Sports

IPL 2025: Ajinkya Rahane Takes Helm as KKR Captain, Venkatesh Iyer Named Vice-Captain

Published

1 year ago

March 4, 2025

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the reigning champions, have appointed experienced Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane as their new captain for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Additionally, all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer has been designated as the vice-captain.

As the senior-most player in the KKR squad, Rahane takes over the captaincy from Shreyas Iyer, who led the team to victory in IPL 2024 held in Chennai. However, Iyer has not been retained and will now captain the Punjab Kings for the upcoming season.

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“I am honored to lead KKR, one of the most successful franchises in IPL history. We have a strong and balanced team, and I am excited to collaborate with everyone as we take on the challenge of defending our title,” Rahane stated in a release from the franchise on Monday.

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Rahane has previous experience leading teams in the IPL, having captained the Rajasthan Royals to the playoffs in 2018 and the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. With his addition to KKR, it became likely that he would take up the captaincy, although names like Iyer, the franchise’s most expensive buy at ₹23.75 crore, and Rinku Singh were also considered as potential leaders.

This past domestic season, Rahane captained Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he was the tournament’s top run-scorer with 469 runs in nine matches, including five half-centuries, earning him the Player of the Tournament award.

“We are thrilled to have Ajinkya Rahane on board, as he brings invaluable experience and leadership qualities. Venkatesh Iyer has also been a vital player for KKR and possesses significant leadership attributes. We believe they will work well together as we embark on our title defense,” stated Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR.

KKR will kick off their IPL 2025 season against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on March 22. They recently held a training camp for their nine Indian players in Mumbai and will conduct a pre-season camp in Kolkata starting March 12.

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Entertainment

Cristiano Ronaldo Marries Longtime Partner Georgina Rodriguez

Published

1 day ago

August 14, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has married his longtime partner, Georgina Rodriguez, in a private ceremony.

Ronaldo reportedly tied the knot with Georgina on Tuesday, August 11. The couple surprised fans by sharing an official wedding photo on social media.

The picture shows Ronaldo and Georgina holding hands while wearing their wedding rings. The couple appeared happy as they marked the special occasion.

The wedding took place in Cascais, a picturesque coastal town near Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. The ceremony was kept extremely private, with only their five children reportedly attending the occasion.

Ronaldo and Georgina first met in Madrid in 2016. They have been together for nearly a decade.

The couple has five children: Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, Alana Martina, and Bella Esmeralda.

Ronaldo is one of the most decorated footballers in the world. He has scored a record 146 goals for Portugal in international football and has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award five times.

He recently represented Portugal at the FIFA World Cup, making it the sixth World Cup of his career. At club level, Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

He is expected to return to action when the new domestic season begins on Saturday.

Sports

India Wins Two Silver Medals at Commonwealth Games

Published

2 weeks ago

July 29, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports:India added two more silver medals to its Commonwealth Games tally as Gulveer Singh and Harjinder Kaur delivered impressive performances.

Gulveer Singh created history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the men’s 10,000m event. He finished second with a time of 27:49.78, while Australia’s Kai Robinson won gold.

In weightlifting, Harjinder Kaur claimed the silver medal in the women’s 69kg category. The 29-year-old improved on her bronze medal from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and earned India’s seventh weightlifting medal at the Games.

Sports

India Opens Medal Account at Commonwealth Games as Jhandu Kumar Wins Bronze

Published

3 weeks ago

July 25, 2026

Namma Kudla

Glasgow: India opened its medal account at the Commonwealth Games after para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar won the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight event on Friday.

The 28-year-old athlete, who is affected by polio, delivered a strong performance in the competition. Jhandu successfully lifted 181 kg in his first attempt.

He then lifted 190 kg in his second attempt. He attempted 196 kg in his final lift but was unable to complete it.

He finished with a total of 130.9 points to secure the bronze medal. Nigeria’s Idris Rilwan won the gold medal with 132.8 points.

Great Britain’s Matthew Harding claimed the silver medal with 131 points. Another Indian athlete, Sudhir, finished sixth with 114.1 points in the same event.

Earlier on the opening day of the Games, Indian para powerlifter Ashok Malik narrowly missed a medal after finishing fourth.

Jhandu Kumar’s bronze medal gave India its first medal of the Commonwealth Games.