Rohit keeps own batting order under wraps
Run-machine Kohli capped a memorable 2018 by becoming the first to win the International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricketer, Test and One-day international (ODI) player of the year awards last month.
Sri Lanka were expected to win, but South Africa had other plans.
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit an unbeaten 74 off 51 deliveries to take Sri Lanka to a six-wicket consolation win in the third and final Twenty20 match over South Africa which has secured the series 2-1.
Kumar Sangakkara struck his 37th Test hundred as he and his retiring team mate Mahela Jayawardene powered Sri Lanka to 252 for two wickets before rain washed out the final session on day three of the first Test against Pakistan on Friday.
But once Surya (33 off 27) was dismissed by Bishnoi in the 17th over -- MI at 105-2 -- they could just not lift the tempo.
South African Graham Ford will take over as the chief coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team for his second stint replacing Marvan Atapattu, who had stepped down five months back. Ford is expected to join the side in February before the three-match T20 International series against India. The news was announced in Surrey county's website as they confirmed their current coach Ford's decision to leave for international assignment. Ford had earlier coached Sri Lanka for two years starting from 2012.
In 2011 on April 2, India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in the final to lift their second ODI World Cup.
Kane Williamson hit a century and Luke Ronchi smashed 24 runs off one explosive over when the match was still in the balance to steer New Zealand to a four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth One-Day International in Nelson on Tuesday.
While India have been busy with their preparations in Sri Lanka, focus among the locals is slowly shifting to their heroic batsman Kumar Sangakkara.
Sri Lanka have suffered a double injury blow with batsman Dimuth Karunaratne almost certainly out of the World Cup and spinner Rangana Herath likely to miss at least a week of action, Mahela Jayawardene said on Friday.
Sri Lanka's sports ministry on Friday ordered an investigation into former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage's allegation that their loss to India in the 2011 World Cup final was fixed by "certain parties". Sports minister Dullas Alahapperuma has ordered the investigation and asked for a report on its progress every two weeks, the ministry said in a statement.
Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawane, the Maharashtra batting duo, who stitched together a record partnership of 594 runs in the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, on Friday, regretted when informed that they were 30 runs short of breaking the world record 624-run partnership held by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
The veteran left-hander was unbeaten on 160 as Sri Lanka reached the close of play on 314 for five after captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and opted to bat.
800 gets so lost in celebrating its grand subject that it forgets something pretty elementary: Cricket is a team sport!, notes Sreehari Nair.
The already depleted Sri Lanka team on Monday suffered another blow with left arm fast bowler Binura Fernando being ruled out of the T20 series against India after sustaining a hamstring injury.
With MI no longer the dominant force it used to be in the last couple of IPLs and Rohit also not among the runs, plans were hatched after IPL 2023 to bring about some major changes.
Sri Lanka recovered from losing opener Upul Tharanga to reach 99 for one in reply to Pakistan's 451 at close on the second day of the first Test on Thursday.
Mumbai Indians, the Indian Premier League's most successful franchise, is struggling this season having suffered four defeats on the trot, but Zaheer Khan, their Director of Cricket, feels it's just a matter of finding that "one win" and missing "spark" to get their campaign back on track.
His coming of age at the tournament could prove to be influential in the later stages as they now do not need to rely so much on their 'Big Three' of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene to provide their runs.
Will Ravi Shastri be retained or will the BCCI opt for a new face?
Mumbai Indians' Rs 8.25 crore big-hitting recruit Tim David says he will be "willing to take some risks" in this year's IPL, as that is his natural approach.
Yuvraj Singh and Hashim Amla will be the star attractions in the Indian Premier League 8 auction, which will see quite a few Indian and international players go under the hammer in Bengaluru on Monday.
Cricket will mark its return to the Commonwealth Games after a gap of 24 years with India taking on Australia on July 29 in the 2022 Birmingham edition.
'He used to interact with everyone in the dressing room, he never showed any attitude to any cricketer -- whether big or small.'
Sri Lanka has been losing to all Test playing nations whether at home or away.
The International Cricket Council on Friday said there is no reason to doubt the integrity of the 2011 World Cup final in which India defeated Sri Lanka, asserting that it has not been provided any evidence that would merit an investigation into the game. The world body's statement came after Sri Lanka Police's special investigation division on Friday called off a probe into allegations by former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage that the final was fixed by "certain parties" in Sri Lanka. The police said it found no evidence supporting Aluthgamage's unsubstantiated claims.
Sri Lanka beat West Indies by 30 runs in the first Twenty20 International on Monday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series and extend the visitors' losing streak.
The major records established by Virat Kohli on Day 2 of the second Test against South Africa in Pune, on Friday.
England have named uncapped Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson in their 15-man squad for the World Twenty20, to be staged in India next month, but there was no dramatic recall for Kevin Pietersen.
'We didn't get wickets (initially) but Hardik came and picked up those wickets and I thought Krunal (Pandya) bowled brilliantly to keep the pressure on and it was a good combination'
Rajneesh Gupta highlights all the important numbers from cricket World Cups held between 1975 to 2015.
Clinical India notched up another resounding win to humble a hapless Sri Lankan side by six wickets and clinch the five-match series in the third One-Day International in Hyderabad.
Sri Lanka have included pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their 15-man squad for the Cricket World Cup despite concerns over his fitness after ankle surgery, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday.
Alastair Cook said he has no intention of stepping down as captain after his England side lost the seventh and final match of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Alastair Cook said he has no intention of stepping down as captain after his England side lost the seventh and final match of the One-Day International series against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Australia's David Warner, on Friday, completed 1000 runs in 2014 en route his century in the second innings of the first cricket Test against India in Adelaide, becoming the first opener to achieve the feat since England skipper Alastair Cook in 2012.
Mumbai Indians will be looking for an ideal playing eleven to end their five-match losing streak when they take on Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Mumbai on Saturday.
England captain Alastair Cook broke legendary batsman Sachin's Tendulkar's record to become the youngest batsman in the history of the game to score 10,000 Test runs.
Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan are among the cricketers who will accompany Ian Botham at various points of his latest charity walk in Sri Lanka.
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