Ishan Kishan, who was dropped from India's central contracts last year, hit a blistering century on his Sunrisers Hyderabad debut in the IPL, marking his return to form in style.
Captaon Suryakumar Yadav, all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, the only member from the Test side, will be hoping for a strong outing so that India can apply some balm over the wounds from their recent home series defeat against New Zealand.
Sanju Samson hit quickfire 74 and 85 in his last two innings, scoring a total of 159 runs at an average of 79.50.
Samson hammered eight sixes and 11 fours to make 111 off only 47 balls while also recording the second-fastest T20I ton by an Indian -- off just 40 balls.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, in Abu Dhabi.
Rajasthan Royals opened their account in IPL 2025 with a six-run win over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings at the Barsapara cricket stadium, Guwahati on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson blamed the dew factor in the second half of the match for the five-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians, at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, on Saturday.
He also praised opposite number Hardik Pandya.
'This time, even after we led 2-1 in the series, we decided how to play the last match (aggressively), everybody stepped up. Credit goes to everybody. We won this series as a team.'
RR feeling Jos Buttler's absence, KKR under-utilising Andre Russell: Anil Kumble
Sanju Samson set up a Rajasthan Royal's win with his blistering 32-ball 74-run knock, studded with nine sixes and a boundary.
'It was a great feeling to be trusted by players such as Virat bhai and Rohit bhai to go out there and bat in the crucial moments. It's a great feeling when the team and the players consider you to be a match winner.'
Rajasthan Royals Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara hailed Sanju Samson's contribution after the team sealed a berth in the final of IPL 2022, saying the Kerala man has performed the triple roles of wicketkeeping, captaincy and batting with aplomb.
At the launch of his app powered by Single.id, MSD said he wants to enjoy his last few years of cricket, like he did when he was a child.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson says the umpire's refusal to check a no-ball in the final over of the tense IPL match against Delhi Capitals, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, was very clear and he stuck to his decision.
Prabhsimran Singh - Punjab Kings' pint-sized powerhouse whose explosive batting, sharp game sense, and newfound maturity have made him the breakout Indian star of the tournament.
The Bangladesh bowlers have the ability to spice up things but against India's formidable lineup, they would need plenty of runs on the board.
RR became the first team in IPL history to employ the 'retired out' tactic
Tilak Varma smashed an unbeaten half-century to steer India to a thrilling two-wicket victory against England in Chennai on Saturday.
Jwala Singh, the formative coach of Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, believes the upcoming IPL season will be crucial for his ward's bid to reclaim a spot in the Indian T20 World Cup squad next year. Singh emphasized the IPL's role as a platform for players to make a mark, stating that "IPL performances are taken into account, and you get noticed." He is confident Jaiswal will end the IPL season as the highest run-scorer, urging him to "take to the field with the mindset of being the best."
Suryakumar Yadav reaffirmed the stance that no one is 'bigger than the team' and having a 'selfless' approach after the hosts handed Bangladesh a shellacking in the final T20I.
Mohammed Shami's first white ball outing since 2023 World Cup final was below par but Bengal survived a fine all-round effort by Arshdeep Singh
Sanju Samson will look to continue his domination of the bowlers but India need more stability in the top order
India were expected to try out a bunch of players after another World Cup debacle but if the team combination for the second T20 was any indication, they seemed reluctant to start with a clean slate.
His knock -- 67 off 45 balls with 3 fours and 5 sixes -- was a cocktail of composure and controlled aggression. It was also his 10th IPL half-century, a milestone that arrived just when the spotlight had begun to shift off him.
India have used 12 out of their 15 players in the first three games and it would be interesting to see if one among the two uncapped pacers Yash Dayal or Vysakh Vijaykumar gets a debut cap in case the pitch warrants an extra specialist speedster.
Chetan Sakariya also impressed one and all as he returned with the figures of 3-31 in a match where Rajasthan Royals' bowlers were dispatched all around the park as Punjab Kings posted a score of 221 in the allotted twenty overs.a
Prasidh Krishna has emerged as a key weapon for Gujarat Titans -- especially in the middle overs, where his extra pace and bounce have rattled batters.
'Hardik is also a part of leading group. When we sit, we decide what we want to do in the game going forward and also on the field. He is always around. It's like we have a lot of captains on the ground.'
After a disappointing showing in the Test series in Australia recently, the Indian team is eager to make a fresh start in the T20 format.
'@IamSanjuSamson, who hit a century in his last ODI, has not been picked for ODIs, while @IamAbhiSharma4, who hit a T20I century in the #INDvZIM series, has not been picked at all/'
Rise of Suryavanshi: Facing 600 balls-a-day from age of 10 to playing 150km throwdowns
Even shadow Purple Cup winner Prasidh couldn't escape Vaibhav's onslaught on Monday night!
'I can't express my feelings right now. It's unbelievable. Can't imagine scoring back-to-back hundreds, that too in SA. Right now, I can't express my feelings.'
Sporting sunglasses under his helmet, Iyer attempted to shield his eyes from the intense Anantapur sun. However, his unconventional approach failed to ward off the heat, as he was dismissed for a seven ball duck.
The official Instagram handle of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings shared a video in which Sanju Samson can be seen talking about MS Dhoni. In the video, the 25-year-old Samson also said that he once had a dream featuring MS Dhoni. The young wicket-keeper then revealed how that dream was fulfilled.
Gambhir has been advocating for the talented Kerala cricketer's inclusion in the Indian team for a long time. The series against Bangladesh starts November 3.
'We had Miller and Morris, but I thought it was tough. The boys did really well to get over the line.'
'A good headache (playing XI selection), we want to stick to our strengths.'
While DC made a superb start under new captain Rishabh Pant, RR suffered a four-run defeat against Punjab Kings
