It was a headache to decide between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as third spinner: Rohit Sharma
Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh moved up to the sixth and 10th spot respectively in the latest ICC T20 rankings released on Wednesday.
With their respective leaders switching camps and squads undergoing major overhauls, both Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants, under new captains, will be eager to make a strong start to their IPL campaign when they face off in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
India will be keen to get the job done against Bangladesh and seal their place in Sunday's final before considering resting their players.
Chahal asked Axar about being promoted to number four in the batting order to which the bowling all-rounder said that things were made easy as Pant was joking around and having fun between the deliveries.
Abhishek Sharma's scintillating 75 was beautifully complemented by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as India comfortably hammered Bangladesh by 41 runs to enter the Asia Cup final in Dubai on Wednesday.
'Pant, Axar Patel, K S Bharat, Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav assembled at the team hotel in Mumbai,' DC stated on Wednesday.
For a bowler this effective to be sidelined repeatedly, there must be either a very specific tactical reason -- or something unspoken within the dressing room dynamics.
'You should have the ability to strike the ball. You don't have to have time for technique in T20 cricket. But your basics should be there and he's always had that.'
Images from the second T20 International between India and South Africa, at the PCA's New Chandigarh Stadium, Mullanpur.
Shubman Gill might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
The likes of Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel would all like to get some decent hit out there in the middle ahead of Sunday's clash against Pakistan.
The inclusion of Gill in the squad has raised doubts in the minds of management about who will open the innings for their side, along with left-hand batter Abhishek, in the tournament.
The lack of runs from captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill remains a talking point.
This was India's third victory in a row against Pakistan and their 11th victory overall against the arch-rivals in 14 T20 matches.
Ravichandran Ashwin exposed India batters' lack of quality to battle ball tweakers by claiming that if legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar or past domestic heroes Amol Muzumdar, the India women's team head coach and Mithun Manhas had played against spinners on such a track, the Test would have gone to four days, unlike India's harrowing 30-run defeat against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
'We cannot deny that Pakistan also played brilliantly.'
The final Test begins on Friday in New Delhi, and the Shubman Gill-led side is expected to maintain their winning combination as they look to wrap up the home series.
Shubman Gill enjoyed a phenomenal run with the bat in England, piling up 754 runs at an average of 75.40 with four centuries.
Rohit Sharma hit an unbeaten century, while Virat Kohli returned to form with a fluent fifty as India cruised to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the inconsequential third and final ODI against Australia.
With Bumrah leading the charge, India prised out five wickets in the second session to snuff out South Africa's hopes of reaching the 200 mark.
Needed to bowl stump to stump to negate dew factor: Axar Patel
The short turnaround time from the high of winning a controversy-marred Asia Cup notwithstanding, Shubman Gill's India will be outright favourites against a struggling and under-strength West Indies when the teams face-off on a green-top in the first Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh?
Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL despite featuring top talent over the years. Under Axar Patel's leadership, they will hope IPL 2025 finally ends their title drought.
Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has found himself in the spotlight for a brief moment of forgetfulness at the toss during their Asia Cup fixture against Oman in Dubai on Friday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals played in New Delhi on Wednesday.
He's a champion bowler: Rahane hails Narine's game-changing spell
As India gear up for the T20 World Cup at home, the selectors have backed a squad built on impact, and versatility.
India captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir along with Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel arrived in Kolkata late on Sunday ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa.
Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel would like to quickly forget the underwhelming performances of his side in home conditions and get their stuttering campaign back on track when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, who are teetering on the edge of elimination, in the IPL match in Hyderabad on Monday.
The team management now has a tricky call on hand while deciding whether to keep Samson in the playing XI finding a slot for him in top three or play Jitesh Sharma
Ashwin wants this "unexpected hero" to surprise against Pakistan during Asia Cup
With the much-anticipated Group A clash against arch-rivals Pakistan looming, India is sparing no effort in their training sessions, honing skills and strategising tactics.
'My bat did its work, and they (Pakistan) did not get a chance to speak.'
Mohammed Shami was once ignored for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa, despite having proved his fitness in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
Without Axar's 34 and 2/21, DC may not have won the game.
Armed with a potent spin attack, taking on South Africa seems like competing against a "subcontinent team", Ten Doeschate said, admitting that they need to get better at negotiating the challenge posed by tweakers.
Mike Hesson is free to rank Pakistan left-arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz as high as he wants but India know where their spinners are placed in the world order.
Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals against Royal Challengers Bengaluru after the suspension of regular captain Rishabh Pant.
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