It will be a battle of youngsters with the likes of Nitish Rana, Hardik Pandya on one side and the new star in the horizon Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan with his variations on the other side.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, in Sharjah.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar has picked young leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as the best young talent from the just-concluded IPL-9, terming the Royal Challengers Bangalore player the best in terms of talent and temperament. 25-year-old Chahal took 21 wickets from 13 matches to finish IPL-9 as second highest wicket taker behind pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 23 from 17 games. "I am considering those who have temperament and not just talent. Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant and Krunal Pandya are the top three. I will pick Chahal at the top as he has got the right temperament," Gavaskar said. "He (Chahal) is not afraid of tossing up the ball and he kept on doing that. When there is some turn on the pitch, there have to be big edges from the batsmen's bat. Chahal also has a big heart and he is not afraid of a big hit. On many occasions, he came back after being hit for sixes to claim wickets," he told NDTV.
Ravi Shastri was both Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev's 'go to man' with his all-round abilities during the '80s and India head coach firmly believes that young Washington Sundar could play a similar role in the current Test team.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, in Abu Dhabi.
Lukman Meriwala's fifer was the cornerstone of Baroda's thumping nine-wicket win over Chhattisgarh
Hayden, in India as a commentator, was invited by old friend and current coach Justin Langer as the former opener had long chat with the players during their net session at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Images from the 2nd One-day International played between India and England in Pune on Friday.
Kings XI Punjab pacer Sheldon Cottrell is unfazed by the mounting losses of his team in the IPL and asserts that the side will bounce back just as he did after being pummelled by Rahul Tewatia not so long ago.
The Mumbai Indians seem to script a similar story from the last two Indian Premier League editions, when they had recovered from poor starts. After a sluggish start in IPL 9, the defending champions have finally seemed to find their form by defeating heavyweights Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium. Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front by scoring a match-winning 62 runs but another major positive that MI can take from Wednesday's game is that they finally look to find their settled playing XI. Skipper Rohit reflects on MI's second victory out of five games and also reveals his future plans in the tournament. Congratulations on the successful run-chase. This must be a very satisfying win against a good team? Yes, it is a very satisfying victory, especially to beat a team like that. We just wanted to focus on our strengths and we did pretty much well. We bowled really well, we fielded really well and we batted well too. This was a perfect example of how we can perform as a team. As a captain it is sheer joy to see the batsmen step-up and perform well. I am really happy to see this.
Having sealed the series with a comprehensive win in the second T20I at Lucknow riding on skipper Rohit Sharma's brilliant ton, the home team would look to give reserve bench players like Shreyas Iyer, MS Washington Sundar and the uncapped Shahbaz Nadeem an opportunity before it embarks on the tour of Australia.
Rohit Sharma-led squad will be hoping it has enough left in the tank to record a maiden T20 series win in New Zealand
Hardik seems to be in menacing form with the bat ahead of the World Cup, having overcome a back injury and a massive controversy following his sexist comments on a popular TV show.
Reader Krunal Vansia has sent us this photograph of the star.
Nothing but a win will keep their play-off hopes alive as defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Gujarat Lions in a do-or-die battle, which will be their final IPL league match in Kanpur on Saturday. With seven wins in 13 matches, Mumbai are currently placed fifth, tied on 14 points with Royal Challengers Bangalore (3rd) and Kolkata Knight Riders (4th) -- both having better net run-rate with one match to go. A loss on Saturday will knock them out of the race for play-offs and Mumbai will hope to pull the rug from under the feet of the Lions this time after suffering a defeat during their home leg on April 16.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's Most Valuable Players up to Game 21.
Images from Sunday's Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi.
Kieron Pollard scripted Mumbai Indian's sensational four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore with a blistering 70-run knock which overshadowed Samuel Badree's hat-trick in an Indian Premier League game, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
India captain Virat Kohli and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the limited-overs series against the West Indies, scheduled in the United States and the Caribbean, from August 3. Kohli and Bumrah will, however, be back for the two-Test series, which is a part of the inaugural World Test Championship.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 11.
Hardik Pandya said his sole objective is to win the World Cup.
Vijay Shankar and Shreyas Iyer scripted a superb chase to help India 'A' notch up a thrilling four-wicket win over New Zealand 'A' in a high-scoring unofficial, in Mount Maunganui, on Friday.
'Hardik is also set to go the United Kingdom to consult the same doctor, who had treated him during the first injury post Asia Cup. He is certainly not playing the Bangladesh series but how long he will be out is still not clear. We will know after he comes back from the United Kingdom'
Pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have been rested for the third T20I against West Indies
Having made it to the IPL for the first time ever, Delhi Capitals are up against the rampaging Mumbai Indians, who have already beaten them thrice this season and are looking all set for their fifth IPL title.
Rahul Chahar's brilliant spell of 2/14 helped Mumbai Indians crush Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets to enter the IPL final.
TV replays clearly showed there was a clear inside edge and a huge spot on the hotspot could also be detected as the ball passed the bat but Daryl Mitchell was still given out by third umpire Shaun Haig.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and SunRisers Hyderabad, in Sharjah.
Royal Challengers Bangalore pacers blew away the Mumbai Indians' top order before shining in the death overs to set up a much-needed 14-run win, which kept them alive in the Indian Premier League Play-offs race, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
West Indies, on the other hand, would be desperate to return home with some positivity at the end of a two-month long series in which they lost both the Test and ODI series.
Familiarity with conditions at the Eden Gardens is a massive advantage, said chinaman Kuldeep Yadav after bowling India to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in the first T20 International in Kolkata on Sunday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not a part of the three-match T20I series against West Indies and Australia presenting Rishabh Pant with a golden chance to consolidate his place in limited overs cricket.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2021's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 29.
Dube smashed an unbeaten 79 off 60 balls that included a half a dozen of sixes and three boundaries which took India's score to 327 for 6 in 47 overs.
Images from the IPL match played between Mumbai Indians and RCB in Mumbai on Monday
Once again, it was the teacher's son from Vadodara, that mysterious practitioner of lethal magic at the death who ensured that Rohit Sharma's side ended the night an improbable fourth on the IPL points table.
Images from the IPL final between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, in Dubai on Tuesday.
In this series, we bring you your weekly shot of wisdom from super achievers.
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will fight for survival when they lock horns in the Indian Premier League in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Rohit Sharma is looking forward to some solid performances from the team's spinners.
