India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
Abhishek Sharma was ruled out of India's 2nd T20 World Cup group match after recovering from illness, with the BCCI medical team continuing to monitor his condition.
Despite India's semi-final qualification in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, concerns linger over Abhishek Sharma's inconsistent form, with former captain Anil Kumble suggesting a lack of confidence.
Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 55 runs, but RCB secured the top spot in the IPL standings due to their net run rate. SRH posted a formidable 255/4, while RCB reached their target of 166 to ensure a top-two finish.
Abhishek Sharma remains a doubtful starter for India's massive T20 World Cup group game against Pakistan, after recovering from a stomach infection and missing training and the match against Namibia in Delhi on Thursday.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer has expressed confidence in the team's preparations ahead of the T20I series against Zimbabwe, aiming for his first series win as captain. The tour is seen as a crucial opportunity for the team to acclimatise and perform, with young talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma also in the spotlight.
VVS Laxman, BCCI's Centre of Excellence chief, will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. Gautam Gambhir, the regular head coach, will be with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. Amol Muzumdar will continue as the head coach for the Indian women's team, who will also defend their title.
The Indian cricket team is preparing for its upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, with Jasprit Bumrah set to rejoin training after recovering from injury. The team's net session saw Washington Sundar working hard, while concerns over player injuries have led to the BCCI considering the removal of senior physio Kamlesh Jain. Pace bowling coach Morne Morkel was also absent due to visa issues.
The destructive Travis Head has called his Sunrisers Hyderabad opening partner Abhishek Sharma an exciting talent for Indian cricket after the duo combined to pummel the Lucknow Super Giants bowling attack in a record IPL chase in Hyderabad.
Former India captain Anil Kumble advises Abhishek Sharma to balance his aggressive batting style with consistency, drawing parallels with Virender Sehwag's career progression.
Yuvraj Singh praises Abhishek Sharma's crucial half-century against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup, highlighting the importance of letting the bat do the talking after a lean patch.
Suryakumar Yadav playfully addresses Abhishek Sharma's fitness ahead of the highly anticipated T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, hinting at his likely participation.
Following a disappointing performance against Afghanistan, Sanju Samson's inconsistent form has once again put his place in India's T20I squad under intense scrutiny.
Abhishek Sharma's struggles in the T20 World Cup continue as he fails to score in his first three innings.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir critiques Abhishek Sharma's recent performances in the T20 World Cup, highlighting technical flaws and vulnerability to strategic bowling.
Sunil Gavaskar praises Abhishek Sharma's half-century against Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup, highlighting his improved composure and learning from previous setbacks.
Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan lead the ICC T20I player rankings, while Connor Esterhuizen makes a significant jump after a strong series against New Zealand.
Abhishek Sharma overcame a nightmare start to smash a match-defining fifty in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final, earning praise from former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin after India's title triumph.
Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have been included in India's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel backs Abhishek Sharma despite his poor T20 World Cup run, says there's no concern over his form ahead of South Africa clash.
The Delhi High Court has issued a significant ruling on personality rights, cautioning against their broad application to suppress caricature or parody. The court granted interim protection to Physics Wallah founder Alakh Pandey against impersonation and commercial exploitation, specifically for sexually vulgar content and unlicensed monetisation, while emphasising that these rights should not stifle legitimate expression or information dissemination.
Suryakumar Yadav backs struggling Abhishek Sharma ahead of India's Super 8 clash vs South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's remarkably adaptive 81 and an equally solid effort from bowlers led by pacer Mayank Yadav ensured India's smooth 35-run win over Zimbabwe in the third and final T20I
Sanju Samson praises his opening partner Abhishek Sharma, highlighting their explosive partnership and the Kerala-Punjabi friendship that underpins their success after India's T20 World Cup victory.
India will have a net session on Saturday evening, and Abhishek Sharma's fitness will be monitored closely before taking a final call.
Abhishek Sharma overcame a crisis of confidence to deliver a match-winning performance in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, smashing a rapid half-century and propelling India to victory.
Krunal Pandya kept his India comeback hopes alive after missing the Afghanistan T20I squad, following a strong IPL season where he impressed with bat and ball.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced himself on the international stage in spectacular fashion, becoming the youngest batter to score a T20I half-century with a stunning 18-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Harare on Thursday.
Abhishek Sharma bats at nets; readies himself for Pakistan clash
Abhishek Sharma has proved to be unstoppable with the bat for India in T20 Internationals, hitting 1297 runs in 33 matches at a strike rate of 194.74.
Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy emphasises the importance of focusing on the 'process' rather than 'results' to maintain consistency and mental fortitude in cricket, especially after a period of mixed performances.
Kapil Dev believes the Indian team management should continue to support Abhishek Sharma for the T20 World Cup final, despite his inconsistent performance in the tournament. He also praised Bumrah and Samson for their key contributions.
Sunil Gavaskar believes Abhishek Sharma is struggling with expectations in the T20 World Cup and advises him to avoid risky shots early in his innings. Gavaskar also praises Shivam Dube and Varun Chakravarthy's performances and suggests potential changes for the Super 8 clash against South Africa.
Shreyas Iyer leads a young Indian squad in a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, aiming for a crucial series win after recent defeats and facing selection dilemmas, particularly concerning the batting order and all-rounders.
Ishan Kishan's impressive performance in the T20 World Cup has propelled him to a career-high second position in the ICC T20I batting rankings, while Rashid Khan overtakes Varun Chakravarthy to become the top-ranked bowler.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's explosive century went in vain as Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma smashed half-tons as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals by 5 wickets.
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma continued to stay at the top of the ICC Men's T20I batting charts despite a horrendous run in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
India secured their three-match Twenty20 international series against Zimbabwe with a dominant 90-run victory in the second match at Harare Sports Club, marking new T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer's first series win.
As his sister tied the knot, Abhishek was donning India's colours, sweating it out on the field.
Gautam Gambhir builds a lot of trust and confidence within the team, and every player knows their role and has clarity, said Shreyas Iyer, praising his head coach's man-management skills.
