season. But it is to be seen whether he gets opportunity to play in Tests. However, after eight long years, Karun Nair has returned to the India Test squad for the five-match series against England, beginning June 20. Nair last played for India in 2017, in a Test against Australia in Dharamsala. He has featured in six Tests, scoring 374 runs at an impressive average of 67. Notably, he became only the second Indian batter after Virender Sehwag to score a Test triple century. Along with Sai Sudarshan, Indian left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has also earned his maiden Test call-up for the upcoming five-match series in England. Arshdeep’s County Championship stint with Kent last year saw him take 13 wickets in five Division 1 matches at an average of 41.76, with best figures of 3/58. In first-class cricket, he’s claimed 39 wickets in 12 matches for Punjab at an average of 28.05. Arshdeep also leads India’s T20I bowling charts with 99 wickets. “Arshdeep is a quality bowler, he has played county cricket, and domestic cricket. We have watched him over the last couple of years. There is no other reason,” said chief selector Ajit Agarkar while announcing the test squad. India’s squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav. Test series will commence on June 20th in Leeds before the action moves to Birmingham for the second Test. The Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the third Test, beginning on July 10, 2025. Old Trafford and Kennington Oval will host the fourth and fifth Tests of the series respectively.
Moosa happy with the exposure against stronger teams; Wants to scout I-League footballers also
Sudeep Pakrashi: Naushad Moosa thanks the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for organizing two preparatory matches for his Under-23 national team against two stronger teams. The Indian Under-23 national team will play against Tajikistan and Kyrghyz Republic on June 18th and 21st, respectively, at Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Moosa while speaking from Guwahati revealed, “Last time the national Under-23 boys had two preparatory matches against Malaysia under-23. We lost one and drew in other match. But this time, both teams, Tajikistan and Kyrghyz Republic are much stronger than us, and playing against them should benefit our boys a lot. Simultaneously, as a coach, I will also be able to make an assessment of the team’s strength.” Compared to the under-23 national side last year, Moosa who also was the chief coach of the under-23 national team, feels the 29 probables who have been called up in the two-week preparatory camp starting from 1st June in Kolkata, are more young and have potential in number compared to the team. “Most of the footballers who were playing in the ISL were in the under-23 national team last year. This year, potential but young footballers are more in number. A reason is there behind choosing these probales as our aim is to construct a formidable team before the under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers to be held later this year and the Asian Games next year in Japan. So it is a long-term plan to develop the young, potential footballers for the future,” added Moosa. The 53-year-old coach, who works with NorthEast United FC in the ISL, is also planning to observe the forthcoming Durand Cup with a purpose of scouting performers from the tournament. “I want to see the footballers from I-League teams also,” said Moosa. However, the coach believes that this time the preparation will be even more exciting, as it offers a unique opportunity to work closely with talented young footballers and help them unlock their full potential. With the right guidance and hard work, he’s confident these players will rise to the challenge.
