Axar Patel's heroics down the order went in vain as India A suffered a narrow five-run defeat to West Indies A in the fourth unofficial ODI of the five-match, in Coolidge, Antigua, on Friday.
Josh Hazlewood clinically dismantled a famed Indian top-order with a probing spell to kill the contest as Australia cantered to a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International.
Kuldeep Yadav's artistry was too much for a clueless UAE to comprehend as India hardly broke a sweat in an emphatic nine-wicket victory in their Asia Cup opener in Dubai on Wednesday.
'Am I the reason team will lose? Kuldeep might think, I am bowling so well, even after that I am not playing, then am I the problem in this team?'
Rishabh Pant's absence from India's ODI playing XI has sparked debate, with many questioning the team's strategy of promoting Axar Patel ahead of the explosive wicketkeeper-batter. While Axar's contributions in the first two ODIs against England have been lauded, critics argue that Pant's potential impact in crucial phases of the game cannot be overlooked. The team's reliance on a left-right batting combination has also been questioned, with some questioning the effectiveness of placing KL Rahul at No. 6, a position perceived as unsuitable for his style of play. Former players and experts have weighed in on the matter, highlighting the complex situation and raising concerns about the long-term implications of these tactical decisions.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, on Friday.
Rahul expertly rotated the strike, absorbed pressure, and provided guidance to Gill as he neared his century.
The Delhi Capitals will be looking to improve their batting performance in the middle overs when they face a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru on Thursday.
While MI's win will assure them of a place in the play-offs, Delhi Capitals need to win both their remaining games to advance.
Kings XI Punjab's new captain Murli Vijay has termed left-arm spinner Axar Patel's bowling spell as 'incredible' during their stunning 23-run win over table toppers Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League match in Rajkot.
Ravindra Jadeja's absence from the T20 series was expected to weaken India but the hosts found an able replacement in "outstanding" Axar Patel, said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was rewarded with the elite grade A plus retainership.
The T20 WC champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.
It is a 'little tough' to cool his heels after a couple of games but Axar Patel wants to put his best foot forward in his bid to use every opportunity that comes along his way at the international level.
The series promises a fascinating duel between the two modern-day pace greats.
Shivam Dube remains a vital cog in India's T20 set-up and bowling coach Morne Morkel wants the Mumbai all-rounder to step up as a back-up medium pacer ahead of the T20 World Cup, in line with head coach Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of packing the XI with multi-skilled cricketers.
'We would like to believe and back ourselves to know these conditions or adapt to these conditions a lot faster even if we find them slightly different, as compared to, say, somebody who is brought up in Johannesburg and has played all his cricket at the Wanderers ground.'
Why did SKY give Bangladesh's fielding coach a hug?
IMAGES from the 1st T20I played between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Assessing Sai Sudharsan's temperament and Nitish Kumar Reddy's utility in home conditions would be topmost on India's checklist when the high-on-confidence hosts take on a floundering West Indies
The Bellerive Oval is one ground where the side boundaries are smaller in size, hence hitting the right lengths would be paramount considering anything short would be flying over cover, point, square leg or mid-wicket on either side of the fence.
After being surprisingly handed the ball for the crucial over, Axar conceded only seven runs
India set to remain unchanged as team wants Reddy to settle in all-round role
Who took the best catch at the Arun Jaitley stadium on Wednesday night?
India's T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against Ireland at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. India play Pakistan on June 9.
A dominant India ended England's title defence by handing them a 68-run thumping in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner shared his thoughts ahead of their IPL 2023 opener againts Lucknow Super Giants.
'He adds stability in the middle order and there were spots where he could have slotted in.'
England were cruising at nearly nine runs per over after the powerplay when Chakravarthy turned the game around.
Former India spinner R Ashwin has called for a shift away from the superstar culture prevalent in Indian cricket, urging for a more grounded approach.
Mumbai Indians were the first team to leave the field while Delhi players stayed back doing light training but were eventually forced to call it off.
The BCCI press conference scheduled at 1.30pm in Mumbai is 'expected to be delayed owing to weather disruptions'.
Pakistan are currently in the second spot with two points, ahead of UAE (2 points) on net run rate.
Operation Sindoor has not yet been formally called off. What was the crying need to send a team when it was known that there could be a match with Pakistan? asks Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
Yuzvendra Chahal posed with wife Dhanashree Verma along with the World Cup winner's medal
After the proceedings began with light warm-up and catching, the action shifted to the nets where all batters had long stints in the nets while the other pace bowlers too put in the hard yards.
The Delhi Capitals have touched down in Chandigarh for their IPL 2024 opener against Punjab Kings. Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel opened up about how the 'banter and fun' has returned Rishabh Pant's comeback.
