Harish Kotian/Rediff.com picks five performances that took spectators' breaths away in week 9: Five wonderful knocks and one magical spell of bowling.
The two areas where India's team management and selectors need to do a lot of brainstorming are the No 4 slot and an extra fast bowler.
'Kobe is easily among the five greatest basketball players of all time. This is such a tragic loss.'
The biggest plus point for Kohli is that leadership is not affecting his performance, in fact it is the opposite, it is helping him.'
With Rahul likely to bat at No 4, asks Harish Kotian, will Ajinkya Rahane get a look in?
Injuries, confusion over team changes and replacement players have compounded problems for India, who look bereft of a clear strategy and have stumbled after a good start at the World Cup.
With a new campaign for Gatorade and renewed thrust on sports drinks, PepsiCo looks to make the most of the growing passion for fitness in the country.
'I believe Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, all four can play in the playing XI.'
'I felt Test cricket is just beyond my reach.' 'And slowly, slowly, I started doing well.' 'In the second Test against Pakistan, I scored a fifty and when we went to Sialkot I played a series-saving innings, which was a game changer for me.' 'At that stage that was the most important innings of my life.'
Why didn't the BCCI CEO mention Pakistan in his letter?
The top order failed to fire in difficult conditions, but the bowlers stood out, not only performing with the ball but scoring vital runs as well.
India may be weakened by the absence of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but the World champions cannot be taken lightly, especially with a strong batting line-up at their disposal, says Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews.
Former selector Raja Venkat, who was part of the committee which picked the victorious Indian team for the 2011 World Cup, says the current selectors are not doing things the right way.
Despite their up and down showing in the league stage, there is no doubt that England are one of the most complete teams in the World Cup and are heavy favourites for Sunday's final, but New Zealand won't give up without a fight.
Featuring Gayle, Kohli, Root, Dilshan and Butler.
'I am new to Kings XI, so it is going to be how we come together, how the team dynamics work and take it forward.'
BJP says SC's stay on the Uttarakhand high court order has 'halted' the piquant situation created in the state.
'If we don't win the series, then there could be something radically wrong with the team.'
'Once you know your car well, then you know to drive the car in the race.'
Rediff.com's Harish Kotian lists five reasons why Bhuvneshwar Kumar has struggled to make it to the playing eleven.
Chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil's explanation for Harbhajan Singh's inclusion in the squad for the one-off Test in Bangladesh next month. Harish Kotian reports
'If we keep bowling like this, we will win as many as Tests as possible.'
'If a few words from the opposition trouble you,' S Sreesanth tells Harish Kotian/Rediff.com, 'then you shouldn't be playing international cricket.'
Giving yet another twist to the continuing political drama in Uttarakhand, the division bench has stayed the Thursday's floor test in the state assembly till April 7.
E A S Prasanna, whom Ian Chappell rates as the greatest off-spinner ever, tells Harish Kotian what worked for Moeen and what didn't for Ashwin.
'Rohit can bring a lot to the table.' 'And if he clicks, then imagine how strong our batting line-up will be.'
'It is not just about one skill anymore, so everyone needs to contribute with whatever they can.' 'It certainly puts the opposition on the defensive when you know that all eleven can bat.'
'Getting used to the lights and the pink ball, especially early on, is the key.'
'When I came here yesterday, I was worried and I couldn't sleep at night. But thanks to Brijesh, we found a way out. He asked me if it would help if we covered the pitch from above, and got a waterproof shamiana erected'
Ganguly, only the second Indian captain to take charge as the BCCI chief, sounded a pleased man on his first day at his new office at the BCCI head office
'India has the best bowling attack they have ever had at any World Cup.' 'They have the best fast bowler in the world in Jasprit Bumrah and then they have got Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who looks good, (Mohammed) Shami looks good.'
'Dhoni has got his own ways of captaining the Indian team. He might not give out details or might not explain, but in his mind he knows very well how to captain the side, which players to pick and the right combination for a particular condition.'
'In the future, you will get pacers who will bowl even faster than the current lot because these guys are currently setting new standards.'
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com comes up with a pretty strong playing eleven from the long list of big names warming the benches this IPL season.
Going by the state of the pitch and the match situation after Day 1 in the ongoing third Test against South Africa in Nagpur, few are betting against another three-day finish, says Harish Kotian/Rediff.com.
'I believe that God has sent him in this world to just bat.' 'He only has to bat and the rest will follow for him.'
While there were brilliant performances from Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane, India's pathetic bowling attack -- which could not claim 20 Australian wickets in any of the four Tests -- was depressing.
'You should keep your ego aside, whether you are coach or a player.'
Rediff.com's Harish Kotian tells us who triumphed, who disappointed in the India-Sri Lanka series.
