"I have been to different places. Most of them have been cricket-playing nations like England and Australia. This was a one of a kind (visit) in the US," he said referring to his public appearance at the temple.
After their below par showing in the World Cup, some senior Indian players are living on borrowed time.
Rishabh Pant, on Thursday, earned a maiden call-up to the Indian ODI team, replacing Dinesh Karthik for the first two games against the West Indies.
Choosing between a third spinner and an extra batsman will be the topic of discussion when the three-member national selection panel decides on the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, starting June 1 in England.
India are yet to finalise their middle-order ahead of the World Cup but are unlikely to tinker much with the playing eleven for Friday's second ODI in Mount Maunganui.
Yuvraj Singh made it back to the Indian team for the limited overs series against Australia but seniors Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were again ignored.
As India celebrates its 67th Republic Day, Rediff.com takes a look at some brave men who stood their ground to protect their country from those who sought to bleed it.
'It was quite an exciting game of cricket, fans and players must have been entertained'
In what turned out to be one of the most one-sided matches in recent times, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's young side outclassed the hosts in all departments, first bowling them out for 123, their lowest total in the series, and then romping home in 21.5 overs.
Depleted by the absence of high-profile names, Indian Premier League 2014 champions Kolkata Knight Riders have a tough task on hand when they lock horns with formidable Chennai Super Kings in the opening Group 'A' match of the Champions League T20, in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten half-century was in vain as Delhi scored a 99-run victory over Jharkhand in a lop-sided second quarter-final in the Vijay Hazare trophy, One-day tournament, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Who was the most valuable player of the India-West Indies ODI series?
Young Rishabh Pant's competition for the second wicketkeeper's slot with veteran Dinesh Karthik will be the highlight of the discussion.
India opener Shikhar Dhawan said suspended fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya is 'crucial' for the team's balance.
The change in format may bring about some strategic shift in the playing eleven for India with captain Virat Kohli expected to open the innings.
# 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.
A formidable India will fancy their chances of taking an unassailable 2-0 lead against a weakened West Indies when the two sides lock horns in the third game of the ongoing five-match ODI series, in North Sound, Antigua, on Friday.
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.
With Ranchi's famous son Mahendra Singh Dhoni out of action with an injury, the buzz is missing ahead of the fifth and final ODI between India and Sri Lanka in Ranchi on Sunday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Committee of Administrators (COA) on Tuesday doubled the annual retainership amount to Rs 2 crore for seven Grade A cricketers, including captain Virat Kohli and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Uncapped Shreyas Iyer is comfortable batting at any position and said on Tuesday that scoring a century against South Africa 'A' in a tournament final earlier this year has been satisfying.
A total of 1.71 lakh earthen lamps were lit up at the grand event while a chopper decorated as the mythological 'Pushpak Viman' descended on the Ram Katha Park with artistes decked up to resemble Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman.
India will eye another dominant performance against hosts England in a three- match ODI series
India gets new face in pace attack
With an unassailable 3-0 lead in hand, India need just one more win to claim their maiden ODI series triumph on South African soil.
India is celebrating one of its biggest festivals commemorating the victory of good over evil. In Bihar, which is in the middle of its biggest election campaign, festivities are in full swing. Archana Masih set out to capture the mood on the street of small town India and discovered some things that one no longer finds.
Ishant Sharma has got received another opportunity to prove himself in limited overs cricket after getting a call-up in the Indian One-day squad as replacement for the injured Mohit Sharma.
Premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be in focus alongside speedster Mohammed Shami when defending champions India take on New Zealand on Sunday in their opening warm-up game ahead of the Champions Trophy in London.
Ian Bell returned to form in spectacular fashion with a superb 167 and debutant Jos Buttler also shone to help England strengthen their dominant position over India on the second day of the third Test on Monday.
England face an uphill battle to save the second Test at Lord's after slumping to 105 for four at the close of Sunday's fourth day in pursuit of 319 to beat India.
Besides preparing for the 16-team World Twenty20 2016, India and South Africa will also aim to improve their positions on the ICC T20I Team Rankings.
Interestingly, the two players were named in the 15-member squad in place of Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India not specifying any reason for leaving out the two players.
Hardly challenged in a dominating run this season, India once again start as overwhelming favourites when they take on an inconsistent-but-gritty New Zealand in a three-match One-Day International series, starting in Mumbai, on Sunday.
After being comprehensively thrashed by 79 runs in the opening ODI of the three-match series, India, for the first time, are staring at the ignominy of series defeat against the proverbial minnows of world cricket.
IMAGES from the 2nd ODI played between Australia and India at Adelaide on Tuesday
Pant had so far scored 222 runs in the IPL compared to a mere 93 by Karthik, but the latter's experience helped tilt the scale in his favour for the mega-event, starting in England from May 30.
IMAGES from the 4th ODI played between India and South Africa at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday
Rohit Sharma played down the perception, saying anything can happen in the fickle T20 format.
Rising Pune Supergiants brought their stuttering IPL campaign back on track with a convincing 34-run win over hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad via Duckowrth Lewis method in a rain-affected match.
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