Veteran cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar have unveiled the inaugural edition of the International Masters League (IML), a new cricket tournament featuring six teams from across the globe. The tournament is set to bring together cricket stars from India, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka. While Tendulkar will return to the pitch as a player, Gavaskar will take on the role of League Commissioner.

In a statement on Monday, Tendulkar expressed his excitement for the IML, highlighting the growing global popularity of cricket. “Cricket continues to grow in popularity not just in India but across the world. In the last decade, T20 cricket has accelerated its adoption and has drawn new fans into the game. There is now a strong desire among fans across ages to re-witness age-old battles in newer formats,” Tendulkar said.

Venues and Schedule

The tournament will be played across three cities in India: Mumbai, Lucknow, and Raipur. The detailed schedule and the squad announcements for each of the six teams are expected to be made soon.

The launch of the IML is an exciting opportunity for fans to see legendary cricketers back in action, reliving classic battles and witnessing some of the sport’s greats compete on the field once again.

Joe Root has reached a significant milestone in his cricket career, becoming only the seventh Englishman to surpass 12,000 runs in Test cricket. This achievement positions Root closer to potentially breaking the all-time record set by Sachin Tendulkar.

Root, a former England captain, reached this landmark during the third Test against the West Indies, the same team Tendulkar played his final Test against. Root’s innings not only helped stabilize England’s precarious situation at 54-4 but also marked his surpassing of Brian Lara’s record of 11,953 Test runs. With this feat, Root joins the elite company of cricketers, including Alastair Cook, who also scored over 12,000 runs for England.

As it stands, Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most Test runs, with an incredible 15,921 runs. Following him are cricket legends like Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid, each boasting over 13,000 runs. Root’s accomplishment at age 33 suggests he has the potential to challenge these records. If he continues playing consistently for the next few years, Root could close the gap, making him a strong contender to surpass Tendulkar’s tally.

With approximately 4,000 runs separating him from Tendulkar’s record, Joe Root is not only England’s most reliable batsman but also a key player to watch in the coming years. His journey to possibly becoming the highest run-scorer in Test cricket adds an exciting narrative to the world of cricket, as fans and experts alike speculate on the future of this remarkable player.

As India braces for a crucial stage in the T20 World Cup, the sight of Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar together in New York has given fans a much-needed morale boost.

In a delightful moment, two of India’s greatest cricketers were spotted attending a spiritual gathering or ‘satsang’ in the city. Kohli was possibly accompanied by his wife Anushka Sharma for the event.

The reunion sent the internet into a frenzy as fans captured this rare instance of the legends posing together. The image, shared by renowned sports journalist Vikram Sathaye, quickly went viral.

Sachin Tendulkar & Virat Kohli in a single frame. 🇮🇳

– ICONS OF WORLD CRICKET…!!!! pic.twitter.com/pd8Fm8NQWb

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 11, 2024

This marks the first public appearance of Kohli and Tendulkar together since the 2023 World Cup semi-final. Their sighting brought back memories of Kohli breaking Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries during that match.

While it’s unclear if they discussed cricket, fans speculated about potential advice from Tendulkar to Kohli. The latter has struggled as an opener in the T20 World Cup despite his recent IPL success.

Kohli’s low scores against Ireland and Pakistan have raised concerns. However, India’s management seems likely to persist with him at the top, banking on his experience and past achievements.