All-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa after a six-month injury lay-off along with fit-again senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and seasoned seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. This was the first selection meeting under new chairman Sunil Joshi. However, vice-captain Rohit Sharma is yet to fully recuperate from his calf muscle injury and is expected to return to action during the Indian Premier League later this month.
A fairytale moment unfolded at the Wankhede as Virat Kohli climbed to the summit, overtaking the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
We have Shubman Gill at one end ready to carry on the mantle but what about his partner?
Ajinkya Rahane will be aiming to pile on the runs to extend his international career and lead India to a series sweep against a feeble West Indies.
Suryakumar Kumar is within striking distance of England batter Dawid Malan in the race to hold the highest rating of all time for men's T20I batters.
New Zealand, on the other hand, will be eager to grab a consolation win to boost their morale.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2024 after Game 46.
'There's going to be a lot of logistics involved given the IPL final is only a week before the WTC final'
With the three-match T20I series ahead and also the World Cup round the corner, India will have to address this weakness to ensure that their much-vaunted batting doesn't crumble on an odd day when the condition aids swing bowling in England.
Taylor said if New Zealand can strike early, it will put tremendous pressure on the Indian middle-order.
A series clean sweep in sight, the Indian team is unlikely to tinker with its batting line-up tough skipper Rohit Sharma could be tempted to look at some of his bowling options during the final ODI against Sri Lanka, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday.
It is learnt that Shubman has been told that he would bat in the middle-order in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur, where Ajinkya Rahane will lead the team in the absence of Virat Kohli, who is on a break.
India has lost three finals and on four occasion it bit dust at the semifinal stage. It also made an exit at the preliminary stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup.
India's batters will have to counter a potent Pakistan bowling attack that can make an impact irrespective of the nature of the pitch.
With the series on the line, captain Hardik Pandya is unlikely to make changes despite clamour for inclusion of Prithvi Shaw.
Shikhar Dhawan was a 'bit shocked' at his exclusion from India's Asian Games squad
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels incumbent vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will have to consistently score runs to remain in the Test reckoning.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played between India and Australia in Indore on Thursday.
'I feel the boys are young, but they played maturely'
While stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and David Warner are expected to set the stage on fire, there are other talented batsmen who want to compete with the best.
After R Ashwin led India's fightback with a six-wicket haul, India skipper Rohit Sharma at Shubman Gill took India to 36/0 at the end of Day 2 in Ahmedabad.
India could field three spinners against Australia in the final.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the fourth and final Test against Australia?
IMAGES from the IPL match played between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans in Mumbai on Friday.
Hardik Pandya has quit Gujarat Titans to rejoin his former team Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises.
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who took a wicket each in the three matches, conceding a total of 62 runs off his 12 overs, overtook Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga for the top spot.
India will expect a better approach from skipper Shikhar Dhawan and young Shubman Gill in the Powerplay overs when the team clashes with New Zealand in a do-or-die second One-Day International, in Hamilton, on Sunday.
'...He kept bowling to his strength and we kept falling to his strength.'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for Sunday's first ODI against South Africa?
Images from the second One-Day International at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
Will the young gun survive Virat Kohli's comeback?
Images from the third ODI between India and Australia in Chennai on Wednesday.
The unparalleled success of India's Test team on away tours over the past decade was largely because of its all weather pace attack but the same can't be said about the fast bowling resources available for the two-Test series against the West Indies.
Trying to pick up pieces after a demoralising defeat, India's decorated top-order will be desperate to change the narrative and give a better account of itself in the do-or-die second ODI against Bangladesh.
Ishan Kishan earned his maiden Test call-up, while Suryakumar Yadav was also included for the first two Tests of the four-match series against Australia next month.
IMAGES from the Asia Cup 2023 Final played between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2024 after Game 31.
Modi to receive Lokmanya Tilak National Award, constituted by Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust in 1983, to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak
Images from the Indian Premier league match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
