West Indies will again rely on a hardened bunch of Twenty20 specialists as they bid to retain their World Cup title, but are set for a stern test from India, out to secure a first global trophy under Virat Kohli, and an England team bidding to become champions in two formats.
England's director of cricket Ashley Giles says the ECB would like to stay away from any conflict with players on their participation in the IPL as it could well mean losing the top ones if they are forced to choose between franchise and national duty.
The third one-day international between West Indies and England was abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled in Grenada on Monday.
Rajasthan Royals will play their first game of IPL 2021 on April 12 against Punjab Kings in Mumbai.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have failed to live up to expectations in the IPL so far and are placed sixth and seventh respectively on the points table in the eight-team competition.
Rajasthan Royals head coach Paddy Upton feels the inability to pick the right combination is the reason for his side's below-par performance this season.
When AB de Villiers is in full flow, no target is beyond him. Rajasthan Royals discovered it the hard way when de Villiers came up with an incredible exhibition of strokeplay in the death overs to take Royal Challengers Bangalore to a seven-wicket victory from a difficult position.
Former off-spinner Graeme Swann slammed England's selectors for splitting the country's most successful new-ball pairing of Stuart Broad and James Anderson during the recently-concluded Test series against the West Indies, saying "you don't discard blokes with 500 Test wickets lightly".
Head coach Chris Silverwood feels his team has learnt valuable lessons from the tour of India that will come in handy
'Why on earth aren't all competitions using DRS'
All-rounder Jadeja will miss the first two Tests after fracturing his thumb in Australia and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav is not a certainty in India's slow bowling attack led by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Steve Smith continued his build up for the fourth Ashes Test by heading straight to the practice nets after being dismissed in Australia's tour match against Derbyshire on Thursday.
Pacer Josh Hazlewood has hinted they may be better off playing in the IPL instead of Australian domestic cricket, considering the league's success in moulding decent cricketers into "much better players". Hazlewood, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, is one of the one few Australian players who turn out in all three formats of the game and is part of the enlarged 26-man squad that was named last week.
Pant made 21, hitting a six off Jofra Archer (3-23) with a cheeky reverse-scoop before Ben Stokes dismissed him.
Jos Buttler said he is looking forward to opening the innings for the Jaipur-based franchise in the tournament but he is open to adjusting his position according to the match situation.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said overseas players would, from January 1 2019, become eligible to play for England after living in the country for three years rather than a previous seven.
A concussed Smith was ruled out of the third Test, starting at Headingley on Thursday, after being struck in the neck by a vicious bouncer from England paceman Jofra Archer.
India are welcome to subject Steve Smith to a bouncer barrage but the batsman is well-equipped to succeed
Smith was struck on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer during his innings on Saturday, forcing him to retire hurt, but he returned to the crease 40 minutes later and added 12 runs before being dismissed for 92.
For skipper Virat Kohli, the primary aim will be to get an idea of his core group of players going into the ICC T20 World Cup in October.
To prove his point, Laxman cited the example of Steve Smith's trouble against Ashwin during India's recent tour Down Under.
Meanwhile, Royal Challenger Bangalore brought in Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga as replacement for Australia's Adam Zampa. In the recent three-match T20I series against India in Sri Lanka, Hasaranga bagged a total of seven wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the final T20I.
Liam Livingstone and Evin Lewis's explosive batting will meet its match in Chris Gayle's power and KL Rahul's finesse when Rajasthan Royals lock horns with Punjab Kings to improve upon their mid-table position in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Tuesday.
'I've always wanted to score a century in England. I scored a century against England in the Caribbean, but I would love to get one in England'
A virgin Motera pitch has become the big talking point as captain Virat Kohli looks to get the combination right with India looking to continue their momentum to trouble England in the day-night third Test match, starting in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
"I think it was going fine until the six ... Stokes told me before the over 'win or lose, today doesn't define you. Everyone believes in you'," Barbados-born Archer, who made his England debut in May, told reporters.
'In the '70s, Vivian Richards used to be the difference between the West Indies and any other side.' 'Similarly, Pant was the difference between India and England.'
The India series starts on August 4. Vaughan reckons England must get better at playing the "long game" on good wickets.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, in Abu Dhabi.
The 39-year-old will resume his duties with the Australian men's team at the conclusion of the IPL.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 52.
Australia and India are currently gearing up for the four-match Test series. The first Test will get underway on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval and it will be a day-night contest.
Test cricket can be pleasing to the eye if it is played on good pitches, says batting great Sachin Tendulkar, terming the 22-yard strip the longest format's "heart" and key to its revival.
Table-toppers Mumbai Indians are on course to make it to the play-offs but the game is crucial for Rajasthan, who are languishing in seventh place. Defeat would mean a step closer to elimination.
Pick your team for Saturday's fifth T20 International.
Ashwin ended with nine wickets in the ongoing first Test, including 6 for 61
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 2nd Ashes Test played at Lord's on Sunday
Jos Buttler's blistering 83 not out trumped Virat Kohli's majestic half-century as England beat India by eight wickets in the third Twenty20 International to go 2-1 up in the five-match series in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
The Virat Kohli-led RCB has won five of its eight games on the back of all-round performances but seemingly blundered in the eight-wicket defeat to laggards KXIP on Thursday.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 34.
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