Kohli maintains highest fitness standards while 23 of his colleagues checked-in at NCA for rehab in 2021-22 season
While Rohit Sharma will be eager to test his ultra-aggressive batting template against the Asian giants, for Virat Kohli it is the perfect platform to return to form after enduring a tough phase in the last few years.
India's T20 squad will undergo a major transition in the next two years with senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin gradually eased out, BCCI sources said.
To everyone's surprise, the team management didn't play him during the high-scoring first T20I in Mohali, raising doubts whether he has still attained peak fitness or not.
The Indian team is scheduled to play the WTC final against New Zealand from June 18-22 before taking on England in a five-Test series.
In his last five innings including the first practice match against Western Australia, Rohit has scored just 63 runs, including two ducks in the T20I series against South Africa.
'Rather than focussing on the strategy of other teams, we should rather focus on ourselves'
With a massive pool of talent that have performed in the IPL and in other T20Is, Indian selectors have their task cut out when they meet to pick the squad for the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Images from the first T20 International between India and the West Indies, in Basetterre, St Kitts, on Monday.
Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to spit fire on a track that will offer steep bounce as India's top-order gears up for its toughest test in adverse conditions against a top-notch South African side in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Is Bhuvneshwar going to be around for the T20 World Cup in 2024 with a sharp decline in his pace?
Images from Thursday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, in Dubai.
Punjab Kings' batting unit hasn't hit the straps, save for Rahul and Mayank Agarwal and the bowling has been pedestrian.
Steve Smith has branded India favourites to win the T20 World Cup after Virat Kohli's side outclassed Australia in a warm-up match on Wednesday.
Mumbai Indians enter the match high on confidence following successive victories over holders Chennai Super Kings and last edition's finalists Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Debutants Afghanistan were bowled out twice in a day to lose the one-off Test match against India by an innings and 262 runs, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
Mumbai Indians pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult could be the key in the most sought-after contest of this IPL.
KXIP are riding a roller-coaster ride, having to endure a controversy involving their captain Ravichandran Ashwin who 'Mankaded' Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler in their first match, an act which was legal but criticised by some as against the 'Spirit of Cricket'.
Dhoni had led India to the title victory at the inaugural T20 World Cup played in South Africa in 2007.
Who do you feel should be part of India's playing XI for the T20 World Cup game against Scotland?
Hardik Pandya hasn't featured in Tests since 2018 and has only recently recovered from a career-threatening back injury.
Virtually out of the play-off race and struggling on multiple fronts, a horribly out-of-sorts Mumbai Indians will need a special team effort to arrest their slide when they take on Lucknow Super Giants in a return-leg IPL fixture in Mumbai on Sunday.
Jasprit Bumrah will definitely be a part of India's plans for the T20 World Cup but there is not clarity on the T20 future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
In impressive form throughout the season, Lucknow Super Giants will look to bounce back from the reverse they suffered in their previous match and beat Rajasthan Royals in the IPL fixture at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday and confirm a berth in the play-offs.
'The whole batting line-up and team are talented. I am looking forward to them having a good game against England, which is their biggest test. If they win the semi-finals, they will lift the trophy.'
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.
Against England on Monday and then Wednesday's game versus Australia, the Indian team management would look to give the players who are still not automatic choices in the playing XI, more overs to bat or bowl to get a better idea about their current form.
Chance for India batters to get their act right against Bangladesh
IPL franchise Punjab Kings is unhappy about KL Rahul leaving the team despite getting 'all the freedom' as the captain over the past two seasons and says it would be unethical if he has already been approached by a new franchise.
The team has five stand-bys in Priyank Panchal, KS Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar.
Following is the list of players who have been released by the different franchises ahead of the auction for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.
Ravichandran Ashwin believes India, which has recorded a historic T20 series win in the recently-concluded tour to Australia, will need to adjust to the home conditions quickly if they desire to win the ICC Twenty20 World Cup for a second time.
'Unfortunately for India, Rahul and Rohit could not find form in the big games, putting pressure on Virat and Suryakumar, who both can't perform game after game.'
Images from the IPL match played between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians on Saturday
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the opening Test against England?
Defending champions Mumbai lost to Delhi Capitals by four wickets and now need to win their remaining two games and hope for favourable results from the other matches to make the play-offs.
The unmatched legacy and hegemony created by the galacticos of Mumbai Indians will be thoroughly challenged by a young Mumbaikar Shreyas Iyer, who will lead a passionate-but-unpredictable Delhi Capitals in a cracker of an Indian Premier League final, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
Having made it to the IPL for the first time ever, Delhi Capitals are up against the rampaging Mumbai Indians, who have already beaten them thrice this season and are looking all set for their fifth IPL title.
He also praised opposite number Hardik Pandya.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's position in group A of the BCCI central contracts could be up for deliberation
