A cricketing rivalry that transcends beyond the realms of 22-yards will be reignited when India and Pakistan square off in a World Cup encounter that could have fascinating sub-plots with rain gods threatening an anti-climactic twist.
The right-arm medium pacer caused Maharashtra's batsmen a lot of problems with his extra bounce on a green Wankhede wicket, taking four wickets for 62 runs as Maharashtra struggled to 219 for 7 in 57 overs in their first innings, at stumps on the second day, in reply to Mumbai's 402 all out.
India stand-in-captain Rohit Sharma admitted that accommodating Ajinkya Rahane is tough as he is considered a specialist opening batsman in the 50-over format by the team management.
Sachin Tendulkar believes the quality of India's batting is sufficient to make up for the deficiency of left-handed batsmen in the lineup, the cricketing great told Reuters in a wide-ranging interview ahead of the World Cup.
When Hardik got injured, the challenge was to field four spinners and we thought about a few combinations (3 seamers, 4 spinners) and in these conditions it is important to take the pace off. For Jadeja, to come out and perform like that is amazing, says captain Rohit Sharma
Left-handed Dhawan, who had a horrendous tour of England due to serious technical deficiency on seaming tracks, cashed in on the chance against a weaker opposition on a low and slow sub-continental pitch, smashing 127 off 120 balls.
Rohit Sharma-led India's main aim would be to settle their middle-order combination and also find a perfect batting position for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, in Chennai.
The Australians are struggling against India's new spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and the hosts would like to ensure that it doesn't get any easy as the series progresses.
Young Karun Nair cracked a brilliant unbeaten half-century to guide Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils in their IPL-7 match at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium in New Delhi.
The jury is still out on whether Mahendra Singh Dhoni should be a part of 2019 World Cup squad but Virender Sehwag strongly feels that the Indian team is yet to find a capable replacement for the former skipper.
Their winning momentum punctured after a loss to Rising Pune Supergiants, Sunrisers Hyderabad would look to get back to their winning ways when they take on a struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore in an Indian Premier League Twenty20 match, in Hyderabad, on Saturday.
Delhi Daredevils' final IPL outing was as woeful as their opening one, with table-toppers Kings XI Punjab inflicting a seven-wicket defeat on the tournament's wooden spooners in Mohali on Sunday.
India's young guns will get an opportunity to fire on the big stage and carry forward the team's exceptional dominance over England when they clash with the visitors in the three-match Twenty20 series, starting in Kanpur on Thursday.
Gujarat Lions would be looking to get back to winning ways when they lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Captain Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten century while Mohammed Shami claimed four wickets as India crushed West Indies by eight wickets in the fifth and final match to win the ODI series 3-1, in Jamaica, on Thursday.
If Rishabh Pant excels against Australia, then Dinesh Karthik will struggle to make the cut for the World Cup.
'A string of prior losses, preferably humiliating ones, improves the chances of a World Cup win,' says Devangshu Datta.
Rajneesh Gupta brings you all the numbers from the just concluded IPL-12.
Captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane struck sublime half-centuries before Australia staged a strong fightback to bowl India out for 252 in the second One-Day International, in Kolkata, on Thursday.
Basu is most satisfied about the transformation he has brought in the fitness levels of speedsters Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami.
# Dhoni has registered 196 sixes in ODIs, setting an Indian record, bettering the 195 by Sachin Tendulkar. Statistical highlights of the third ODI between India and New Zealand in Mohali on Sunday.
'We played a lot of cricket throughout the year, so injuries are bound to happen. And there will be some concerns about form and fitness. I don't see there will be any drastic changes to the squad'
A demoralising defeat in their own den will certainly serve as a wake-up call for the Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers as they take on a menacing Royal Challengers Bangalore batting line-up in an Indian Premier League encounter, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Rising Pune Supergiant beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 27 runs in an IPL encounter.
India lose 7 wickets for 22 runs. Defeat seems certain. Then the Master and an unlikely disciple take charge.
Virat Kohli is the quintessential 'teacher's delight' but it is injury-prone Mohammed Shami, in his current fit avatar, that India's strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu considers his biggest achievement since joining the team.
Virat Kohli says he doesn't want any tags attached to his name and performances. We'll respect his request -- we'll only attach numbers!
Images from Wednesday's World Cup match between India and South Africa, at Southampton.
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.
'We have learnt a lot of things. Especially when we played in Kolkata (during first Test against SL) and in Dharamsala (first ODI)'
This was Mumbai's second successive win after they had beaten Delhi in the lung-opener.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailed his bowlers for the resounding series-clinching win over New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI in Visakhapatnam, describing it as "one of the best performances by the bowlers".
A resurgent Delhi Daredevils squad will look to continue with their winning momentum when they take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the team's fifth match of the Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi on Monday.
Delhi Daredevils beat Kings XI Punjab by five wickets in their Indian Premier League match in Pune on Wednesday. It was Delhi's first win in 12 matches and their first against Punjab after four straight defeats.
The most consistent team across all seasons of the IPL, Chennai Super Kings would look to put behind the off-field distractions and do what they are best at when they take on previous edition's bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils in their opening match of the Twenty20 league.
The visitors will have to play out of their skins to arrest the slide and level the series ahead of the last T20I in Hyderabad on October 13.
'It's completely mental (adjustment). The good thing in this team is anyone can bat at anywhere. We have that flexibility. I have batted at top, numbers 3,4 and 5. It's important to handle that situation and utilise that situation. If you adjust in mind, you can adapt anywhere' 'He did not say anything about my technique but spoke only on the mental aspect'
'For me, Dhoni is the main guy in the middle order and people will revolve around him.'
Unchallenged by Sri Lanka so far, India would look to keep the foot on the pedal in their pursuit for a series whitewash when the two teams face off in the fourth and penultimate cricket One-dayer at Eden Gardens on Thursday.
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