Prabhsimran Singh - Punjab Kings' pint-sized powerhouse whose explosive batting, sharp game sense, and newfound maturity have made him the breakout Indian star of the tournament.
KL Rahul's prolonged slump in form is likely to cost him his place for the third Test
IMAGES from the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday
In the bowling rankings, Keshav Maharaj and Matt Henry have broken into the top five
In India's last ODI series against Sri Lanka, Rahul kept wickets in the first two matches, scoring 31 and 0, while Pant played the third game but managed only 6 runs. India could opt to include both players in the XI, but that would likely come at the expense of Iyer.
Rohit, Virat Kohli, along with Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were among the first to touch down, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting series.
Successful in keeping opponents and vitriol at bay so far, India will have to rise above traditional bugbear New Zealand and a rigmarole of emotions surrounding stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to reclaim the Champions Trophy after 12 years in Dubai on Sunday.
The BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE) in India is expected to witness a few changes in staff composition in the coming months following the resignation of Nitin Patel, head of Sports Science and Medical Team, after a successful stint of nearly three years.
He captioned the post with, 'Starting to feel like me again'.
Rishabh Pant hasn't been a part of the playing eleven in the last two group games as India handed over the wicketkeeping duties to KL Rahul, who has performed remarkably well behind the stumps and provided solidity to the middle order.
It may be a matter of celebration in the Indian dressing room but there is something that has not gone down too well with cricket fans.
For the home side, it has been a season of mixed returns so far. After early defeats to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, KKR roared back to form in their last outing -- a commanding win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
KL Rahul has been undergoing a lean patch, but his place in the Indian line-up isn't under any threat. Is it favouritism or talent?
Shardul Thakur's better batting ability compared to speedster Prasidh Krishna could prove to be decisive while selecting the extra pacer for World Cup but both are likely to be auditioned if India pick a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, which is set to be named on Monday.
In a video that surfaced on social media, Rahul was seen holding the right hand while receiving treatment.
Even shadow Purple Cup winner Prasidh couldn't escape Vaibhav's onslaught on Monday night!
Virat Kohli, the architect of India's victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semifinal, expressed his unwavering belief in continued success as long as his passion for the game remains strong.
With big ticket events around the corner, the Indian team is eagerly waiting for the comeback of some of their injured players.
As Day 4 unfolds in the closely contested match, all eyes are on KL Rahul, whose performance could be pivotal in shaping the outcome.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, both struggling in the Indian Premier League, will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they face each other on Friday.
'In the 2023 World Cup, we lacked batting depth from No. 8 onwards. These are the crucial questions that need to be addressed.'
Rohit immediately knew the gravity of his mistake. He banged the ground in frustration, visibly furious with himself.
Their pre-tournament decision to fill the squad with five spinners drew a lot of flak from all corners, but it is now proving to be a masterstroke on the slow pitches in Dubai.
An out of sorts Rohit Sharma will strive to keep himself relevant going forward in the Indian Premier League when he is challenged by Delhi Capitals' effective troika of spinners in Mumbai Indians' next match in Delhi on Sunday.
'I knew he would come through in a big match because of his ability to rise to the occasion.'
That said the pitch is going to get challenging for the batters as the game wears on.
A seemingly invincible India will be eager to sharpen their game against spin and give a run to second-line players ahead of the semi-final when they take on New Zealand in their last group match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
Rahul has scored only 22 runs in three games but the coach said that there is no chance of replacing him
Rohit cited India's last Group A match against New Zealand here on Sunday to emphasize his point.
KL Rahul is the second highest run-getter so far this season, just behind Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler.
"May take him for dinner tomorrow," the Mumbai batter quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2025 after Game 39.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2025 after Game 29.
Rahul, who has failed to cross the 25-run mark in his last 10 Test innings, was removed as vice-captain following the second Test in Delhi
Virat Kohli's supreme fitness was evident in his 47th ODI century while comeback man KL Rahul produced an equally engaging ton on comeback as India thrashed a listless Pakistan by record 228-run margin.
'That is something I really wanted, to have six bowling options and then batting till No. 8 as well.'
Although India are playing a strong brand of 50-overs' cricket of late, they have some selection riddles to solve before they face Bangladesh in their opening match of the Champions Trophy.
The Indian and English cricket teams wore green armbands during the third ODI in Ahmedabad to support the BCCI's "Donate Organs, Save Lives" campaign, an initiative launched by ICC Chairman Jay Shah. Several Indian players, including Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, voiced their support for the campaign, emphasizing the life-saving impact of organ donation.
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