Having already won the series, Rohit and Dravid will now like to maintain a fine balance between winning and also trying out all their available resources to see how each and every individual is placed.
It was a "dream" he had nurtured while putting in hours of hard work for years, and Axar Patel couldn't be happier that he has finally realised it at the biggest cricketing stage against teams like England and New Zealand.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12s match between New Zealand and Namibia, in Sharjah, in Friday.
In other big movements, Punjab Kings have released their last edition's captain Mayank Agarwal, while West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 33 World Cup 2023 games.
The Kiwis will have greater concern over their lack of finishing after squandering two last over winning positions in two consecutive games, and the series along with.
New Zealand are better organised and clinical in terms of execution and hence could start as the favourites in the first semi-final against Pakistan on Wednesday.
Two more failures in two home games could effectively mean end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane, who is leading India in the first Test in Kanpur, starting on Thursday.
Images from the third T20 International between India and New Zealand, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Sunday.
'I was driven constantly to get better and actualise that potential. I never at any moment felt that the dream (of playing for India) sort of running away from me.'
In a tight season for India, the first T20 comes only five days after their last ODI against Australia at home.
New Zealand have drafted in two debutants in the T20 squad besides all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijen, who has played just one T20
Images from the athletics action at Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris, on Friday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
Virat Kohli will be facing the most defining test of his captaincy career as he expects his men to be the proverbial 'phoenix rising from the ashes' when India take on a street-smart New Zealand in a do-or-die T20 World Cup Super 12 match in Dubai on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 23 World Cup 2023 games.
Images from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Friday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 37 World Cup 2023 games.
Registering their first points of the competition in the final league game, Barbados Tridents managed an edgy six-wicket consolation win against Northern Knights in a rain-reduced Champions League Twenty20.
An unassailable lead has opened up the window for experimentation but there will be no letup in India's intensity when they face a heartbroken New Zealand team in the fourth T20 International, in Wellington, on Friday. Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are waiting for opportunities, with the former expected to get a look-in. Pant's call-up would depend on which batsman is left out, and whether KL Rahul will continue to keep wickets.
IMAGES from the 2nd T20 International played between New Zealand and India in Auckland on Friday
India got off to a horror start in their practice match as youngsters Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill failed with the bat on Day 1 of the three-day game against New Zealand XI at Seddon Park, in Hamilton, on Friday. All the batsmen were dismissed by fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn as India were reduced to 5/3 in the seventh over.
Rajneesh Gupta lists the Namibian players's T20 Internationals records updated after the game against New Zealand.
A first T20 series victory in New Zealand will be the icing on the cake for the Men in Blue, who have far exceeded expectations during their three-month sojourn in this part of the world.
Ashok Menaria produced an all-round show as India 'A' scored a convincing six-wicket victory over New Zealand 'A' in the second one-dayer between the countries to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
India won the twin T20 Internationals in Auckland by margins of six and seven wickets respectively to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
The batsmen's inadequacies in adverse conditions were laid bare as India crashed to an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against a ruthless New Zealand side that wrapped up the opening Test in just over three days, in Wellington, on Monday. Starting the day on 144 for four, India were all out for 191 in 81 overs in their second innings, a shade better after their dismal 165 in the first innings, which eventually proved decisive.
Images from the first T20 International between India and New Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday.
Veteran Luke Ronchi smashed a quick century as New Zealand 'A' recovered from a precarious position to post a respectable 310 against India 'A' on the second day of their three-day match in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Rains took some sheen off Kane Williamson's record batting display of scoring the fastest ever century in Champions League Twenty20 as New Zealand side Northern Knights beat Cape Cobras of South Africa by 33 runs under Duckworth-Lewis method in Raipur.
Boult, De Grandhomme cleared to travel to Perth for first Test against Australia
Hobart Hurricanes produced a commanding performance to beat Northern Knights by 86 runs in a Group B match in Raipur to keep their hopes afloat in the Oppo Champions League Twenty20.
A clinical all-round display by the Northern Districts helped them crush Lahore Lions by a whopping 72 runs to all but ensure their entry into the main round of the Champions League T20 in Raipur.
590 cricketers -- including 370 Indian players and 220 overseas players -- will go under the hammer during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
The International Cricket Council's recently-promised crackdown on sledging might make it seem that players are behaving badly more often right now but former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff feels the on-field altercations were 10 times worse a couple of decades ago.
Images from Saturday's proceedings at the World Athletics Championships in Doha.
As India gets set to play its 500th Test, Rajneesh Gupta presents India's memorable Test victories at home.
