The IPL consistently rewards smart squad building, tactical flexibility, and balanced team composition over individual star power. So what exactly are franchises paying for when the bidding war begins?
South Africa will be eager to turn consistent recent form into a title-winning run when they open their women's ODI World Cup campaign against traditional powerhouses England in Guwahati on Friday.
All-rounder Max Maxwell, who has been sidelined by a wrist injury, will come in for the last three games, while Test certainty Josh Hazlewood will skip the last three games.
Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes set the scene for a dramatic Ashes series.
Arshdeep Singh, who took three wickets for 35 runs in the third T20I against Australia, in Hobart on Sunday, said he's been working on his process, trusting his skills, and executing the plans he practised.
Australian star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is hopeful of regaining fitness in time for the latter half of the upcoming T20 International series against India after undergoing surgery on his fractured right wrist.
IMAGES from the fourth T20I between Australia and India played in Carrara, Gold Coast on Thursday
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
The aura of home advantage -- long regarded as a hallmark of India's Test side -- seemed secure. But in barely over a year, that fortress has not just cracked, it has collapsed, raising uncomfortable questions about strategy, selection, and temperament.
KKR, CSK to engage in bidding war in IPL mini-auction with big purse in hand
Armed with a potent spin attack, taking on South Africa seems like competing against a "subcontinent team", Ten Doeschate said, admitting that they need to get better at negotiating the challenge posed by tweakers.
Formidable India have their tails up as they head to the gargantuan MCG for the second T20I against Australia here on Friday, thanks to the influx of young talent and the return to form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
India will look to overcome batting inconsistencies and finish the tour of Australia with authority when the two sides clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Brisbane on Saturday.
Australia will also welcome Matt Short back into the side at No.3, forming part of a refreshed middle order alongside Renshaw, Owen, Cooper Connolly, and wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, who replaces the injured Josh Inglis (calf).
India's awe-inspiring batting depth will face a stern test against South Africa's quality spin attack in the first Test, starting in Kolkata on Friday.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Having already secured a place in the semi-finals, England will be hoping to acquire some quality workout time for their batters in their last league match against a beleaguered and rain-tormented New Zealand in the women's World match Cup, in Visakhapatnam, on Sunday.
In anticipation of his team's upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup match against the Netherlands, New Zealand batsman Glenn Phillips expressed his belief that the Dutch side will prove to be a formidable opponent in the tournament.
New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips was purportedly seen applying saliva on the ball on Day 3 of the first Test between Bangladesh and the Kiwis on Thursday according to ESPNcricinfo.
Australian batter Matthew Short is relishing the opportunity to face "world-class" Indian bowlers in the ongoing five-match T20I series.
The Bellerive Oval is one ground where the side boundaries are smaller in size, hence hitting the right lengths would be paramount considering anything short would be flying over cover, point, square leg or mid-wicket on either side of the fence.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell produced an unbeaten half-century in a tense chase to help the hosts edge out South Africa by two wickets in the third and final Twenty20 International and complete a 2-1 series victory in Cairns on Saturday.
Australia claimed a three-wicket victory over the West Indies in the fourth Twenty20 international on Saturday
Healy's injury forces Australia rethink ahead of Women's World Cup clash against England
Glenn Maxwell believes his spin bowling could come in handy in the Powerplay during next year's T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
In the league stage, South Africa suffered two heavy defeats and their batting came apart against spin in both games.
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Under pressure to revive their campaign after back-to-back defeats, India will have to consider adding a sixth bowler to bring more balance to their attack when they face England in a crucial Women's ODI World Cup match, in Indore, on Sunday.
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
Though the England-South Africa game yielded less than 150 runs thanks to the brilliant display by the English bowlers, the surface at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium is regarded as batting-friendly and has often produced high-scoring contests.
Former India skipper Anil Kumble has been appointed as the ambassador for wildlife conservation by the Karnataka government on Wednesday.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
San Francisco's Allen hits record 19 sixes in MLC season opener
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell retired from ODIs to focus on next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Mitchell Starc will become just the second Australian fast bowler after Glenn McGrath to play 100 Tests.
Sachin Tendulkar was at his witty best as he fielded questions from fans during an 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) session on Reddit on Monday, August 25.
Nicholas Pooran, who announced his retirement from all international formats on Tuesday, has been appointed as the captain of MI New York in the Major League Cricket
This dismissal marked Maxwell's 19th duck in IPL history, making him the all-time leader in this unwanted record, surpassing Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik.
Dewald Brevis smashed his maiden T20 International century to power South Africa to an emphatic 53-run victory against Australia in the second T20I.
