'I mean, KL Rahul is certainly good enough to be a number five.'
Australia's Mitchell Marsh marked a milestone with a flurry of towering sixes on Sunday, becoming the eighth Australian to smash 100-plus sixes in ODIs.
Virat Kohli has two hundreds and a fifty in his last three innings, while Rohit Sharma has a hundred and two fifties in his last four outings.
The two A teams will engage in the three-match 50-overs series at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium a few days after the conclusion of their two four-day unofficial Tests in Lucknow.
India begins their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA, aiming to leverage their strong team composition and recent form to secure a victory.
Kolkata Knight Riders are under pressure to reverse their losing streak as they face a strong Gujarat Titans side in the Indian Premier League. KKR's struggles with team selection, batting order, and bowling form have compounded their problems, while Gujarat Titans are gaining momentum with key players finding form.
Kolkata Knight Riders' high-profile acquisition Cameron Green has resumed bowling in the nets and is "not far away" from doing so in an IPL match, bowling coach Tim Southee said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India had advised both veterans to play domestic cricket to remain in contention for ODI selection ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
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.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Arshdeep and Rana snared two wickets apiece in tight spells during a clinical performance.
Iyer, who returned to international action after a long injury layoff following a spleen laceration with internal bleeding sustained during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October last year, said he was delighted to begin the series on a winning note.
Test skipper Shubman Gill was on Thursday named captain of the North Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy, beginning August 28, less than three weeks after he led a young Indian side to a thrilling 2-2 draw against England in a gruelling five-Test series.
'It was just put the ball in the right areas, don't try too much and see what happens.'
After days of off-field drama, Team India was back on the field in Dubai at the ICC Academy, sharpening their skills ahead of the final Group A clash against Oman.
Abhishek Sharma admitted that India's batting unit was caught slightly off guard by the extra bounce and disciplined bowling in Australian conditions in the second T20I in Melbourne.
Prabhsimran's blazing ton, Iyer-Parag fifties guide India A to 2-1 series win over Australia A
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.
Even as the focus remains on the T20 World Cup which is less than a month away, Kohli and Rohit will hog the limelight in the three ODIs over the next seven days.
India all-rounder Axar Patel was on Monday ruled out of the remaining two T20 Internationals against South Africa due to illness with the BCCI's selection committee naming Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement.
IPL 2026 will be more about tracking the performance of those 20-odd players who are going to be in the mix for the 50-overs World Cup.
Sanju Samson believes India is poised to dominate global cricket for years to come following their T20 World Cup victory. He also reflected on his pivotal role in the team's success.
IMAGES from the 3rd T20I between India and South Africa in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Daniel Vettori has highlighted the threat posed by Kolkata Knight Riders' spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy ahead of their IPL match, despite their recent struggles. He also discussed the pitch conditions and the team's stand-in captain, Ishan Kishan.
K L Rahul takes over the captaincy after regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series because of a neck injury.
Kolkata Knight Riders face a tough challenge against a strong Punjab Kings side in their upcoming IPL match.
Arshdeep Singh -- statement spells against SA shows need to give pacer consistent ODI outings
Ishan Kishan's sensational comeback and Sanju Samson's inconsistent displays with the bat will reignite debate over who should be Abhishek Sharma's preferred opening partner.
At this moment, the Indian think tank is doing a tough balancing act of building the team around a new set of players without completely cutting ties with the old guard.
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, India would want their captain Suryakumar Yadav to rediscover his rhythm sooner rather than later.
Mumbai Indians will begin their quest to end a five-year title drought in the Indian Premier League against a depleted Kolkata Knight Riders side.
England gained the upper hand after a rain-hit first day of the final Test, needing victory to square the series, battled to 204-6, with all their big guns dismissed cheaply.
This series also marks the return of two Indian heavyweights who will be seen in action for the first time in the Indian jersey since the ICC Champions Trophy Final earlier this year.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said they played a batter short on purpose to test themselves in the fourth T20 against New Zealand, in Visakhapatnam, on Wednesday.
Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
These comments come after India recently announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in his first-ever ICC tournament as captain, with Axar Patel named as his deputy.
Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking for their spinners to rediscover their form against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL match.
Ravichandran Ashwin says Suryakumar Yadav's cameo in the opening T20I was a key World Cup boost, while backing India's World Cup combination and calling Arshdeep Singh a marquee bowler.
A toe injury suffered before the fourth T20I is set to keep Gill out of the final T20I here as India would want to take a cautious route, more so when there is a ready replacement for the top order slot in Sanju Samson.
An analysis of Gautam Gambhir's coaching style, highlighting his conviction, support for players, and success in white-ball cricket, while also addressing his polarising nature and the challenges he faces in longer formats.
