Squads across the SA20 have seen notable changes as the tournament heads into a decisive phase, with franchises reshaping their line-ups to cover injuries, international commitments and form concerns. Durban’s Super Giants have made a high-profile move by bringing in England all-rounder Liam Livingstone as a replacement for Tony de Zorzi, who has departed to join South Africa’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad. Livingstone is no stranger to the league, having previously turned out for MI Cape Town and Pretoria Capitals, and adds significant power and versatility to the DSG middle order.

At Kingsmead, West Indies great Sunil Narine has joined the squad following Devon Conway’s return to New Zealand for international duty. A two-time T20 World Cup winner, Narine arrives with a reputation as one of the most influential players in franchise cricket history. Meanwhile, Rising Star Gysbert Wege has been ruled out due to illness and has left the Super Giants camp to undergo rehabilitation, with no replacement named. Joburg Super Kings have been forced into changes of their own after Rilee Rossouw was ruled out with injury. The franchise has recalled seamer Duan Jansen, who impressed earlier in the season with a career-best 4 for 23 against Pretoria Capitals. Their batting resources have also been strengthened by the arrival of James Vince, who brings vast experience and nearly 13,000 T20 runs. “Yeah, it’s good to be here. Nice to actually get into the nets and yeah looking forward to it,” Vince said. “Looking forward to the opportunity to bat with him again. He’s been around a long time, a quality player. One of the best players SA has had, so it’ll be a pleasure to open up with him.” Pretoria Capitals have already unveiled West Indies powerhouse Andre Russell, who marked his debut by hitting a boundary off his very first ball in the competition. Russell replaces seamer Keith Dudgeon. The Capitals have also added England batter Jordan Cox, replacing Rising Star Daniel Smith. Cox previously featured in Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s title-winning squad in 2023. Player replacements at a glance:

With experience and star power flowing into squads, the race for the SA20 playoffs is set to intensify.

Kapil Dev. (Photo/Getty Images)

January 6 holds a distinct place in cricket’s calendar. It was on this day that Steve Waugh played his final Test, at his home ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground. It was also the day when three Australian greats — Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh — played their last Test in 1984, bowing out together at the end of the Sydney Test against Pakistan.From an Indian cricket perspective, however, January 6 carries a different weight. It was on this day in 1959 that Kapil Dev was born. More than six decades on, it remains difficult to argue against the idea that Indian cricket’s most complete cricketer arrived that day.On Kapil Dev’s birthday, it is hard not to recall a tweet posted by cricket writer Abhishek Mukherjee in 2020. It was not written in praise-heavy prose or sweeping claims. Instead, it listed what Indian cricket’s greats had achieved — and what each of them had not. World Cups, series wins, hat-tricks, five-wicket hauls, centuries in specific countries, records with bat or ball — every name, every achievement, had a missing piece. Until Kapil Dev. Mukherjee ended his list with a simple conclusion: only one Indian had done all of it. And more.Kapil Dev’s numbers still stand apart in Indian cricket. He remains the only player to score 4,000 runs and take 400 wickets in Test cricket. He finished his Test career with over 5,000 runs, including eight centuries, and 434 wickets — a world record at the time, achieved by overtaking Richard Hadlee. His career stretched across 131 Tests, a mark of durability in an era when fast bowlers rarely lasted that long. If not for being dropped for one Test against England in 1984-85 as a disciplinary measure, his career would have read 132 consecutive Tests.Kapil was not the fastest, nor did he possess the most unplayable delivery among his contemporaries. Playing at the same time as Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Hadlee, comparisons were inevitable. His strike rate — fewer than four wickets per Test — did not scream dominance. What did stand out was accuracy, stamina and movement, particularly his ability to swing the ball away from right-handers. He bowled long spells, returned for more, and did so across conditions without complaint.With the bat, Kapil was uncomplicated and direct. He did not wait for permission to attack. His Test record includes innings that continue to define moments in Indian cricket history. The 129 at Port Elizabeth against South Africa came when the rest of the Indian team managed only 86 runs combined. Against Pakistan in Madras in 1980, he struck a brisk 84 and took 11 wickets to seal the series. During the 1981-82 series against England, Kapil amassed 318 runs and claimed 22 wickets against an attack and batting line-up that included Botham, Graham Gooch, David Gower, Mike Gatting and Bob Willis.In Australia in 1991-92, well into his career, Kapil still took 25 wickets across the series. Against England, he averaged over 40 with the bat. Against Australia, he averaged 25 with the ball. These are not isolated spikes but sustained contributions across opponents and continents.Then there was the Lord’s Test of 1990. Facing England’s off-spinner Eddie Hemmings, Kapil struck four sixes in four balls when India needed 23 runs to avoid the follow-on. It made him the first player in Test cricket to hit four consecutive sixes in an over, a feat only three players have managed till date.In one-day internationals, Kapil again sits alone in Indian cricket history. He remains the only Indian with more than 2,500 runs and 250 wickets in the format, finishing with 3,783 runs and 253 wickets. These numbers came while he also captained India to its first World Cup title.The 1983 World Cup remains central to Kapil Dev’s legacy. India entered the tournament with little expectation, having won only one match — against East Africa — in the previous two editions. They had even lost to Sri Lanka, then not a Test-playing nation. Kapil, 24 at the time, had been made captain only four months earlier, after India lost a Test series to Pakistan and Sunil Gavaskar was removed.Questions surrounded Kapil’s leadership and temperament. It was his bat that first answered them. Against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, with India reduced to 9 for 4 and then 17 for 5, Kapil produced an unbeaten 175. It came on a pitch offering assistance to bowlers and against a team making its World Cup debut, but the context did not dilute the impact. His 175 came off 138 balls. He reached his hundred only in the 49th over, before scoring 75 runs in the next 11 overs. India recovered, won the match, and stayed alive in the tournament.That innings is now spoken of as a turning point. Not because it was against the strongest opposition, but because it held India together when collapse looked certain.Kapil Dev’s career does not rest on a single trophy or a single innings. It rests on accumulation — of runs, wickets, matches, moments and responsibilities. He captained India to a World Cup, held the world record for Test wickets, and remains unmatched in Indian cricket for all-round output across formats.On January 6, Indian cricket does not just mark a birthday. It marks the arrival of a player whose career still resists neat comparison and whose replacement in Indian cricket still has not been found.

Mumbai’s captain Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav (PTI Photo)

Mumbai pulled off a tense seven-run win over Himachal Pradesh in a rain-curtailed Vijay Hazare Trophy clash at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur, with stand-in captain Shreyas Iyer and all-rounder Shivam Dube playing decisive roles. Leading the side in the absence of injured Shardul Thakur, Iyer produced a commanding 82 from 53 deliveries to rescue Mumbai from a tricky position. After early losses of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan left Mumbai at 55 for 2, Iyer steadied the innings alongside Musheer Khan. The pair added 82 runs off just 54 balls, keeping the momentum alive in the shortened 33-over contest, which was delayed due to dense fog.

Musheer’s fluent 73 off 51 balls laid a strong platform, following which Iyer combined with Suryakumar Yadav for a brisk 65-run stand off 39 balls. Iyer eventually fell in the 26th over, missing out on a century by 18 runs, having struck 10 fours and three sixes. Mumbai closed on a competitive 299 for 9. Himachal Pradesh began their chase aggressively but lost both openers for ducks, putting immediate pressure on the middle order. Pukhraj Mann counter-attacked with 64 off 41 balls, while wicketkeeper Ankush Bains added 53 from 39. Mayank Dagar’s 64 and Amanpreet Singh’s explosive 42 off 21 balls kept the contest alive, with Amit Kumar chipping in late. With 10 required from the final over, Shivam Dube held his nerve, removing the last two batters to finish with four wickets as Himachal were bowled out for 292 in 32.4 overs. Elsewhere, Hyderabad registered their first win of the season, crushing Bengal by 107 runs on the back of Aman Rao’s double hundred and Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul, despite Shahbaz Ahmed’s fighting century. Punjab cruised past Goa in a chase of 212, with Harnoor Singh unbeaten on 94 and Naman Dhir contributing 68 in a decisive 131-run partnership. Karnataka dominated Rajasthan thanks to hundreds from Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal, while Gujarat dismantled Odisha by 233 runs. Kerala impressed with a successful chase led by Vishnu Vinod’s stunning 162, and Delhi sealed a comfortable win over Railways, powered by Priyansh Arya’s rapid 80.

Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma of India (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma have emerged as one of Indian cricket’s most exciting duos, demonstrating the kind of depth that makes world cricket take notice. While Gill wields the bat with surgical precision, Abhishek attacks the ball with ruthless intent. Both have matured under the guidance of India’s two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh, whose mentorship, though informal, has played a key role in shaping their careers. Coming from India’s 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad—a batch that also produced stars like Prithvi Shaw and Arshdeep Singh—Gill made his senior India debut in 2019, while Abhishek waited six years before earning his cap. Today, Gill is India’s captain in ODIs and Tests, and Abhishek has established himself as the team’s leading T20 opener.

Speaking to Kevin Pietersen, Yuvraj reflected on what set the two apart from their peers. “I started working with these guys just before Covid. And obviously, I could feel Shubman was up a notch, one step ahead. He had already played two games for India, and I could see that the guy is four times more hardworking than the average cricketer. Every time I told him something, he would happily adapt it in his batting. And that’s why he is where he is,” Yuvraj said. He added that Abhishek’s rise followed a carefully mapped process. “As for Abhishek, I put him in a process. I told him if you do this in 4 years, you’re going to play for India. Think about playing for India and not the IPL. And in exactly four years and three months, he debuted for India. Some guys don’t understand how much talent they have. But he did. And if you put in the process, the results will show.” Despite their close bond with Yuvraj, the mentor noted differences in approach between the two young batters. While T20 cricket has encouraged fearless strokeplay, something Abhishek embodies, Gill remains patient, often building his innings carefully. “I’ve had a lot of arguments about it, to be honest. I don’t mind going after bowling. I just feel that nowadays you don’t put a price on your wicket. There is no fear of getting out, and once there is no fear of getting out, you can go after any bowler. Whether he’s bowling 140 or 150. If I were in his place, I would never step out to somebody bowling 145. These guys are stepping out to 150 clicks. They are not afraid, and that’s the generation we have come to,” Yuvraj explained. Highlighting the difference between the two styles, he said: “I tell Abhishek that if you hit three sixes and three boundaries and take four runs, it’s the same amount of runs. Can you take the risk out? If you want to be consistent, either you create an impact or score a hundred. The problem is that they want to score 100 off 40 balls or 36 balls. Not happy scoring 100 off 50-55 balls. Why I feel Shubman is more consistent in his performances is that he gives himself time. Abhishek is not built like that.” Yuvraj’s insights underline the complementary nature of the pair: while Abhishek thrives on explosive hitting, Gill’s measured approach ensures reliability at the crease, making them a formidable combination for Indian cricket.

L-R: Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh

On this day, 42 years ago, three of Australia’s greatest cricketers bid adieu to Test cricket together after record-breaking careers at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting legend Greg Chappell, pace great Dennis Lillee and master wicketkeeper Rod Marsh played their final international match during the fifth Test against Pakistan in Sydney, which concluded on January 6, 1984.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!It was a rare and poignant moment in cricket history — three stalwarts from different aspects of the game walking off the international stage together. Each of them had mastered his respective craft and left behind a legacy that shaped the identity of Australian Test cricket for generations.

That fateful day, Chappell signed off as Australia’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 7,110 runs, overtaking the legendary Sir Don Bradman’s long-standing record of 6,996. The right-hander retired from the game in emphatic fashion, producing a stunning 182 in his final innings for Australia in the first innings of the match. The majestic knock, his 24th Test hundred, underlined his class and composure and earned him the Player of the Match award in his final international appearance. Lillee, arguably the most feared fast bowler of his time, capped off his Test career as the highest wicket-taker in the world then, finishing with 355 scalps. In his final Test, the fiery pacer delivered one last reminder of his relentless competitiveness, returning figures of 4 for 65 in the first innings and 4 for 88 in the second, completing the match with a haul of 8 for 153. Marsh, meanwhile, bowed out with equal distinction behind the stumps. He ended his legendary career with 355 Test dismissals, a world record at the time. Interestingly, 95 of those dismissals came in the famous “caught Marsh, bowled Lillee” combination, a testament to one of the most iconic partnerships in cricket history. Over the last four decades, many of their individual records have been surpassed, but the timing and manner of their simultaneous farewell ensured the moment remained etched in cricketing folklore. Chappell’s tally now stands as the 12th-highest among Australian Test run-getters, Lillee’s wicket record is currently fifth among Australian bowlers and 26th overall, while Marsh’s dismissal record remained untouched for 15 years before Ian Healy surpassed it and now sits fourth on the list.On January 6, 1984, the legendary trio left the cricket field with more than a bagful of records. Here is how their final Test unfolded:Australia and Pakistan arrived at the SCG with the hosts leading the five-match series 1–0 after a dominant innings-and-nine-run victory at the WACA. The next three Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne ended in draws, leaving Pakistan with an outside chance of leveling the series in Sydney.After winning the toss on January 2, Australian captain Kim Hughes elected to bowl first. Pakistan’s innings was anchored by half-centuries from opener Mudassar Nazar (84), Zaheer Abbas (61) and Saleem Malik (54), guiding the visitors to a competitive 278 all out. Geoff Lawson was the standout for Australia with a five-wicket haul (5/59), well supported by Lillee’s 4 for 65, while Greg Matthews chipped in with 1 for 59.Pakistan made early inroads in response, reducing Australia to 83/3 with the top order dismissed. However, Chappell and Hughes steadied the innings with a vital 171-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Hughes fell for 76 to Sarfraz Nawaz at 254/4, but Chappell ensured Australia seized control by adding another 153 runs for the fifth wicket with Allan Border, who contributed a composed 64.When Chappell was finally dismissed for his majestic 182, Australia already held a 158-run lead. The hosts later declared at 454 for 6, extending their advantage to 176 runs and placing Pakistan under significant pressure.Pakistan could not replicate their first-innings effort and were dismissed for 210 in the second innings. Javed Miandad top-scored with 60, while several others made starts without converting them into substantial scores. Once again, Lawson and Lillee led the Australian charge, sharing eight wickets between them. Lillee signed off with 4 for 88, Lawson returned figures of 4 for 48, and Rodney Hogg claimed the remaining two wickets.Australia then chased down the modest 35-run target in just 5.4 overs to complete a comprehensive 10-wicket victory and seal the series 2–0.In their final Test series, Chappell amassed 364 runs at an average of 72.80, Lillee claimed 20 wickets at 31.65 across nine innings, and Marsh registered 21 dismissals — all caught behind — a fitting statistical summary of a farewell that symbolised the end of a golden chapter in Australian cricket history.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has once again opened up on Virat Kohli’s decision to step away from Test cricket, this time after watching Joe Root register his 41st hundred in the format. The milestone reignited the long-running comparison between the modern greats, with Root, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Kohli once grouped together as the celebrated ‘Fab Four’. Among them, Kohli remains the only one to have exited Test cricket. In a video shared on Instagram, Manjrekar expressed disappointment over Kohli’s choice, especially given the prolonged lean phase that preceded his retirement from red-ball cricket. “Well, as Joe Root attains new heights in Test cricket, my mind goes to Virat Kohli. He’s walked away from Tests, and it’s unfortunate that in the five years that he struggled before retiring, he didn’t quite put his heart and soul into finding out the problems as to why he was averaging 31 for five years in Tests,” Manjrekar said. Manjrekar stressed that the concern was not about Kohli retiring, but about the selective nature of that decision. According to him, walking away from all formats would have been easier to accept. “It was okay, Virat Kohli just walked away from cricket, retired from all cricket. But that he’s chosen to play one-day cricket actually disappoints me more, because this is a format which, for a top-order batter, I’ve said before as well, is the easiest format,” he said. He went on to underline why Test cricket still matters the most in his view. “The format that really tests you is first, obviously, Test Cricket, and T20 cricket has its different challenges,” Manjrekar added. Manjrekar also pointed to Kohli’s fitness and discipline, suggesting that a comeback route was always available if the desire was there. “Because he’s so fit, supremely fit, you feel even more that he could have maybe continued his fight, you know, to get back into form. Even if he was left out of a series, he could have maybe gone down to first-class cricket, played in Australia, England, more matches in India, tried to make another comeback,” he said. The video concluded on an emotional note, with Manjrekar admitting that every big Test innings from Root, Smith or Williamson now brings a sense of loss. “When Joe Root gets hundreds or gets runs, or Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, my mind goes to Virat Kohli with a sense of disappointment and a little bit of sadness, because he cared so much for Test Cricket, didn’t he?”

Kolkata ready to embrace the warmth of chess (Photo by Timothy Neesam and Tata Steel Chess India)

NEW DELHI: On a winter evening in Kolkata, when the fog hangs low over the Maidan and the city’s iconic hand-pulled rickshaws creak their way home, the clatter inside a chess hall, mostly the slamming of pieces, ticking of clocks, and cascade of countless ideas, keeps the air vibrant.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!For a few days every year, this city, better known for football chants and cricketing nostalgia, becomes the nerve centre of world chess.But, strangely enough, the roots of this high-octane Kolkata spectacle stretch back nearly nine decades to a coastal village in the Netherlands, on the edge of the North Sea.

In 1938, at Wijk aan Zee, the tournament, then known as the Hoogovens Tournament, was conceived by the steel company Koninklijke Hoogovens with the simple aim of promoting chess as a thinking man’s game for workers and intellectuals alike.World War II halted the movement of pieces for a while, but when the world steadied itself in 1946, Wijk aan Zee returned stronger.Over time, it became the game’s most sacred annual gathering, later earning the nickname the “Wimbledon of Chess”.In 1999, following a corporate merger, it was renamed the Corus Chess Tournament.

Champions like Mikhail Botvinnik, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen were crowned there.When Tata Steel acquired Corus in 2007, along with the legacy of the Wijk aan Zee tournament, the focus remained firmly on preserving the historic Dutch event.At the same time, the acquisition opened discussions on extending Tata Steel’s involvement in chess to India.“Tata took over Wijk aan Zee, and they did not want to hamper the traditional chess tournament; they said that it would be continued. That is a very traditional, old tournament,” Dibyendu Barua, veteran grandmaster and tournament director of Tata Steel Chess India, told TimesofIndia.com from Kolkata.“But at the same time, they wanted to do something meaningful in India. Something different.”That difference was later reflected in the choice of format.Rather than replicating a classical tournament, the focus shifted to rapid and blitz chess. Jeet Banerjee, managing director of a Kolkata-based event management company, brought the concept to fruition, with Barua closely involved in its development.

“Jeet came to me and said he wanted to do something big,” Barua recalled. “India already had many open tournaments. He wanted an event that felt elite.”Banerjee’s experience managing IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders and the ICC World Cup came in handy.“Then he approached Tata Steel. Tata Steel is always eager to contribute to sports and cultural activities. And that is the first company that started giving sponsorship to national and international-level players,” Barua added.Kolkata was selected as the host city based on its strong sporting culture and audience engagement.“Kolkata was chosen because Kolkata is known for its architectural style. The people are very much interested in sports and any cultural event. So that’s how they said, ‘we will do it in Kolkata’,” Barua, the second Indian to become a grandmaster after Viswanathan Anand, revealed.The seventh edition of the tournament begins on January 7, effectively setting the tone for the international chess calendar.Over the previous six editions, the event has attracted several of the world’s leading players. Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Hikaru Nakamura and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave have all taken titles home from Kolkata. On a fair ground for all, Indian players have shown their mettle, with Anand winning the inaugural Blitz edition, Arjun clinching the Rapid title in 2021, then Blitz in 2022 and Nihal Sarin lifting the 2022 Rapid title.The shorter formats have helped draw wider spectator interest in a sport traditionally associated with long playing hours.Managing elite players in such an environment has not been an issue, according to Barua.“We have a very professional team. Magnus, Nakamura, Anand, no issues at all. The only problem is that fans want photos and autographs. People are crazy for chess here,” he admitted.Although the pandemic caused scheduling disruptions in recent years, the tournament has continued to grow.“COVID affected the schedule, yes,” Barua added. “But the quality? It only improved. Every year, the strength of players goes up. The competition is becoming stronger.”This year’s shift to January was prompted by a congested international calendar, with events such as the Global Chess League and the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships held in close succession last season.The rescheduling, however, has not diminished anticipation around the tournament.Running parallel to the main competition is the Tata Chess Festival, which provides opportunities for amateur players, including children, to participate and engage with elite-level chess.“It will be held over five days, and the response is always overwhelming,” Barua said. “Whenever we open registrations for the Tata Chess Festival, they fill up within a few hours, and we have to close it quickly to avoid overcrowding. We cap participation at 250 players.“In total, across four to five days, nearly 1,000 players take part. Parents come along, and it becomes a complete festival atmosphere.”For now, the rapid and blitz format remains central to the identity of the Kolkata event. Invitations are issued strictly based on player ratings to ensure a competitive field.“It is completely an invitational event. Invitations are issued based on player ratings to ensure that the top players participate. If a player withdraws at the last moment due to personal reasons, the spot goes to the next highest-rated player,” added the 59-year-old tournament director.There is no partiality involved. Over the last three years, the same rules have been followed for the women’s section, with players’ rapid and blitz ratings determining invitations.While Wijk aan Zee continues to stand as a benchmark for classical chess, Kolkata has established itself as India’s premier destination for elite rapid and blitz competition. As the day draws its curtains, the City of Joy will wake up to a fresh cup of tea, biscuits, and chess.Kolkata Rapid & Blitz Event 2026 line-upOpen: Viswanathan Anand, Wesley So, Wei Yi, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Volodar Murzin, Hans Niemann, Vidit Gujrathi, Aravindh Chithambaram, Nihal SarinWomen: Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno, Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, Nana Dzagnidze, Harika Dronavalli, Carissa Yip, Stavroula Tsolakidou, Vantika Agrawal, Rakshitta Ravi