The cricketing world woke up to a mix of controversy, resilience, big appointments, and injury setbacks as headlines poured in from across formats and continents. From Travis Head’s candid take on England’s Ashes drinking row to Delhi’s grit in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and from Mumbai Indians strengthening their WPL coaching staff to Australia sweating over Tim David’s fitness, it was a morning packed with talking points.
“I’m Jealous”: Travis Head Downplays Mid-Ashes Drinking Controversy
Australian batter Travis Head stirred fresh debate by offering a refreshingly blunt perspective on England’s mid-Ashes drinking row involving Ben Duckett. Reacting to England players being spotted consuming alcohol during a short break in Noosa, Head insisted the issue had been blown out of proportion.
Calling himself “jealous” of England’s brief getaway during a gruelling Ashes series, Head stressed that such breaks are common on long tours. He also revealed that he personally reached out to Duckett after a viral video surfaced, underlining the human side of elite cricketers living under constant scrutiny.
With England’s management launching an internal investigation and social media amplifying the episode, Head’s comments offered balance, suggesting perspective was needed rather than outrage. His remarks added another layer to an already intense Ashes narrative dominated by pressure, fatigue, and public expectations.
Pant Falters Again as Kohli-less Delhi Edge Saurashtra in Thriller
In domestic cricket, Delhi continued their unbeaten run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, chasing down a challenging 321 against Saurashtra in a tense finish. Playing without Virat Kohli, Delhi showed depth and composure, winning by three wickets with seven balls remaining.
While the result favoured Delhi, the spotlight remained firmly on Rishabh Pant, whose struggles in the 50-over format continued. Pant managed just 22, marking his second underwhelming outing in three matches and raising further questions about his ODI form.
The chase was anchored by crucial contributions from Tejasvi Singh (53) and Harsh Tyagi (49), before Navdeep Saini’s unbeaten 34 sealed the win. Earlier, Saini also impressed with the ball, returning figures of three wickets, helping restrict Saurashtra to 320 for 7.
Despite Pant’s form concerns, Delhi’s resilience without Kohli stood out as a key takeaway from a high-quality contest.
Mumbai Indians Strengthen WPL Setup With Kristen Beams Appointment
Ahead of WPL 2026, defending champions Mumbai Indians made a significant off-field move by appointing former Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams as their spin bowling coach.
Beams, a standout performer in Australia’s World Cup campaigns and a proven coach across the WBBL and The Hundred, expressed excitement about joining a franchise known for its strong culture and winning mentality. She will work closely with a star-studded coaching group featuring Jhulan Goswami, Lisa Keightley, and Harmanpreet Kaur.
With the WPL scheduled from January 9 to February 5 across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, MI’s appointment signals serious intent to extend their dominance in women’s cricket.
Big Blow for Australia as Tim David Ruled Out of BBL
Australia suffered a major setback with Tim David ruled out of the remainder of the Big Bash League due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. The injury is a huge loss for the Hobart Hurricanes, who relied heavily on David’s explosive middle-order hitting.
While the immediate focus is recovery, there is cautious optimism that the injury will not jeopardize his availability for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. For now, the Hurricanes face the challenge of reshuffling their batting order as they push to remain competitive.
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