'The IPL is like a corporate world, the owners expect results and on top of that you don't get that much time.' 'Coaching is not that important at that level, it is more about man management and keeping the atmosphere really good, that is the most important thing.'
After a close-knit wedding and the subsequent mehendi party, the couple hosted their friends from the cricketing world and Bollywood for a cocktail party at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba.
He has nothing more to prove to anyone after haunting batsmen for more than 15 years in international cricket and Harbhajan Singh believes that his 'tried and tested' strengths are the ones he will rely on as he prepares to lay his hands on a record third world title.
Off-the-field camaraderie between Virat Kohli, Mohammad Aamir and Shahid Afridi grabbed attention on the eve of Saturday's much-awaited India-Pakistan contest in the ICC World T20 in Kolkata.
India went on to maintain its 100 per cent winning rate against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup after defeating them by 29 runs in the semi-final clash at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
The in-form Virat Kohli was on Monday rested for the forthcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, while Delhi's left-arm spinner Pawan Negi was a surprise inclusion for the three-match series.
The BCCI will be organising a six-week camp for its top cricketers some time next month and speculation has started on whether former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be part of it. While the BCCI is waiting for a safe time and venue for the camp after third week of July. In case it's not possible, players will probably go in for their respective IPL camps later during the year.
Shocked by an inexperienced Sri Lankan side on a green wicket in the first Twenty20 match, India would aim to regain its winning touch and keep the series alive.
Captain Virat Kohli is among the highest grossers in endorsement deals, but his share of the tax-free spoils from the gross revenue of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from international games in 2015-16 is slightly lower than his Delhi and India team-mate Shikhar Dhawan's.
While the auction ahead of the ninth edition, starting in April, was great for Indian players in general, there were a few surprises in store. Rediff.com takes a look at the Indian players who secured themselves the best deals.
For Yuvraj Singh, it is his favourite club Manchester United that has forced him to switch loyalties from his perennial favourite Brazil to supporting France in the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
A few proven, but currently out-of-form, cricketers are likely to get the nod when the national selectors draw up a list of 30 Indian probables for the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in Mumbai on Thursday.
A vintage Yuvraj Singh blasted a quickfire half-century to help champions Sunrisers Hyderabad outclass Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 in the opening match of the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
'You want someone like an X-factor, like Maxwell, and at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where it's flat and small, so he can have that impact.'
Australian run-machine Marnus Labuschagne is willing to "sacrifice" the use of saliva to shine the ball in order to get back on the field in the post coronavirus world as the batting all-rounder feels players must be able to adapt to new rules. There has been widespread speculations that the use of saliva and sweat to shine the ball will be stopped to cut down the risk of spreading the highly contagious coronavirus when cricket restarts.
On the occasion of Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday Harbhajan Singh opens his 'memory bank' on his close friend of over 20 years.
Placed reasonably well at the halfway mark of the ongoing IPL, Sunrisers Hyderbad's key pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar said the key to the team's success this season has been the players' clear understanding of their role in the side.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is impressed by Hardik Pandya's cameo in India's convincing win in the Asia Cup T20 opener against Bangladesh and called the young all-rounder an "overall package" who could be promoted in the batting order in the coming days.
Unbeaten in all the three games they have played so far in the tournament, Gujarat Lions would look to continue with their impressive winning run when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in an IPL match in Rajkot on Thursday. The Lions have been in red-hot form in their debut season with convincing wins in all the three games and they would seek to maintain a clean slate tomorrow at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. The home side will also be bolstered by the return of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who did not play in the Lion's seven-wicket thrashing of defending champions Mumbai Indians in Mumbai due to his wedding.
A scrappy India will have to lift their game by several notches against an improving Australia when the two fierce rivals clash in a virtual quarter-final cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
Buoyed by an overwhelming victory in the previous game, a resilient India would look to continue the momentum and seal off their second successive T20 series win when they take on Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 International, in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. India shrugged off their embarrassing defeat in opening T20 match in Pune with a commanding show in Ranchi, where they outclassed the island nation by 69 runs to level the series. The Indian batsmen had struggled to cope with the 'green' track in Pune but adjusted well on a slow strip at Ranchi, where they did not put a foot wrong. The bowlers, too, were in complete control, never letting the Sri Lankan batsmen dominate. Moreover, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy was impressive and all his experiments, be it reshuffling of the batting order or bowling tactics, paid off. India not only mastered the conditions but also executed their plans to perfection.
Desperate to break their title jinx, Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore will be hoping for a positive start to their campaign in the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League, when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
Sachin Tendulkar says the "sound" that came off skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's bat during the recent Asia Cup was a reflection of his positive mindset and it was a good news for already "favourites" India in the World Twenty20.
Buoyant Kolkata Knight Riders will look to continue their winning momentum when they face defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Facing the prospect of a series defeat at home for the first time in 15 months, skipper Virat Kohli will have a relook at his team combination as hosts India take on a resurgent England in a do-or-die second T20 International, in Nagpur on Sunday.
In his every first international innings he was run out for 0. He will end his career as one of the most feared batsmen in international cricket.
Expect a battle of wits when Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings lock horns in Wednesday's Indian Premier League match in Bangalore.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his side played a "complete game" to beat Kings XI Punjab and enter the Champions League T20 final.
India remained third, while star batsman Virat Kohli maintained his second spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings released on Sunday.
India's young guns will get an opportunity to fire on the big stage and carry forward the team's exceptional dominance over England when they clash with the visitors in the three-match Twenty20 series, starting in Kanpur on Thursday.
The coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad Tom Moody is hoping for Yuvraj Singh's speedy recovery ahead of season nine of the Indian Premier League. The Hyderabad-based franchise made some smart picks in the 2016 IPL Player Auctions. But the biggest name that caught everyone's attention was Yuvraj. However, the senior all-rounder is recovering from an injury, that he sustained during the World T20 and is expected to miss out on the first two weeks of IPL. "A player like Yuvraj Singh is important to any team. He is not only a match-winner with the bat but he is a very useful bowler in those middle overs," Moody said. "Sadly, Yuvraj will be out for a couple of weeks but we don't know how long that is going to be," Moody hoped for Yuvraj's speedy recovery from an ankle injury.
Gujarat Lions' all-rounder Dwayne Bravo said his team has lacked in adapting to different conditions which has led to the current downward spiral.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner feels the key to winning matches in Twenty20 cricket, especially in the Indian Premier League, is one good partnership at the top.
Back to their winning ways after sucessive victories, a rejuvenated Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to continue their good run when they take on laggards Kings XI Punjab in an IPL T20 clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium on Saturday.
Andre Russell smashed a breathtaking half-century while Ryan ten Doeschate struck a fine unbeaten 51 to guide Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders to a stunning seven-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.
The Indian cricket team would get into the groove for the short limited-overs series against Australia with a couple of warm-up games against a Western Australia XI at the WACA ground on Friday and Saturday. While the first match tomorrow is slated to be a T20 affair, the second match scheduled the day after will be a 50-over warm-up game against the same opposition. It will certainly not be the first team of Western Australia which is better known as Perth Scorchers, which will be playing in the warm-up games. It will be a second string squad that will take on the Indians.
There are indications that Mithali may not be selected in all the matches against the 'White Ferns' and she has been made aware by a senior member of the team management.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who played a vital role in Sunrisers Hyderabad's Indian Premier League triumphant campaign last year, said he is determined to contribute in the upcoming 10th edition of the IPL especially in the death overs.
As the 16th edition of the glitzy Indian Premier League is set to unfold, let's take a look at the driving force of the T20 league and what's in store in this edition.
The auction ahead of the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League had in store something on expected lines and some surprises. Here's a look at the top buys after the first round.