The mood was bright in the Mumbai cricket team camp as Jasprit Bumrah returned just in time for the 2025 Indian cricket league match against RCB. The injured star was spotted enjoying a warm moment with teammate Trent Boult at Wankhede Stadium. 

The Mumbai cricket team later shared this touching reunion on social media, bringing joy to their fans. Bumrah has not played since January due to a back injury he got on Day 2 of the last Test against the Australian cricket team in Sydney. 

Bumrah’s back injury kept him from finishing the match, which resulted in Australia winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1. He also missed India's home series against England and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

His recovery was watched closely, but it was not clear if the NCA gave him the green light to play again. However, Bumrah has now confirmed that he is cleared to return. ‘Finally got the clearanceâ€? he told Boult. The sight of Bumrah in the Mumbai cricket team, with his wife Sanjana Ganesan and their son Angad, uplifted the fans with the hopes of leading the squad to victory once again. 

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After Australia lost in the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy against India, captain Steve Smith has announced his retirement from One-Day International (ODI) cricket. This comes after his superb performance for the Aussies, scoring a team-leading 73 runs on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. 

Unfortunately for the Aussies, their captain and arguably the best player is stepping away from the ODI format. It is a big day as Australia will need to get a valid replacement for a top star.

Smith loved his time playing for Australia’s ODI team

At 35 years of age, Smith has had a storied career with Australia, especially for its ODI team. He made his first ODI debut in February 2010 against the West Indies, and he has not looked back since. Smith rose in the ranks as a promising player and ended up being the team captain for multiple years.

Now, he is bidding farewell to the national team. It was an emotional moment for him, but thankfully, he will still be available to be selected for T20 internationals and test matches. 

Smith said, ‘It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it. There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight along with the many fantastic teammates who shared the journey. Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup�

Smith is the gold standard for Australian cricketers

Steve ascended into the captaincy in 2015 and lasted until 2018. He was sacked as part of his punishment for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal during the test series in South Africa. He returned a year later after serving his ban and continued to play well. 

He has been superb as a batter throughout his career, so losing that in the ODI format is a big loss. Steve is not only a consistent performer with his bat, but he is also a valuable leader for the team. He might not have got the full-time captaincy, but he served as an interim captain across many tournaments, including the Champions Trophy.

Cricket Australia supports his decision to step away from ODI, but he will be available for selection in the other two formats. Smith has set the gold standard for ODI cricketers, so Australia must do well with the development of the younger players who will succeed him. 

As a two-time World Cup winner in his career, Smith deserves recognition from the Aussie fans and the rest of the cricket world. This is a sad day for the cricket community, especially those who loved Smith in the ODI format.

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India and Australia played against each other in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy on March 4, 2025. Although Pakistan is the host, India chose to play all its matches in Dubai due to safety worries. 

This choice has sparked talk about whether India has an edge by playing in one place, affecting the lead-up to the knockout stages. The Indian government has blocked the team from going to Pakistan due to security risks in the north near Jammu and Kashmir.

The Champions Trophy relies on India’s funds, so all matches are in Dubai, including the semifinal and final on March 9, 2025, if India makes it. If not, the final will shift to Lahore.

This led to issues with plans and travel for the Champions Trophy. Oddly, Pakistan lost its hosting rights and had to travel to Dubai to play against India, where they lost.

South Africa and Australia flew to Dubai since it was unclear who would face India in the semifinals. Only after India beat New Zealand, South Africa returned to Pakistan to prepare for their match on March 5. Many see this special treatment as giving India a strong advantage.

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