In India's 100th T20I at home, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan struck explosive fifties as India chased down 209 with ease to beat New Zealand in Raipur, taking a 2-0 lead in the T20I series ahead of the World Cup.
After this snub, it looks difficult for Shubman Gill at this point to make a comeback to the T20 team with plenty of talented young players waiting in the wings.
India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20, Guwahati: Abhishek blitz hands India series win
In this rivalry, numbers fade and national pride takes centre stage.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has returned to the team after recovering from a finger surgery he underwent last month. .
Mitchell Santner explains his defensive T20I blueprint after a match-winning 3/26 against India in Visakhapatnam, detailing how pressure, match-ups and key wickets powered New Zealand's 50-run win.
'It will not happen that Dhoni is off the field and leaves someone like Sanju Samson to keep wickets.'
India put on a commanding performance to beat South Africa by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup warm-up clash at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Wednesday.
When I was out, asked myself one question, 'Can I do it or not?', says Kishan
Sanju Samson will miss Kerala's Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh, beginning on January 23, as he has been included in India's squad for the five-match T20I series against England. Samson may also miss the final Group C match against Bihar if he is not released from India's squad.
Ruturaj Gaikwad set to lead Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
Gill, who was vice-captain of the T20I side, was the most high-profile absentee when the national selectors named a 15-member squad for the global showpiece in India and Sri Lanka starting February 7.
Former Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina believes the five-time IPL champions should look at buying the in-form Sarfaraz Khan at the auction on Tuesday.
As India start their T20 World Cup title defence in less than 72 hours, one is tempted to look at Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir's working relationship which has been fantastic, at least so going by the results -- a whopping 31 wins in 39 games with a winning percentage of 79.48.
With the India and South Africa T20I series levelled 1-1, focus shifts to Gill's form ahead of the third T20 on Sunday in Dharamsala.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
Shubman Gill is set to make a comeback during the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting in Cuttack, on December 9.
'It is a passing phase'. 'He will bounce back'. 'He is a run machine; poor form is just temporary'. The vote of confidence in Gill was inspiring and reassuring, notes Sandeep Goyal.
Rohit Sharma offered a hilarious piece of advice to spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the T20 World Cup this year from February 7.
Padikkal's fourth VHT ton this season powers Karnataka to big win vs Tripura
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Anil Kumble believes fans may have already seen the last of M S Dhoni behind the stumps, hinting that the Chennai Super Kings icon may not don the gloves in IPL 2026.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Shubman Gill's injury during the South Africa T20I series earlier this month was the moment when India's World Cup opening combination became clear.
Ishan Kishan will play ahead of Shreyas Iyer in the series against New Zealand as he is a part of India's T20 World Cup squad and a like-for-like replacement for an injured Tilak Varma being a left-hander, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Tuesday.
For most IPL teams, the 2026 mini auction will be all about strategic buys and role-specific additions, while for a couple of others, it is going to be a captain-centric affair.
Suryakumar Yadav, who returned to form with a blazing 82* against New Zealand at Raipur, spoke on how he dealt with his lean patch
India lead the five-match series 2-1 and the contest in Ahmedabad on Friday will be their last assignment for the calendar year.
Ravindra Jadeja's verified account on Instagram is currently unavailable on the social media platform.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
The 34-year-old mystery spinner rewrote the record books during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa at Ahmedabad on Friday, casting a spell of his bamboozling spin magic on the Proteas batters, four of them surrendering to his bowling.
Following his SMAT heroics, Kishan has also returned to the Indian team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a firm grip on the team and is popular among the players.
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson said that he had a lot of failures in his life and the century against the Proteas meant a lot to him.
These comments come after India recently announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in his first-ever ICC tournament as captain, with Axar Patel named as his deputy.
'He just has to do what he does best -- which is to destroy opposition bowling.'
Quite similar to the hero introduction scenes in Kollywood movies, the elaborately staged sequence combines slow-motion shots, silhouettes, and high contrast lighting to enhance the dramatic narrative.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
Sanju Samson influenced former IPL champions Rajasthan Royals' decision to opt for the maximum six retentions, head coach Rahul Dravid said on Monday.
Sanju Samson has etched his name in the record books by becoming the first player to score three T20I centuries in a calendar year.
KKR, CSK to engage in bidding war in IPL mini-auction with big purse in hand
