From a maths perspective, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans can still reach the IPL playoffs, but they need to ward off inner gremlins on Saturday to notch a mandatory win to keep that dream flickering.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
Veteran medium pacer Nilkantha Das has also been included and even opener Sudip Gharami, despite a season of non-performance has made it to the squad.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has detained a suspect in connection with the knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh. The suspect was traveling by a Mumbai-Howrah train and held at Durg in the afternoon. Mumbai Police were informed about the development and their team will reach here by late evening.
A red-hot Bengal will have a chance to win their first Ranji Trophy title in 33 years when they face Saurashtra, bolstered by the return of pacer and domestic game heavyweight Jaydev Unadkat, in the summit clash in Kolkata from Thursday.
'The series has shown a lot of talent, for us and India. I love Test cricket and we've seen some young, inexperienced players perform and the future looks bright in this format.'
India skipper Rohit Sharma on Monday had a stern message for aspirants wanting to make the national Test team without putting in the hard yards -- opportunities will only be given to those who show "hunger for success" in the "toughest" format.
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday.
Jurel, Sarfaraz in line for debuts, Shubman Gill skips optional training
Roundup of matches across the country in the ongoing BCCI Ranji Trophy
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh?
Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada produced an inspired bowling performance to lead MI Cape Town to their maiden SA20 title with a comfortable 76 runs victory over two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday.
With five consecutive defeats, bottom-placed RCB have the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their play-off prospects alive.
'Even if we had won the New Zealand series 3-0, it would have meant little because the conditions in Australia are very different, and the team there is very different.' 'In Australia, you just go with a clean slate and start fresh. It doesn't matter what has happened on the previous page.'
Young Indian players showed immense fortitude to tide over the absence of stars like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami to out-punch England 4-1 in the Test series, and head coach Rahul Dravid lauded them for delivering in crunch situations.
However, it remains to be seen how RCB will cope without players like Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood, who both have been sidelined for at least the first half of this IPL due to injuries. Australian Glenn Maxwell is also unlikely to feature in Sunday's game.
The Mumbai batter lit the Chinnaswamy stadium with his brilliant batting.
Both Jaiswal and du Plessis, the leading run-getters in IPL 2023 so far, are in scintillating form. While du Plessis is leading the scoring charts with 576 runs from 11 innings, including six half centuries and a best of 84, Jaiswal is a close second with 575 runs from 12 matches, which includes four fifties and a 124-run knock.
'There will be a lot of spice to the contest -- there is a reason India is the only team other than England against whom Australia is keen to play a five Test series.' 'I'll watch, as I suspect most fans will -- but this one time, I'll watch with considerable trepidation and, from a fan's point of view, with the hope that the team finds its feet and that right quick,' notes the distinguished cricket commentator Prem Panicker.
A state association official said Ranji Trophy runs the risk of 'a slow death if it was not made mandatory for top players to compete'.
The "composed" set of newcomers in the Indian team don't need frequent advice, they need just a supportive environment to excel, said skipper Rohit Sharma after the young guns played a major part in the hosts' series-sealing win over England in the fourth Test in Ranchi on Monday.
Pushed into a tight corner, Royal Challengers Bengaluru rose above their frailties to notch four wins on the trot and stay alive in the race to play-offs. However, a volatile Delhi Capitals offer them a different challenge in their penultimate IPL league match in Bengaluru on Sunday.
An inconsistent Royal Challengers Bengaluru would be eager to hit the turnaround button when they host Lucknow Super Giants, who will keep an eye on regular skipper KL Rahul's fitness, in the IPL in Bengaluru on Tuesday
Their winning streak halted by defending champions Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore will hope Harshal Patel returns to the playing eleven and contribute in bringing their campaign back on track when they face Delhi Capitals in the IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
A round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will expect more runs from their batters and discipline in 'death' overs bowling when they take on high-flying Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Table-toppers Rajasthan Royals need more from their fragile middle-order as they look to return to winning ways against an inconsistent but dangerous Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sunday's IPL match in Bengaluru.
The rise in interest rates is not only making homes and equated monthly instalments dearer for buyers, coupled with an anticipated slowdown in the economy, it would hurt demand for commercial real estate as well.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match, in Jaipur on Friday.
A round-up of Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals on Friday.
Saurashtra secured a place in the Ranji Trophy final for the fifth time in the history of the tournament, defeating Karnataka
'It's gruelling. Playing a five-match series is not easy. That's what Test cricket is all about.'
'It's always disappointing being on the losing team. Looking back at when we had our chance to bat yesterday, cricket is always skill against skill.'
Central will face West Zone in the semi-final at the Alur grounds from July 5. In the second semifinal, North Zone will take on South Zone at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Moved by the youngster's stories and the emotions surrounding it, Rohit said he was "lost in their debuts".
Heinrich Klaasen is the most expensive retained player in IPL history.
Shardul Thakur played the innings of his life to power his new team Kolkata Knight Riders to a thumping 81-run victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL match on Thursday.
India will be looking for another favorable result to extend their lead in the World Test Championships standings.
The Chandrakant Pandit-coached side lost opener Yash Dubey (9) cheaply after he was trapped in front of the wickets by pacer Mukesh Kumar (2/45).
Royal Challengers Bangalore will aim to shed the over-reliance on their celebrated top-order when they face a belligerent Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Lucknow on Monday.
