The barren run of skipper Rohit Sharma and the selection conundrum that Virat Kohli's possible return poses are the towering obstacles in India's quest for a series win against England in the second ODI in Cuttack on Sunday.
Venkatesh Iyer silenced his critics with a match-winning 60 off 29 balls, propelling Kolkata Knight Riders to a convincing 80-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In India's last ODI series against Sri Lanka, Rahul kept wickets in the first two matches, scoring 31 and 0, while Pant played the third game but managed only 6 runs. India could opt to include both players in the XI, but that would likely come at the expense of Iyer.
'There is always a temptation for the captain and the coach to decide whether to play him or me.'
Mohammed Shami has been the driving force behind Gujarat Titans' splendid run in IPL 2023.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has advised Rohit Sharma to change his position in the batting line-up to regain his touch in Tests
The series already in their pocket, India will look to address their batting woes against an England team gunning for revenge after feeling hard-done by a debatable concussion substitute when the two teams clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Mumbai on Sunday.
Kotak highlighted the flexibility of Rahul, who came almost an hour early to the scheduled net session.
India is facing form concerns and selection dilemmas as they enter the final phase of their Champions Trophy preparations.
Despite the rivalry between the two teams, Mohammad Shami turned into a left-hander as he shared a few tips with the Pakistani youngster.
Harshit Rana could pose a strong challenge to senior teammate Prasidh Krishna as they battle it out for the third pacer's slot in the India playing XI for the opening Test against Australia in Perth.
Shami plays sixth match in 11 days, bowls 15 dots
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
IMAGES from the first semi-final of the ICC World Cup played between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
'The stakes are too high and it would have been a complete embarrassment had Bumrah broken down in a match.'
England secured a 26-run victory over India in the third T20I in Rajkot on Tuesday to stay alive in the five-match series.
Lucknow Super Giants silenced all doubts with a dominant run chase, storming to their first victory of IPL 2025.
Shardul Thakur's four-wicket haul and a sensational display of power-hitting from Nicholas Pooran set up a five-wicket win for Lucknow Super Giants over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Rohit immediately knew the gravity of his mistake. He banged the ground in frustration, visibly furious with himself.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second ODI against England on Sunday?
Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina feels middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav will be sorely missed in the upcoming Champions Trophy, as he could have provided the 'X-factor' in Dubai, where Rohit Sharma's side will play all its matches.
World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev expressed concern over the rising number of injuries among Indian cricketers, attributing it to the demanding schedule.
'That is something I really wanted, to have six bowling options and then batting till No. 8 as well.'
'There should have been one extra fast bowler. One spinner less.'
Mohammed Shami's opening spell of 2/6 in two overs gave the Gujarat Titans the early momentum with the new ball.
The World Cup trophy was not meant to be his, but India's 'Captain Fearless' Rohit Sharma gave everything on the field and so did Mohammed Shami, who set the record for most fifers in the tournament's history.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be wary of Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) aggressive batting approach when the two teams face off in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday.
A dominant India hammered England by 150 runs to claim the five-match series 4-1.
India may be one of the favourites, but Uthappa said they will have their task cut out in their opener against Bangladesh.
Henry's exceptional spell of 5 for 42 in eight overs played a crucial role in restricting India to 249/9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Although India are playing a strong brand of 50-overs' cricket of late, they have some selection riddles to solve before they face Bangladesh in their opening match of the Champions Trophy.
Seasoned India pacer Mohammed Shami said he wasn't thinking about his long lay-off from ODI cricket and approached his comeback game with a clear mind as he is well-versed with bowling with the white ball.
With just a week to go until the start of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, it sets up a tight race for the premier position for batters in 50-over cricket during the eight-team tournament.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for their first Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh on Thursday?
Star batter Virat Kohli supported the presence of players' families on tours
Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami took three wickets to power India to victory in the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai on Friday.
Which bowler impressed you most in the KKR-SRH game on Thursday?
'Players can apply for permission if they want their families to stay longer on tours.' 'The BCCI will make a decision as it sees fit.'
'We have made a good bonding in the team from the start. In every match we played as a group. We have put on combined performance. We have worked as a team in the tournament. Everyone contributed a little bit and hope this continues.'
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