Mullanpur stadium to host second T20I of South Africa tour on Dec 11

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has picked Yadavindra International Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, to host the second T20 International on December 11 during the South Africa’s cricket team tour of India.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, Dharamshala, will host the third T20I on December 14. The BCCI announced the schedule for Team India (senior men) international home season for 2025.

India will have a face-off with the West Indies and South Africa in Test matches, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Earlier, the Mullanpur stadium was expected to host one of the Test matches against West Indies. However, the home season of the Indian team will now commence with the Test series against West Indies, starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad, followed by the second and final Test in Kolkata from October 10.

India and South Africa will also battle it out in a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series in December, with the final taking place in Ahmedabad. In the ongoing IPL season, the stadium is scheduled to host four matches of Punjab Kings against Rajasthan Royals (April 5), Chennai Super Kings (April 8), Kolkata Knight Riders (April 15) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (April 20).

Dinesh Mongia head coach for Indian U-16 elite camp

Former international cricketer Dinesh Mongia has been appointed the head coach by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the Indian U-16 elite camp, scheduled to be conducted from April 18 to May 14 at Salem (Tamil Nadu). Top-level performers in the domestic circuit are called for this elite camp to nurture them under proper environment.

These camps are held at various locations, including the National Cricket Academy and other high-performance centres. The camps are led by experienced coaching staff, including performance analysts, S&C coaches, fielding coaches, bowling coaches and physiotherapists. Such camps are help in identifying promising players who can potentially represent India at different levels.

Chandigarh-born Mongia’s recent stint with Goa Ranji was successful. The former left-hander Indian all-rounder coached Goa team, which handed Nagaland a 362-run drubbing to win the Plate Group Final of Ranji Trophy 2024-25 at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium, Sovima. Mongia, who has had coaching stints with Chandigarh, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh in the past, had taken charge of the Goan side last year.