While Robin Uthappa had scored a fifty in one of the games, the likes of Moeen Ali and Ambati Rayudu have failed to capitalise on their starts.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya is one of the notable promotions to Grade A, which is worth Rs 5 crore, while rookies Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj got their maiden central contracts, worth Rs 1 crore, in Grade C.
Images from the fifth Twenty20 International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Saturday.
Skipper Rishabh Pant (234 from nine games) showed glimpses of his destructive power but the team would want more from its skipper who is more than capable of hammering any attack into submission.
Samson smashed his way to a brilliant 55 from 27 balls, including three fours and five sixes.
Middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav was left out of India's important T20 World Cup game against New Zealand on Sunday after he 'complained of back-spasm', leading to a forced change in the playing eleven.
Young Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh said that using variations, especially the slower ones, on a sticky wicket was the key to his success in the first T20 International against the West Indies on Friday.
Only players like Fabien Allen and Billy Stanlake have been shown the door ahead of the upcoming season.
Suryakumar Yadav displayed his unmatched superiority in the shortest format with a breathtaking hundred as a dominant India thrashed New Zealand by 65 runs in the second T20 in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
A lot of grey areas are yet to be addressed, but a young Indian team, with an admirable collective temperament, will start as favourites in the series-deciding fifth T20 International against South Africa, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Each year, Samson has played a few match-defining knocks but this time he would have to go the extra mile if the Royals want to win that elusive second title.
While Ishan Kishan has done well so far, Ruturaj Gaikwad (23, 1) has pulled the team down with questions being raised over his technique against quality pacers and his ability to force the pace early on.
"India have to be honest now. What happens when India arrive at a World Cup? Everyone plays them up. Nobody wants to criticise them because you get hammered on social media and pundits worry about losing work in India one day," he wrote. However, Vaughan feels now is the "time to tell it straight,"
India's white ball squad, led by Shikhar Dhawan, will quarantine in Mumbai from June 14 to 28 and undergo six RT-PCR tests on alternate days before flying off to Colombo for the six-match series against Sri Lanka, starting on July 13.
India's captain Rohit Sharma says he will continue to back his young bowlers and give them opportunities to showcase their skills at crunch moments of a game.
'The main motive is adapting to the situations and demands of the team'
Pace bowler Avesh Khan said backing from captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid helped him get over the nerves in his debut match for India, in the third T20 International against West Indies on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji list India's Most Valuable ODI Players in the India-Australia T20 series.
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar picked pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar over fellow-speedster Mohammed Shami, who took a sensational last over hat-trick against Afghanistan, for India's World Cup match against the West Indies in Manchester on Thursday.
The Group A match won't be more than a glorified net session for Rohit Sharma's men against a team, mostly comprising Pakistani and Indian expats.
Talking about the SRH set up, Bhuvneshwar said since the bowling unit has been together for the past two-three years, the players understand each other well.
India opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the remaining two T20 Internationals against Sri Lanka following a wrist injury.
Images from the second One-Day International between India and Sri Lanka, in Colombo, on Tuesday.
'He is already training in Mumbai and is expected to be in Bangalore for the fitness test and get a formal okay from the National Cricket Academy.'
Coach Rahul Dravid is letting his boys wind down before getting keyed up for the ODI and T20Is against Sri Lanka, beginning July 13.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for Friday's second T20I against New Zealand?
Jayant Yadav will replace off-spinner Washington Sundar, who tested positive for COVID-19 during the camp in Bengaluru.
A fit-again Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned to India's teams for next month's T20 and ODI series against the West Indies, while all-rounder Shivam Dube was rewarded with a maiden call-up in the 50-over format.
Rahul Tripathi batted like a man on a mission before Umran Malik sizzled with his pace as Sunrisers Hyderabad kept their slim IPL play-off hopes alive with a narrow three-run win over Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on Tuesday.
An extensive experience of playing the Big Bash League in Australia contributed to Jos Buttler and Alex Hales' absolute dominance over India in the T20 World Cup semi-final, said head coach Rahul Dravid.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for Sunday's first T20I against Ireland?
Australian legend Ricky Ponting feels Mohammed Shami's strength lies in the longest format and there are better quick bowlers in India's T20 set up, weighing in on his absence from the Asia Cup squad.
History is also a bit against India when it comes to results at the business end of the ICC events.
Some sportsstars kept celebrations simple while some ushered in the Festival of Lights in style.
India captain Rohit Sharma is happy that his team is "moving in the right direction" and ticking the right boxes, but doesn't want complacency to creep in with just three months left for the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda will replace them in the squad for the series, beginning in Kolkata on February 16.
The national selectors did well to deliver a loud and clear message as they sought to kickstart the transition in the Indian T20 team.
'That conversation between coach and captain should not have happened on the field but in the dressing room,' former Sri Lanka batsman Russel Arnold tweeted.
Having found his mojo back after a prolonged lean patch, Kohli was at his attacking best but slowing down cost him and India 20-25 runs.
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