Ajinkya Rahane Retirement, MS Dhoni To Quit CSK- July 30 Cricket Highlights

Ajinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni [Source: X, AFP]

Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from all forms of the game with immediate effect. In other news, former Indian captain and legendary wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni is unlikely to feature in the IPL 2027 season next year for the CSK franchise as a player.

Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news stories that emerged on Thursday, July 30. 

Stephen Fleming, Joe Root to helm England Test side

Stephen Fleming has replaced fellow New Zealander Brendon McCullum to become the new head coach of the England Test side. The decision was confirmed by the ECB, mere weeks after the CSK franchise sacked the former New Zealand captain.

Also Read- After Announcing Stephen Fleming, England Denies Him Coaching vs Pakistan Tests

Joe Root was also confirmed as England’s Test captain going forward. While Root will lead England in the upcoming home series against Pakistan, Fleming will be expected to join the team later this year.

Albie Morkel to coach Joburg Super Kings in SA20 2027

Former South Africa all-rounder Albie Morkel has been roped in by the Joburg Super Kings franchise as its new head coach for the upcoming SA20 2027 season next year. The cricketer will be replacing Stephen Fleming, who was recently sacked by the Super Kings management. 

Morkel has previously played six IPL seasons for the CSK franchise, and was part of their title-winning side on two occasions.

Ajinkya Rahane announces retirement

Ajinkya Rahane has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. The seasoned top-order batter confirmed the same through an emotional social media post. 

Rahane recently led the KKR franchise in the IPL 2026 season. He last played for Team India back in July 2023 during a Test series in the West Indies. The 38-year-old represented India in 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20I matches during his playing days. 

MS Dhoni likely to miss IPL 2027 as a player for CSK

CSK zealot MS Dhoni is unlikely to feature in the IPL 2027 season next year as a player. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter is reportedly in talks to become the mentor of the franchise. 

It is worth noting that Dhoni also spent the entire IPL 2026 season earlier this year on the sidelines, albeit owing to his injury concerns. He last played any form of competitive cricket back in 2025 during the IPL 2025 season in India. 

Adam Zampa to join Queensland for 2026-27 domestic season

Champion Australian spinner Adam Zampa will be switching from New South Wales to Queensland for the upcoming 2026-27 domestic season in Australia. Interestingly, the 34-year-old has only played two domestic matches over the past two seasons owing to his international commitments. 

Zampa will now be joining fellow international stars Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett in the Queensland team.

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