The Weekly Wicket: Pat Cummins’ Ashes Return to India vs SA T20I Series - This Week in Cricket (PHOTOS)

This week in cricket featured Pat Cummins’ Ashes return, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli topping ODI rankings, a level India–South Africa T20I series, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s U19 Asia Cup heroics, and a corruption scandal in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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Top Cricket Highlights of the Week

The second week of December has been encapsulated by Australia skipper Pat Cummins’ return to the Ashes, see-sawing T20I series against India, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dominating the ODI Batters’ Rankings, Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s carnage in U19 Asia Cup 2025 against India, and other major on and off-field developments that kept the cricket world buzzing.

As the second week of December concludes, let’s take a look at the key cricket highlights of the week that grabbed the headlines.

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Pat Cummins Makes Ashes Return as Australia Skipper

Australian skipper Pat Cummins is all set to make a comeback in the third Test of the ongoing Ashes series at the Adelaide Oval. Cummins was ruled out of the first two Ashes Tests as he could not gain complete match fitness after recovering from a back injury. In Cummins’ absence, Steve Smith led Australia in Perth and Brisbane Tests, which the hosts won convincingly, giving Australia a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Pat Cummins’ return is not only a major boost to the pace bowling attack, but also a big relief for the team as Josh Hazlewood’s unavailability for the remainder of the series due to Achilles injury has left Australia without one of its senior quicks, forcing them to reshuffle their bowling plans for the remaining Ashes Tests. Cummins is expected to lead the pace bowling attack, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.

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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Dominate ODI Batters’ Rankings

Indian batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli claimed the top two spots in the latest ODI batters’ rankings released by the International Cricket Council. Rohit retained the top spot with ratings of 781 points, while Virat Kohli jumped a couple of places to take the second position with 773 points, a difference of 8 points, reflecting their consistent performances in the recent ODI series against South Africa.

Kohli’s jump in the rankings came on the back of his impressive ODI series against the Proteas, amassing 302 runs, including two centuries and a fifty, at an average of 151.1 in three matches. Rohit, on the other hand, aggregated 146 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 48.67 in three matches. These stats highlight India’s batting strength, with Kohli’s prolific runs and Rohit’s consistency keeping them at the top.

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Smriti Mandhana’s First Public Appearance Since Wedding Call-Off

Team India Women’s vice-captain and star batter Smriti Mandhana made her first public appearance at an event in New Delhi since her wedding with Bollywood music composer Palash Muchhal was called off. Mandhana was scheduled to get married on November 23, but her father’s health scare, which led to hospitalisation, followed by rumours of Palash being unfaithful, resulted in the postponement and eventual cancellation of the wedding.

Smriti Mandhana, alongside Indian women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, attended the Amazon Smbhav Summit as an inspirational speaker at the summit. Despite a personal setback, the 29-year-old maintained her grace and composure throughout the event.

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New Zealand Take 1-0 Lead over West Indies in Test Series

After West Indies pulled off a thrilling draw in the series opener, New Zealand bounced back strongly to take a 1–0 lead with a comprehensive win in the second Test. The Kiwis were dominant with the bat and bowl as they defeated the Caribbean side by nine wickets. After bundling out for 128 in the second innings, West Indies set a mere 57-run target for New Zealand.

The Kiwis wrapped the match by chasing down the target in just 10 overs, reaching 57/1 to clinch the win and take a 1–0 lead in the three-match series. New Zealand's pacer was awarded Player of the Match for his bowling brilliance in the second innings, where he picked five wickets, which was crucial for the hosts’ victory.

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India vs South Africa T20I Series Levelled at 1-1

Team India and South Africa’s five-match T20I series is levelled at 1-1. The Men in Blue won the opening match in Cuttack by 101 runs, thanks to Hardik Pandya’s 59-run innings that propelled the hosts to 175/6 and the collective effort of the bowlers to bundle out the Proteas for 74 in 12.3 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. However, South Africa bounced back strongly in the second T20I to level the series.

The visitors defeated India by 51 runs in Mullanpur, with Quinton de Kock (90) and Ottneil Baartman (4/24) leading the charge as India faltered in their chase of 214, eventually folding for 162 despite Tilak Varma’s valiant 62-run knock, allowing the Proteas to restore parity in the series. The two sides will face off in the third T20I in Dharamshala on Sunday. December 14.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Carnage in India’s Asia Cup U19 vs UAE

Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi was in an absolute carnage mode in Team India’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 opening match against the UAE in Dubai. The 14-year-old played a blistering knock of 171 off 95 balls, completing his century in just 56 balls, leaving the UAE bowlers helpless as he smashed boundaries at will. Suryavanshi’s knock consisted of 14 fours and 9 sixes, and he batted at an astounding strike rate of 180.00, as he helped India post a record-breaking total of 433/4 before the UAE was defeated by 234 runs.

Suryavanshi has been in a sensational form this year, starting with his breakthrough IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals, followed by his record-breaking performances in age-group cricket against England and Australia. Before the U19 Asia Cup 2025, Vaibhav Suryavanshi registered his maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy century, making him the youngest batter to achieve this milestone in the tournament.

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ICC Dismisses Reports of Media Rights Fallout

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and JioStar issued a joint statement, dismissing the reports and speculations of exiting the media deal. Earlier this week, reports emerged that JioStar has decided to withdraw from the three-year media rights deal worth $3 billion with ICC ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, with suggestions that it could not continue with the deal due to heavy financial losses.

However, the ICC and JioStar jointly dismissed the reports, stating that the contract will be fully in force till 2027 and both parties remain fully committed to honouring all contractual obligations without any changes to the existing agreement. JioStar has taken ownership of telecasting and streaming all ICC events, including the upcoming men’s and women’s tournaments.

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Four Assam Cricketers Suspended for Corruption in SMAT

Amid the ongoing edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, a major controversy erupted as Assam Cricket Association suspended four players, including Amit Sinha, Ishan Ahmed, Aman Tripathi and Abhishek Thakuri, over their alleged involvement in the corrupt practices during the tournament. The corrupt practices included match-fixing by influencing teammates during the SMAT 2025, prompting suspensions and an investigation by the ACA.

The controversy by Assam cricketers for being involved in corrupt practices has cast a dark shadow over the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, with an FIR being lodged with the Crime Branch in Guwahati and the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit has begun an investigation, barring four players from participating in any competitive cricket until the conclusion of the probe.