Ishan Kishan a fear for SRH, Shardul Thakur thumbs right down to IPL 2025 groups & model new MI crew

It’s not every day that you see fans clamouring outside a stadium hours before a Ranji Trophy match or a player’s lunch choice making headlines. But when Virat Kohli is in town, all bets are off. The cricket superstar brought a level of excitement and attention to the Ranji Trophy that’s rarely seen in domestic cricket. His presence in the Delhi vs Railways match turned it into a must-watch event. Apart from him, even Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav played. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur had a superb moment in the day when he bagged a fantastic hat-trick. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan continued his inconsistent form. At the end of the day, we had more major developments coming up as the Mumbai Indians owners confirmed their 49% stake acquisition of a franchise in the Hundred tournament. On that note, let us look at the top headline-making stories from January 30 (Thursday).

New Mumbai Indians franchise?

The Mumbai Indians global franchise has expanded its reach by acquiring the Oval Invincibles franchise in the Hundred league for a staggering £123 million (INR 1327 crore). This deal, confirmed by reports, marks the franchise’s entry into the English cricket scene. The Oval Invincibles are the defending champions of the men’s tournament and already have players like Sam Curran and Will Jacks, who have played for MI-owned franchises. This acquisition strengthens MI’s global presence, which already includes teams in SA20, Major League Cricket, and ILT20. Read more here: Mumbai Indians owners RIL bags a new franchise in the Hundred for Rs 1327 crore

Worry for SRH due to Ishan Kishan?

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) new acquisition could prove costly for them. Ishan Kishan, who was already bought for a hefty price of INR 11.25 crore, is having a poor form. He isn’t among the top 150 run-getters in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and was out quite early in the ongoing match against Tamil Nadu. His last fifty came back in November. With SRH already having Heinrich Klaasen, they didn’t desperately need a keeper but there they are. Kishan would surely be in the first XI but needs to rediscover his form quickly. Read more here: Worry for SRH due to Ishan Kishan?

Shardul Thakur, take a wow!

Shardul Thakur is absolutely on fire! The Mumbai all-rounder took a hat-trick in his second over against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy, leaving the visitors reeling at 2/5. Thakur’s impressive form has been a highlight of the tournament, and he’s making a strong case for a BCCI Central Contract. With 17 wickets in 7 matches, Thakur is proving himself to be a reliable and formidable all-rounder. Unfortunately, he went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction which was absolutely surprising. He has now shown what they ten teams might miss! Read more here: Shardul Thakur wreaks havoc on Meghalaya with hat-trick

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Virat Kohli mania hits Ranji Trophy!

The highly anticipated Delhi vs Railways match lived up to the hype, but fans were left disappointed as Virat Kohli didn’t get a chance to bat on Day 1. Despite Delhi electing to bowl first, the Railways put up a solid 241 runs, with Upendra Yadav narrowly missing a century. Delhi lost an early wicket, but Yash Dhull and Sanat Sangwan steadied the ship, ending the day at 41/1. The big news is that Kohli, who’s batting at number four, will finally get his chance to bat in the Ranji Trophy after over 12 years—and it’s all set to happen tomorrow! Read more here: Ranji Trophy: KL Rahul flops, Shardul Thakur dazzles & Virat Kohli mania arrives

KL Rahul homecoming…

KL Rahul’s highly anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy was a bit of a letdown. He scored a decent 26 off 37 balls, but was dismissed way too early, falling to Anshul Kamboj’s bowling. On the bright side, Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal stepped up, putting on a solid 62-run partnership. Agarwal was on fire, smashing three sixes and eight boundaries, but narrowly missed out on a century. Karnataka ended the day at 267/5, with some young guns looking to build on the foundation laid by the seniors. Read more here: KL Rahul’s Ranji return after 5 years flops, a risky move before the Champions Trophy?

Rinku Singh is back!

Rinku Singh has been cleared to participate in the fourth match in Pune on January 31 after missing the second and third IND vs. ENG T20Is owing to a back ailment. Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach for India, verified this and added that he batted in the nets on Wednesday. In the first game in Kolkata on January 22, the southpaw was said to have suffered a back injury while fielding. Rinku was also seen hitting quite well in the training session in Pune. Read more here: Rinku Singh fit for 4th T20I, in line to replace Dhruv Jurel in middle-order