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.
Fresh from their morale-boosting win over LSG, and bolstered by the return of India wicketkeeper-batter K L Rahul, Delhi Capitals will look to build on the momentum when they take on formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
'India gave me its heart first. So India will always have mine.'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for their T20 World Cup match against The Netherlands on Thursday?
'We cannot deny that Pakistan also played brilliantly.'
Delhi Capitals looked like a well-oiled machine with four wins in a row before a stunning batting meltdown against Mumbai Indians halted their momentum.
India and Pakistan clash in a highly anticipated T20 World Cup match. India needs middle-order stability and a fit Abhishek Sharma, while Pakistan's spin attack poses a threat. The weather forecast predicts a high chance of rain.
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.
Ashwin wants this "unexpected hero" to surprise against Pakistan during Asia Cup
A look at India's 5 best victories against Pakistan in T20 World Cups.
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.
Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip.
Axar also pointed to sloppy fielding as a factor that allowed MI to cross the 200-mark, but praised his spin unit.
IMAGES from the IPL match between SunRisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals, in Hyderabad, on Monday.
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.
India's Asian Games cricket team captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who played the first two ODIs, has been released from the squad and will link up with the Hangzhou-bound outfit. Also released is pacer Mukesh Kumar, who came in as cover for Bumrah.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is of the view that young left-arm spinner Axar Patel is not Test cricket material and, at best, 'a roller of the ball'.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has attained a career-best second position after notching two half-centuries in the final Test series against England in Karachi.
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.
India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels the debate over preparing a spin-friendly track at the Eden Gardens for the opening Test against South Africa is pointless as the country has been laying out such wickets for ages.
A look back at the thrilling encounters between India and New Zealand in ICC tournament knockout stages, highlighting key moments and memorable performances.
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.
Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy final played between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Axar Patel took two wickets before he smashed a swashbuckling 65 off just 31 deliveries in the second T20 against Sri Lanka in Pune on Thursday.
Kishan's statement knock, Surya's welcome fifty give India 2-0 lead
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on Friday acknowledged that Sanju Samson has been going through a lean phase without doubting the quality of the struggling batter, and reiterated the team management's support for him.
The overwhelmingly bowler-friendly Melbourne pitch on which 20 wickets fell on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test has prompted Kevin Pietersen and Dinesh Kartik to point out the selective criticism of Indian tracks when spinners get wickets in a heap.
An excited Ricky Ponting said he can't wait to get working with Delhi Capitals trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant in the IPL later this year after the trio's match-winning performances for India in the recent-concluded four-match Test series against England.
'I'll tell you one thing straight away, that trust me, these two guys are going to win matches in World Cup (in February-March) and in this series as well.'
The 23-year-old explained that his stint with Delhi Capitals sharpened his cricketing brain.
Delhi Capitals and India all-rounder Axar Patel has rejoined his Indian Premier League side after staying in a medical care facility in Mumbai for nearly three weeks following a positive test result for COVID-19.
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.
'My bat did its work, and they (Pakistan) did not get a chance to speak.'
Such has been the problem of plenty for selectors in the T20 format that they are finding it difficult to even accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal -- a proven performer in T20 cricket.
This is the most open T20 World Cup in history. The traditional powers are compromised. The new powers have gained strength, observes Faisal Shariff.
Labuschagne was the lone player from the Australian national side who was included in the list.
'But at least I'm contributing with the ball, and I'm positive about it.'
