Royal Challengers Bangalore learnt it the hard way that star power does not always guarantee success after succumbing to the lowest ever score in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Sunday's match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Images from Saturday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai.
Ahead of the first Test between India and England in Rajkot, Rajneesh Gupta looks at the two teams and their numbers.
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Chris Lynn, on Monday, said Royal Challengers Bangalore would be the team to beat in the upcoming 10th edition of the Indian Premier League.
'He knows exactly what he's trying to do, exactly what the opposition are trying to do and he analyses every ball -- it's like a computer, he spits out the answer'
Kevin Pietersen's Test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
But nightwatchman Dominic Bess (40 not out) and Dawid Malan (27 not out) saw out the session to take England to 199 for three in reply to Pakistan's first-innings total of 174.
England battled back into contention on the third day of the second Test against West Indies as Mark Stoneman's first half century and captain Joe Root's unbeaten 45 helped wipe out a sizeable first-innings deficit on Sunday.
Hampshire batsman James Vince has been called up to the 14-man England squad for the fourth Test starting in Southampton on August 30.
Images from the World Cup second semi-final between England and Australia in Birmingham, on Thursday.
Ben Stokes will start the third Test for England against India at Trent Bridge on Saturday just four days after being cleared of affray.
England captain Joe Root refused to blame his senior players for the tourists' stunning Ashes defeat but lamented his own failures to lead the way with the bat against Australia.
England beat India by 31 runs in their group game at Edgbaston on Sunday, handing the visitors their first defeat in the ICC World Cup and boosting their own semi-final prospects.
1983 World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes Virat Kohli's captaincy, and Jasprit Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal's excellent bowling, were the key to India's narrow victory over Afghanistan.
Australia thumped England by 64 runs to go 2-0 ahead in the five-match series of one-day internationals although victory came with a large slice of controversy at Lord's on Saturday.
India would be aiming for a clean-sweep to dent England's confidence a bit more in the third and final One-Day International, their final ODI outing before the ICC Champions Trophy in less than five months, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Images from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, in Chennai, on Tuesday.
England captain Eoin Morgan's century led his team to an impressive series opening 72-run victory against top-ranked South Africa in their opening One-Day International at Headingley.
It will not be the first time that the competition has had to be held outside India.
India made a strong reply with the bat after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up yet another five-wicket haul as the hosts reached 146 for one on the second day of the fourth Test against England in Mumbai, on Friday.
Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler is set to make his Test debut after being named to replace Matt Prior in England's 13-man squad to play India in the third Test starting at Southampton on Sunday.
Indian batsmen, including flamboyant and in-form skipper Virat Kohli, were made to toil hard before Ravichandran Ashwin's counter-attacking 57 enabled the hosts to reach 271/6 at stumps on the second day of the third cricket Test against England on Sunday.
India bowled with a lot of perseverance to restrict England to 268 for 8 despite a defiant 89 from Jonny Bairstow on Day 1 of the third cricket Test in Mohali on Saturday.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put on 116 for the third wicket before the latter was bowled by a beautiful delivery from Craig Overton for 67.
Dejected after a 133-run loss (D/L method) against India in the second One-dayer in Cardiff on Wednesday, England skipper Alastair Cook said that his team has a lot of improvement to do if it wants to overturn the 1-0 deficit in the five-match series.
England's Chris Woakes hit a six off Shafiul Islam to seal a series-clinching four-wicket victory in the third and final one-day international against Bangladesh on Wednesday. Sam Billings justified his selection with his maiden fifty and Ben Duckett registered his second half-century of the series but it was Ben Stokes' unbeaten 47 off 48 balls that helped England pull off a tricky 278-run chase with 13 balls to spare. Put into bat in Chittagong, Bangladesh had posted a strong 277-6 on the back of a string of top order cameos and Mushfiqur Rahim's unbeaten 67 down the order.
Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq will quit international cricket after the three-Test series in West Indies beginning later this month, the veteran batsman announced on Thursday.
'I know a few of the Surrey guys and they are not what people make them out to be a lot of the time. But if anyone in that dressing room does think they are a big dog, they will need to sit down for a little while because there is a proper big dog coming'
Jos Buttler was rewarded for his good showing in the Indian Premier League with a place in England's 12-man squad for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's, starting May 24.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will have rise to the occasion when they take on the already-eliminated Delhi Daredevil
West Indies ended the fourth day of the unexpectedly enthralling second test requiring 317 more runs to win after England turned the contest firmly in their favour.
Sunrisers Hyderabad unit would look to consolidate its position at the top of the points table
India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
Moeen Ali took three wickets on Wednesday as England made quick work of securing victory in the first Test by bundling out South Africa for 174 before lunch and ensure a 241-run victory on the last day at Kingsmead.
Battle commences at Edgbaston on Thursday and the last time Australia won there was the opening match of the 2001 series which they ended up dominating 4-1.
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli is all set to give up his opening slot and will bat at No 3, a position he has made his own in the national team.
Coach Trevor Bayliss thinks England left some "scars" on the Australia team during the second Ashes Test and can still enjoy success Down Under despite being 2-0 down with three matches to play.
Captain is confident of RCB going the distance this season
England failed to make the inroads into the Australian batting order they needed after gambling on bowling first in the inaugural day-night Ashes Test on Saturday and the hosts reached the second break on 138 for two.
Factbox on the second Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Saturday:
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