The World Cup disappointment will continue to linger but Kohli will fancy his team's chances in the series, notwithstanding the return of the swashbuckling Chris Gayle.
Speedster Umesh Yadav, on Friday, joined the growing list of Indian players who feel 'SG Test' ball was not ideal, saying the bowlers are unable to run through lower-order when it gets old.
The Most Valuable Player Index table is telling another (worrying?) story: Performance from players in teams that are not going to make the top four is dropping somewhat alarmingly. The IPL is gruelling and cruel. It can do wonders to your career, but can also seriously hurt your international prospects if you get injured in a match that is essentially inconsequential. Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after Game 63.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 39.
When he's got his rhythm and his form is good, he's definitely the best around -- I think that is without question, says former Australia captain Allan Border.
Indian coach Anil Kumble praised rookie Rolston Chase's match-saving century but also lamented that losing more than 100 overs of bowling time also enabled the hosts to play out a draw in the second Test in Kingston.
Talented youngster Shai Hope smashed his way to a blistering 101 while Andre Russell scored a quickfire 54 down the order to set up a 91-run win for World Cup dark horses West Indies in their warm-up game against New Zealand.
The wily left-arm spinner picked up four wickets on the third day to complete his 23rd five-wicket haul in Tests.
Virat Kohli cantered to his maiden double century in Tests as India cruised to 404 for 4 at lunch on day two of the series opener against the West Indies in North Sound, Antigua, on Friday.
'Ghost-like stands repel rather than attract audiences,' observes Ashis Ray.
The Pandyas continue to be in the thick of things with Hardik Pandya (391) ahead, but Krunal Pandya (300) not too far behind. Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list the 50 Most Valuable Players after the first 38 IPL 2022 games.
India are eyeing a 10th straight bilateral series win over the Caribbean side.
Will India get their bowling combination right after the debacle in Chennai when they take on a buoyant West Indies in the second ODI
New Zealand won a rain-affected fourth One-day International by 58 runs on Saturday to take a 2-1 lead over the West Indies in their five-match series.
The struggling West Indies cricket team has been dealt a couple of injury blows in its ongoing tour of India with pacer Kemar Roach ruled out of the remainder of the trip and all-rounder Kieron Pollard rendered unavailable for the ODI series.
Chris Gayle will return to the top of the batting order as West Indies look to continue their winning run and secure a semifinal berth when they take on South Africa in the ICC World Twenty20 in Nagpur, on Friday.
Philander's partnership with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel has earned the trio the label as the most-balanced and penetrating attack in world cricket.
The second Test between India and Bangladesh at Kolkata's Eden Gardens will be the first day-night Test on Indian soil, making India the seventh country to host a day-night Test.
Zimbabwe also maintained their unbeaten run in Group B and progressed to the next stage with an 89 runs victory over Hong Kong.
Ajinkya Rahane scored his seventh Test hundred to help India take a huge first innings lead before rain forced play to be called off early on day three of the second Test against the West Indies, in Jamaica, on Monday.
The West Indies batsmen crumbled late on Sunday to leave their team teetering at 91-6 and staring at another humiliating defeat at the close of day two of the second Test against Australia.
Pakistan's Test stalwart Younis Khan, who led the national team to its only World T20 title in 2009, remained unsold while captain Misbah-ul Haq was snapped up by the Islamabad franchise on the first day of the Players' Draft for the Pakistan Super League, on Monday.
The 21-year-old left-hander has gained 21 slots and reached 17th place, the joint-highest by a specialist India wicketkeeper along with Farokh Engineer, who did so in January 1973.
His back-foot play off the pacers was a treat to the eyes and when the spinners were deployed, he was not afraid to use the long handle.
More than the runs scored, it is the manner of his dismissals that is causing frustration, considering that the Indian cricket establishment has invested heavily in the 21-year-old from Rourkee.
Jasprit Bumrah, the fastest Indian pacer to 50 wickets, is now seventh in the bowlers' list after a leap of nine places owing to his five-wicket haul against the West Indies.
West Indies skipper Jason Holder doesn't expect his young and inexperienced side to improve by leaps and bounds and said they are looking for a steady progression as they go into the four-Test series against India with confidence.
Captain Virat Kohli compiled an unbeaten century to put India in a commanding position on the first day of the opening Test against West Indies in Antigua on Thursday. Kohli was on 143 at the close of play, his 12th Test century, as the visitors reached 302 for four.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed five for 52 as Indian bowlers dominated the proceedings to bowl out West Indies for a meagre 196 on Day 1 of the second Test in Jamaica.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players.
Till the 35th over we were pretty good, yes we gave a little bit of runs in the end, so may be that could be the difference, reckons Jasprit Bumrah.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players.
Virat Kohli, who needed 81 runs coming into the match, brought up the landmark in his 205th innings as compared to Tendulkar, who took 259 innings to reach the landmark.
Roston Chase joined an elite group, scoring an unbeaten century as West Indies staged a great escape in the second Test against India in Jamaica on Wednesday.
One shudders to think what could happen if India lose both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli early with such a brittle middle order to follow?
'I am doing the hard work in getting through the first 10 or 15 overs, or as an opening batsmen, scoring the first 25, 30 runs, which is the hardest. (But then getting out) when the time comes to accelerate and may be take the game deeper, so a bit disappointed that I have not been able to do that'
A dominant India posted a massive 649 for nine before their bowlers chipped away at the wickets to leave West Indies reeling on 94 for six at stumps on Day 2 of the first Test in Rajkot.
India will look to ensure a smooth passage into the semi-finals with yet another victory.
Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has also moved up three slots to a career-best 14th position among bowlers after his match haul of 10 for 153 at Mirpur.
High on confidence after their emphatic victory over England, the West Indies will once again look for an explosive knock from Chris Gayle to inch closer to a semi-final berth when they take on defending champions Sri Lanka in a World Twenty20 Super 10 Group 1 match in Bengaluru on Sunday.
