England have not picked uncapped all-rounder Jofra Archer in a preliminary 15-man World Cup squad but have named him in squads for the warm-up games against Pakistan and Ireland.
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.
The 40-year-old Pietersen said a win against India is similar to a victory against arch-rivals Australia and urged the selectors to play both Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the same XI.
India's spin duo of Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc, taking all 10 wickets between them.
The Virat Kohli-led RCB has won five of its eight games on the back of all-round performances but seemingly blundered in the eight-wicket defeat to laggards KXIP on Thursday.
The big question mark is whether England can cope with the level of expectation that surrounds them as favourites on home soil.
Captain Eoin Morgan scored a brilliant unbeaten 57 from 22 balls as England chased down a massive victory target of 223 to win the final Twenty20 International against South Africa on Sunday and secure a 2-1 series triumph.
'I find batting at number seven tough' 'When I'm in, I feel I can hit decent-sized sixes... But it's not easy for someone like me, who probably can't hit sixes like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and hit the gas like those guys'
India finished the penultimate day on 39-1, still 381 behind the target
Anderson said he would be ready to fill the role of Joe Root's deputy if needed
Reaction after England beat New Zealand on number of boundaries hit in the Cricket World Cup final at Lord's on Sunday.
The England-Windies Test series will be held at Hampshire's Ageas Bowl and Lancashire's Emirates Old Trafford, which have been chosen as bio-secure venues.
Fast running out of time, a struggling Rajasthan Royals will hope to complete the double against Mumbai Indians in a return-leg IPL fixture and revive their campaign in Jaipur Saturday.
Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar, who started his international career in 2000, will stand in a record 129th Test match when Australia take on New Zealand in the first Test in Perth on Thursday.
The 27-year-old came under pressure after some sub-par performances in his previous three T20 outings against Australia and India.
There will be a strong focus on buying uncapped Indian players with eight franchises gearing up to pick a maximum of 76 out of the 350 plus, who will go under the hammer at the auction for the 10th Indian Premier League.
Wagner took three wickets in 17 balls for just one run as England collapsed from 132-5 to 138-8 before tea, then broke a 59-run ninth-wicket partnership between Jofra Archer and Sam Curran after they had threatened to thwart the hosts.
Kevin Pietersen is concerned about England's Test bowling resources when the long-serving pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad call time on their careers
Match-fixing scandals and payment delay of some foreign players have shattered the image of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) which was launched in 2011, forcing the country's cricket board to take control of the event and rename it the 'Bangabandhu BPL'.
India fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat claimed a Rs 11.5 crore deal with the usually thrifty Rajasthan Royals even as South African pace ace Dale Steyn went unsold on the second day of the Indian Premier players' auction in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
New Zealand legend Glenn Turner is concerned about the impact of T20 cricket on the "more worthwhile forms" of the game and feels that the coronavirus-forced break is a good time to "reassess" the future of the sport. The 72-year-old Turner, who is also the former chairman of New Zealand's selection panel, believes that cricket administrators have "gone down a path of capitalism".
The Indian team might be at a low ebb after losing the first two Tests but England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow says it is too early to talk about a 5-0 whitewash.
It remains to be seen whether India are able to add 'another sweetest victory' or if the visitors spoil their party.
'IPL is huge; I like the money in it.'
Roshen Silva struck a combative fifty and expertly guided Sri Lanka's lower order to help the hosts gain a first-innings lead of 46 against England on the second day of the second Test on Thursday.
Wood, who has 11 one-day international caps but missed the winter tour of India, is joined by fellow paceman Liam Plunkett who is yet to play for Yorkshire this season because of a calf injury.
While SRH can't afford to slip up even one bit with five games remaining, RR would be hoping to continue the winning momentum and hope that their foreign recruits continue in good nick like they did in the match against CSK.
England Test captain Joe Root is not bitter about his exclusion from this year's Indian Premier League and believes his team mates playing in the Twenty20 tournament will hugely benefit from the experience.
Penpix of England players in England's Ashes squad.
India's star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin consolidated his position at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after his match haul of 12 for 167 in the fourth Test against England.
Ravi Shastri was both Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev's 'go to man' with his all-round abilities during the '80s and India head coach firmly believes that young Washington Sundar could play a similar role in the current Test team.
The tournament, which has been shifted to the UAE due to five million plus COVID cases in India, is a 'TV-only event', expected to be lapped up by all and sundry who crave for cricket and Bollywood in equal measure during prime time.
Root said England could not afford to lower their guard against an attack which featured three bowlers -- Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel -- who are among the top 20 in official Test rankings.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler feels England need to be more clinical in some aspects, including catching, as they seek to extend their lead over India in the second Test starting at Lord's, from Thursday.
Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's son Arjun Tendulkar took part in England's practice session on Wednesday ahead of the second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord's.
The Indian Premier League is not only one of the world's most lucrative annual sporting properties but also among the most durable, with not even the lengthening shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic apparently able to stop the Twenty20 juggernaut.
England also named their final one-day squad before the World Cup, with fast bowlers Tom Curran and David Willey returning to a unit who defeated Sri Lanka 3-1. Tom replaces brother Sam as Liam Dawson and Olly Stone also miss out.
In the ICC Test ranking for batsmen, Virat Kohli was in the second position, while Cheteshwar Pujara was placed sixth.
If England have reached a commanding position in the first Test, the dropped catches have contributed immensely, said England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who himself struck a century. Indian fielders dropped three chances in the first hour of the match yesterday (Day 1) and today (Day 2) also Ben Stokes was dropped twice (on 60 and 61) by Wriddhiman Saha off Umesh Yadav.
Australia's Fox Sports reported that Bairstow was involved in a clash, in a hotel bar, with Australian player Cameron Bancroft in Perth during England's warm-up for the series.
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