If India can boast of Virat Kohli then the West Indies have a far more dangerous player in Chris Gayle, who has achieved a legendary status in T20 cricket with his ability to win matches on his own on a consistent basis.
India's limited overs cricket will usher in a new era with the national selectors expected to name Virat Kohli as the captain when they pick the squad for three ODIs and three T20 Internationals against England in Mumbai on Thursday. Test skipper Kohli is expected to be anointed captain of the limited overs teams also, after Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to step down from the job in a surprise decision last night.
An all-round effort from Team India saw the hosts bundle out Australia for 112 runs and record a superb 75-run win on Day 4 of the 2nd Test in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Here are the statistical highlights from Day 4 of the match.
Sunrisers Hyderabad kept their play-off hopes alive by pulling off a well-deserved seven-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling Indian Premier League match that went to the wire at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Delhi Daredevils skipper Jean-Paul Duminy blamed poor batting and fielding as well as lack of intensity for his team's 14-run loss to Rajasthan Royals In an IPL match at the Brabourne Stadium.
Shreyas Iyer stroked his way to an unbeaten half-century in an otherwise unimpressive batting display by India 'A' in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 469 for seven declared on the second day of the three-day practice game in Mumbai.
The IPL Governing Council has deferred its decision over the protest letter it received from the Mumbai Cricket Association against shifting of the cash-rich league's final from Wankhede to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Monday made a comeback to the Indian team for the first two Tests against South Africa, replacing veteran Harbhajan Singh, who was the only casualty from the team which won the Test series in Sri Lanka last month.
Chasing a target of 283, India 'A' knocked off the runs in 39.4 overs.
England's limited overs captain Eoin Morgan sees the upcoming three-match ODI series against India as a formidable challenge and expressed happiness at the quality of the teams his side will face in the two warm-up games in Mumbai, on Tuesday, and on January 12.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers from the first Test in Rajkot.
Fringe players have a chance to prove their worth when India 'A' takes on Sri Lanka in the tourists' only warm-up match ahead of the hastily scheduled One-Day International series, in Mumbai on Thursday. The tour game, at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, also provides Rohit Sharma, who is recovering from a fractured finger and shoulder injury, an opportunity prove his fitness and return to the side for the last two games in the best-of-five ODI series.
A talented Central Zone team led by Piyush Chawla is aiming to come out firing all cylinders when it squares off with an equally combative South Zone side in the final of the Duleep Trophy, starting in New Delhi, on Wednesday.
Steve Smith has succeeded only moderately in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals this season, but he is optimistic that he would deliver big in the remaining matches of the T20 league, including the all-important play-off games.
The domestic season-ending five-day Irani Cup game between newly crowned Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and the Rest of India, commencing in Mumbai from Sunday, will provide fringe players a good opportunity to stake claims for the national team. The first class match is the last occasion for hopefuls from both ranks to impress the five-member national selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil before attention shifts totally to the T20 format, commencing with the ICC World T20 Championships. With the country expected to play over 15 Test matches post Indian Premier League till the end of next season, this match is the ideal platform for these players to strengthen their claims for the long Test haul. Mumbai, who clinched the Ranji crown for the 41st time last week by defeating Saurashtra by an innings, have a settled combination led by wicket keeper batsman Aditya Tare. They appear to be better prepared than the motley bunch of Rest of India, being led by Madhya Pradesh stumper Naman Ojha. However, they would take the Rest of India lightly at their own peril as the latter have a good bowling attack at their command even without originally named Barinder Sran and Nathu Singh who have been injured and replaced by Ankit Rajpoot and Anureet Singh, according to their coach Ashish Kapoor.
He has no qualms in conceding that England will be underdogs in the upcoming Test series against India but captain Alastair Cook feels that status itself will take a the pressure off his side and make it more competitive in the five-match rubber, starting in Rajkot on November 9.
England batsman Sam Billings says working with Rahul Dravid during his six-week stint for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League last year helped him improve his footwork against spin bowling.
Young batsman Shreyas Iyer pounded the Australian bowlers with his career-best unbeaten 202 before the three-day warm-up game between India A and the visitors ended in a draw, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Ajinkya Rahane carved out his seventh Test century and was unbeaten on 108 runs as India extended their lead over West Indies by a mammoth 304 runs to take firm control of the second Test in Kingston. The final session on Day Three of the second Test was washed off due to rain.
Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur pushed South Africa to the backfoot before the classy AB de Villiers rallied the tourists with a typically aggressive century on the second and last day of the practice game against Board President's XI which ended in a draw, in Mumbai, on Saturday.
Rajasthan Royals batsman Ajinkya Rahane credited his mental preparation as the key to his success in Tests, One-Day Internationals and the ongoing Indian Premier League, in which he is the leading run-getter till date.
A resurgent Delhi Daredevils will look to build a winning momentum.
Rajneesh Gupta presents Virender Sehwag's amazing international career in numbers.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have captain written against his name one last time when the talismanic wicketkeeper-batsman leads out India 'A' against England in the first practice match, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
'I was actually appointed captain for the West Indies tour (in 1971).' 'But Mr Vijay Merchant (the then chairman of the selectors) didn't like me nor did he like 'Tiger' Pataudi. He thought we were far too flamboyant.' 'He made Ajit Wadekar captain.'
Shane Watson smashed an unbeaten century and then bagged two wickets as Rajasthan Royals outplayed defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by nine runs to seal a play-offs berth in the IPL tournament in Mumbai on Saturday.
Blessed with a computer-like brain and an elephantine memory, Anandji Dossa was a pioneer in compiling cricket statistics and scores. Haresh Pandya pays tribute to the modest stats-man, who has passed into the ages.
'I know how to play and how to score runs; it is just that I am waiting for the opportunity. Whenever it comes, I will grab it with both hands.'
'He will always be an enigma.' 'But it's because of players like him that some people still watch doubles matches.'
'The present-day Congress party does not lack leaders who want a Rahul-led Congress to taste electoral success, but wish he fails in his efforts to cleanse the party.'
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played across India on Saturday.
Rediff.com takes a look at few of Virender Sehwag's best knocks.
Suresh Raina smashed an unbeaten half-century as Chennai Super Kings booked a berth in the second qualifier with a comfortable seven-wicket win over holders Mumbai Indians in the IPL eliminator in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Opener Faiz Fazal led Rest of India's dominating display with the bat as the visitors chased down a record target of 480 against Mumbai to win the Irani Trophy. Half-centuries from Karun Nair (92), Sudeep Chatterjee (54), Stuart Binny (54) and Sheldon Jackson (59) powered Rest of India to an unlikely-five wicket victory against Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai, on Day 5, at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Fazal top-scored for the visitors as he scored 127 but Nair fell for 92, the second time he was dismissed in the 90s in the match. Bengal's Chatterjee played a steady innings of 54 before Binny provided the late boost as he smashed 54 from 51 balls. Saurashtra's Jackson carried his team home as he finished unbeaten on 59. For Mumbai, left-arm Iqbal Abdulla claimed five wickets for 154 in 42.4 overs but was still unable to prevent the visitors from chasing down the highest total in the history of the Irani Trophy.
Mumbai Indians have a 10-5 record against KKR. Can they maintain the advantage?
Rajneesh Gupta's fascinating figures from the Kolkata Test.
New Zealand's power-hitter Corey Anderson conjured up an astonishing 95-run knock under tremendous pressure to single-handedly power Mumbai Indians to the IPL play-offs.
A round-up of Ranji matches played across India on Friday.
Statistical highlights from the day's play
Australia's batting sensation Steven Smith tells Harish Kotian switching over from the Test and One-day mode to T20 will not be a problem for him in the upcoming eighth edition of the IPL.