Skipper Sanju Samson will look for support from his batsmen as Rajasthan Royals aim to return to winning ways against laggards Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai on Monday and keep their play-offs hopes alive.
The Indian team's strategy is expected to undergo paradigm shift with some players getting a subtle yet stern message to lift their games as they face an embarrassing possibility of a clean sweep against South Africa in the third ODI, in Cape Town on Sunday.
India T20I skipper Rohit Sharma has said that playing alongside Trent Boult for Mumbai Indians has helped both of them know each other's weaknesses and strengths and as a result, it is always a good battle when they play for their national teams.
Another failure to win an ICC tournament will put Virat Kohli's leadership future in doubt. When BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah hold a virtual meet with the national selectors in a couple of days' time, the leadership issue will be discussed.
Dhoni had led India to the title victory at the inaugural T20 World Cup played in South Africa in 2007.
Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to spit fire on a track that will offer steep bounce as India's top-order gears up for its toughest test in adverse conditions against a top-notch South African side in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
'India fans can't wait for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 to start for this reason. We have the players, we have the momentum -- we just need to go out there and execute now.'
Sunrisers Hyderabad's head coach Tom Moody attributes role clarity for the team's success.
Rishabh Pant hailed the fighting spirit of the side after the hosts came back from two games down to take the five-match series against South Africa
Fit-again India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is attempting to make his comeback by taking part in the D Y Patil T20 tournament, starting in Mumbai, on Monday. Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are also on their road to recovery after sustaining injuries.
Images from the IPL 2022 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
The Australian captain Aaron Finch struggled across all three formats during the India series, specially while trying to navigate Bhuvneshwar's inswinging deliveries.
Bhuvneshwar was the pick of the India bowlers, taking 3 for 50 in his 10 over quota in India's win against the defending champions in their second World Cup game.
Thousands of fans from both countries have crisscrossed the globe to watch their team in action and trust rival captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam to tell you this is another 'match' for them, but all the 22 players and reserves know that this is 'The Match'.
SunRisers Hyderabad has the biggest purse while Kolkata Knight Riders has the slimmest purse.
India would look to finalise their batting order for the tournament-proper when they take on Australia in their second and final warm-up game in Dubai on Wednesday.
The Indian team is scheduled to play the WTC final against New Zealand from June 18-22 before taking on England in a five-Test series.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar registered remarkable figures of 2/15 in four overs, including 17 dot balls, in a high-scoring contest which saw over 400 runs being scored.
Virat Kohli will be facing the most defining test of his captaincy career as he expects his men to be the proverbial 'phoenix rising from the ashes' when India take on a street-smart New Zealand in a do-or-die T20 World Cup Super 12 match in Dubai on Sunday.
Images from the first Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka, in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
Images from the first T20 between India and Sri Lanka, in Colombo, on Sunday.
In the last four IPLs, Mohammed Shami has taken 19 wickets or more every season.
Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant said the failure of the Indian bowlers to claim wickets in the middle overs proved vital in their seven-wicket defeat against South Africa in the second ODI in Paarl on Friday.
Images from the second Twenty20 International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
Images from the second T20 International between India and New Zealand, in Ranchi, on Friday.
If Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals on Thursday, then Mumbai Indians may find it very difficult to qualify for the play-offs even if they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final league match.
Russell's eyes lit up immediately, much like a hungry tourist at a breakfast buffet, as he chomped through the deliveries, starting with two singles before finishing with three sixes off the final four deliveries.
Washington will join Axar and KL Rahul at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for rehabilitation.
KL Rahul will have to show drastically improved leadership acumen when he leads India against a buoyant South African side in the second ODI on Thursday.
Pacer Deepak Chahar made an impressive comeback to international cricket with an incisive spell and openers maintained their consistency as India outclassed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the opening One-Day International, in Harare, on Thursday.
Shardul Thakur replaced spinner Axar Patel, who was transferred to the list of standby players.
India is led by senior batsman Shikhar Dhawan and coached by NCA head Rahul Dravid.
Virat Kohli went out of his comfort zone during the Asia Cup and played a rare sweep shot and Rohit wants even the bowlers to push their limits.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and fast bowler Jason Holder have achieved career-best rankings in bowling after helping the West Indies to a series-deciding 17-run victory in the fifth match against England in Bridgetown.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh can beat each other on their day
India's skipper Virat Kohli was surprised that Shardul Thakur wasn't the man-of-the match in the third ODI against England, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar not man-of-the-series, saying credit to them for bowling so well in adverse conditions.
India captain Virat Kohli moved up a place to fourth in the ICC T20 rankings for batsmen, while his deputy Rohit Sharma climbed three spots to 14th in the latest update issued on Wednesday.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12 Group 2 match between India and Pakistan, in Dubai, on Sunday.
Getting used to the 'unique' pace and bounce in Australia will be the Indian team's primary objective at the preparatory camp in Perth ahead of the T20 World Cup, says head coach Rahul Dravid.
While chances of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's inclusion in the playing XI look brighter by the minute, Kohli gave an open-ended reply to the various questions on possible team combinations.
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