As India aim to defend their T20 World Cup title, former India coach Rahul Dravid says they start as favourites but knockout cricket leaves no room for error.
Indian cricket greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were felicitated by the Baroda Cricket Association during the first ODI against New Zealand at the Kotambi Stadium on Sunday, in what turned into one of the most talked-about moments of the match.
Eager to prove a point after his surprising omission from India's ODI squad for the New Zealand series, Maharashtra's run-machine Ruturaj Gaikwad continued his scorching form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Pat Cummins captured the sentiment perfectly, calling this potentially the 'last chance' for fans Down Under to witness these legends in action. With both stalwarts set to be 39 and 40 respectively by the 2027 World Cup, every appearance carries added significance. Ro-Ko have been the heartbeat of Indian cricket for over 15 years. Their return brings an emotional lift to the team and raises expectations for the series against the world champions.
'It is a passing phase'. 'He will bounce back'. 'He is a run machine; poor form is just temporary'. The vote of confidence in Gill was inspiring and reassuring, notes Sandeep Goyal.
Experienced wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan's captaincy in the 50-overs format could be on the line when a joint meeting of the national selection committee and advisory board of the Pakistan Cricket Board is held on Monday in Lahore.
KL Rahul: India's middle-order crisis man strikes eight ODI ton as he juggles accumulation, finishing duties
Pathan also lauded young Harshit Rana's all-round contribution, insisting the pacer is earning his place purely on merit.
'That's the stuff that a lot of people don't see...the work that you put in, away from the shiny lights and the TV, but it's always nice I guess when you get the rewards from that.'
Form and familiarity favour India in T20 World Cup
Back to his brilliant best, Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten 82 lit up Raipur in the 2nd ODI against New Zealand, to shut out all doubters, days ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The sesquicentenary of 'Vande Mataram' was the overriding theme of the ceremonial event held at the Vijay Chowk and presided over by President Droupadi Murmu, who arrived at the venue in a traditional buggy to the sound of bugles, adding a ceremonial grace to the occasion.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a firm grip on the team and is popular among the players.
The opener also milked 100 runs for the opening wicket with Devon Conway.
India Women to travel to South Africa for five-match T20I series
Even as the focus remains on the T20 World Cup which is less than a month away, Kohli and Rohit will hog the limelight in the three ODIs over the next seven days.
Saurabh Netravalkar emphasizes the importance of a strong defensive strategy for the USA against India in the T20 World Cup, highlighting the team's experience and the significance of playing at Wankhede Stadium.
This series also marks the return of two Indian heavyweights who will be seen in action for the first time in the Indian jersey since the ICC Champions Trophy Final earlier this year.
KL Rahul opened up about his on-field role in mentoring Harshit Rana during the tense chase against New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara, describing the experience as enjoyable.
He was greeted with chants of 'Kohli, Kohli' with fans jostling for selfies and handshakes, as Kohli struggled to make his way through the crowd to his car.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell on Tuesday said it would be "silly to underestimate" Indian batting superstars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and backed the stalwarts to play next year's ODI World Cup.
New Zealand are not dwelling on the T20 World Cup, which is still a month away, and are instead focused on the immediate challenge of facing the Indian bowlers in the upcoming white-ball series, batter Daryl Mitchell said on Wednesday.
'But now they can't take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again.'
England's batting star Harry Brook is on 'a final warning' after being involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer during the tour of New Zealand ahead of the Ashes.
Spin great Harbhajan Singh said the selectors were right in appointing Shubman Gill as India's ODI captain last year, stating that the youngster is ready for "big challenges".
Rohit Sharma to be conferred Honorary Doctorate by Ajeenkya DY Patil University
USA's pacer Ali Khan made a big disclosure on social media that he has been denied a visa by India to participate in next month's T20 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma took to the nets to fine-tune his batting ahead of the three-match series against New Zealand, starting on Sunday, January 11.
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Pant cops blow during nets ahead of ODI series against New Zealand
Smriti Mandhana dropped a rung to second but Jemimah Rodrigues scaled nine positions to be 10th in the latest ICC women's ODI rankings after India's title-winning World Cup performance.
With Rashid and Ahmed currently unavailable, Liam Dawson is the squad's only specialist spinner, meaning Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell may be required to bowl more than initially planned.
Ten Doeschate admitted that, in hindsight, India would have preferred playing a third spinner instead of Reddy, given how effectively New Zealand's spinners exploited the conditions.
India Under-19 sealed their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 U-19 World Cup on Sunday, knocking arch-rivals Pakistan out of contention with a disciplined all-round performance at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Vijay Amritraj gets Padma Bhushan; Rohit Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur receive Padma Shri
USA batter Aaron Jones has been provisionally suspended for alleged fixing during the BIM10 league in Barbados in 2023-2024.
Australia batter Matthew Short believes his team's pacers will continue to exploit Virat Kohli's recent weakness outside off stump when India face Australia in the second ODI, in Adelaide, on Thursday.
Joe Root said he hopes England captain Harry Brook's WWE-inspired celebration after a blistering century against Sri Lanka on Tuesday will not be misinterpreted, as he attempts to rebuild trust following last year's nightclub incident.
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