Sports Bulletin for December 4: Shubman Gill returns to T20I Squad, Sanju Samson's Kerala stun Mumbai

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In the world of sports, the India T20I squad for the South Africa series sees a return of Shubman Gill, while Sanju Samson's Kerala have stunned Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Check out the best stories here on the Sports Bulletin for December 4.

Shubman Gill Returns for T20I Squad, Rinku Misses Out

Shubman Gill has made a return to India's T20I squad as vice-captain for the five-match series against South Africa starting December 9 in Cuttack, pending final fitness clearance after a neck injury from the Test series. Suryakumar Yadav leads the side, with Hardik Pandya also back in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy. Rinku Singh, who featured in the recent Australia series but didn't bat, has been omitted alongside Reddy, marking a key selection shift for the white-ball campaign.​​

Mohit Sharma retires from all forms of cricket

Veteran Indian pacer Mohit Sharma announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on December 2, 2025, via an emotional Instagram post, ending a career spanning 34 international matches-26 ODIs with 35 wickets and 8 T20Is with 6 wickets-plus 120 IPL games yielding 134 wickets. The 37-year-old from Haryana, a death-over specialist who won the Purple Cap in 2014 and featured in four IPL finals, thanked the Haryana Cricket Association, BCCI, coaches, teammates, IPL franchises, and his wife for their support. Recently released by Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2026 auction, he expressed intent to serve cricket in new ways.

Kerala stun Mumbai in SMAT 2025

Kerala stunned Mumbai by 15 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 at Lucknow, scoring 178/5 with Samson top-scoring 46 off 28 balls. Kerala's disciplined bowling, led by KM Asif's 5-wicket haul, restricted Mumbai to 163/10 in 19.4 overs. Ajinkya Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan showed resistance, but Mumbai's batting collapsed under pressure from tight Kerala bowling and fielding. This win significantly boosts Kerala's chances in the tournament's Elite Group A.

Sunil Narine picks 600 T20 Wickets

Spin legend Sunil Narine became the first bowler to take 600 wickets in T20 cricket during the DP World ILT20 match between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Sharjah Warriorz on November 3. He achieved this milestone by dismissing Tom Abell. Narine has played for various Knight Riders teams, including Kolkata, Abu Dhabi, Trinbago, and Los Angeles. To honour this historic feat, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders presented him with a special jersey bearing the number 600.

Mitchell Starc overtakes Wasim Akram

Australian pace ace Mitchell Starc has surpassed Wasim Akram to become the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history, claiming 415 wickets in 102 matches against Akram's 414 in 104. He achieved the feat on Day 1 of the pink-ball Ashes Test at Gabba, Brisbane, dismissing England's Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook. Starc's record highlights his pink-ball mastery with over 80 wickets at under 18 average.

Arsenal maintain top spot with Brentford win

Arsenal restored their 5 point gap at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Merino scored early with a header, while Bukayo Saka netted a stoppage-time second goal for the Gunners to continue their run at the top of the table. Despite the win, the Gunners will be wary of injuries to Cristian Mosquera and Declan Rice, who both went off with issues.