Mohit Sharma to become CSK bowling coach on Zahir Khan's recommendation

Rajat Patidar, captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team, is having a busy year in 2026. After helping his team win the championship for the second consecutive time in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he received another significant award.

The Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Mangubhai Chagambhai Patel, conferred the honorary doctorate upon Patidar. Patidar shared a photo of this special moment on social media. At the award ceremony, he was dressed in a traditional magenta kurta and white pajamas, with a blue ceremonial scarf draped over his shoulders. In the caption, he wrote: 'An incredibly special moment of pride and gratitude. Receiving an honorary doctorate from the esteemed Governor of Madhya Pradesh is a great honor for me. This is an achievement I will always cherish.'

Patidar led RCB to its first IPL title in 2025, and then the team won a second trophy in a row by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 2026 final. With this achievement, Patidar became the third captain in IPL history whose team won the title two seasons in a row, following Mahendra Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

In addition to his captaincy duties, Rajat Patidar has made a significant contribution to the game as a batsman. In the 2026 season, he scored 501 runs in 14 matches, with an average of 41.75 and a strike rate of 192.69. In IPL 2026, he scored five half-centuries.

Rajat Patidar will be back on the field soon. He has been selected for the India-A squad for a three-match unofficial series against Australia-A. Currently, a two-match unofficial test series is underway between the two teams, which India-A won in the first match by a score of 162 runs. The ODI series will begin on October 6th. All three matches will take place in Puducherry. This series will be important for Patidar, as his performance may attract the attention of the Indian national team selectors. He will have the opportunity to demonstrate his attacking abilities in the unofficial ODI series against Australia-A.

Significant changes have occurred in the men's cricket team of Pakistan ahead of the Asian Games 2026. Fast bowler Salman Mirza was excluded from the squad due to a fracture of his left thumb.

Mohammad Wasim Jr. has been included in the team to replace him. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced these changes. According to the PCB, Salman Mirza is undergoing rehabilitation after the injury and, although he is expected to make a full recovery by the first week of October, he will be unable to participate in Pakistan's campaign at the Asian Games due to the finger fracture.

The leadership of the Pakistan team for the Asian Games has been entrusted to Sahibzada Farhan, while Abdul Samad will serve as vice-captain. Players such as Babar Azam, Shakib Al Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah were not included in the squad. The reasons for their absence are either rest or a decision by the selectors, but no clear information has been provided on this matter.

The men's cricket tournament at the Asian Games will begin on September 24. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh advanced directly to the quarterfinals. It should be noted that the Indian and Pakistani teams cannot meet in the semi-finals; their confrontation is only possible in the bronze or gold medal matches. Both teams will play their quarterfinal matches on September 28.

The Pakistan team squad for the Asian Games includes: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raja, Arafat Minhaj, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maj Sadakat, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Saad Masood, Samee Ayub, Sufian Mukeem, and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper).

Rumors are actively circulating in the market regarding the current chief selector of the Indian team, Ajit Agarkar. If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not agree to extend Agarkar's contract, former Indian batsman and wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel could be appointed as the chief selector.

According to TOI, Parthiv's name has been among potential candidates for this position within the BCCI for about six months. Although the possibility of extending Ajit Agarkar's tenure is not entirely ruled out, insiders connected with Indian cricket report serious discussions about Parthiv's name.

The BCCI has not made any official statements on this matter, and it is expected that the situation will become clearer in the coming weeks. Recently, Ajit Agarkar was responsible for selecting teams for ODI and T20 series against West Indies, as well as for the Rest of India team in the Iran Cup.

The discussion surrounding Ajit Agarkar intensified when he did not participate in an important review meeting of Indian cricket. High-ranking BCCI officials, head coach Gautam Gurmir, Test and ODI captains Shubman Gill, and T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, along with Vice President of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) VVS Laxman, were present at this meeting.

BCCI Secretary Devdutt Sayia explained Agarkar's absence by stating he was out of town. However, one source familiar with the events questioned this explanation, noting that almost all key figures in Indian cricket were present at the meeting, making the chief selector's absence unusual.

41-year-old Parthiv Patel played 25 matches in Tests, 38 in ODIs, and 2 in T20 Internationals for India. If appointed as chairman of the selection committee, he would be the most experienced member of the current squad in terms of Test matches. Other players who have played Tests include Shivsundar Das (23), Pragyan Ojha (24), RP Singh (14), and Ajay Ratra (6).

After retiring, Patel has remained connected to cricket. He currently serves as an assistant and bowling coach for the Gujarat Titans (GT) team, and also comments on matches when available. Reports suggest that Parthiv Patel was supposed to take on greater responsibility in the Gujarat Titans next season; however, if the BCCI appoints him as chairman of the selection committee, the franchise would have to change its coaching staff. While the final decision on Ajit Agarkar's fate has not been made, Parthiv's name is confidently put forward as a possible alternative.