Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead a full strength India squad for the two-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies in the United States on August 27 and 28.
He has played most of his cricket under Mahendra Singh Dhoni and pacer Mohit Sharma says the revered former India skipper is a true leader who does not back off when it comes to taking responsibility in challenging times. The 31-year-old pacer has played under Dhoni both at Chennai Super Kings and the Indian team. He was to play for Delhi Capitals in the IPL this season but the lockdown has postponed the league indefinitely.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the Indian team for the limited overs tour of Zimbabwe starting June 11, while top stars like Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have been rested.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Key facts on the India squad for the 2015 cricket World Cup.
Young Rishabh Pant has become the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to claim 50 dismissals in Test cricket, surpassing former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Ishant explained how Gillespie changed his training methods to get better results
CSK would be hoping to pick up two more points against Delhi Capitals, who have struggled in the tournament for the most part.
The Indian squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni departed for New Zealand from Mumbai on Sunday for a five-match ODI series followed by a best-of-two Test rubber against the hosts.
The Pune outfit is presently languishing at the sixth spot in the eight-team standings with just four points.
Kirti Azad hit out at Ishant Sharma and expressed concerns at the team's thin bowling option.
Statistical highlights from the day's play.
Virat Kohli was rested from the three-match T20I series against the West Indies.
- 'I still think that he had 2 or 3 more years of cricket left in him' - 'India is going to miss Dhoni the player big time'
Pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was promoted to Grade A, but Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir, who have lost favour with the selectors, were dropped from the list of BCCI's contracted players for 2014-15.
India's out-of-favour seniors Zaheer Khan and Virender Sehwag have been omitted from the Board of Control for Cricket in India's contracted players' list for 2013-14. The retiring Sachin Tendulkar, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin are the five players in Grade 'A', and will pocket Rs 1 crore for the 2013-14 season.
Team India manager Arshad Ayub, speaking exclusively to Rediff.com's Manu Shankar, says he won't be surprised if India does well on the upcoming tour of Australia.
It will be a battle for survival for struggling Rising Pune Supergiants when they lock horns with formidable title-contenders Sunrisers Hyderabad in Tuesday's Indian Premier League match in Visakhapatnam.
After taking an unassailable 3-0 lead following the nine-wicket victory in the fourth One-Day International against England, India is likely to give a break to some of their key players in the inconsequential fifth and final match at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday.
Legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding feels Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not "innovative and proactive enough as captain, especially in Tests" although India would remain a strong contender to retain their World Cup title in Australia next year.
Delhi's strong batting line up of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Steven Smith and Pant himself will look to fire on all cylinders right from the opening game.
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.
The Indian cricket team returned to the grind on Friday with an intense net session in Melbourne.
With the second Test set to start on Wednesday, here is a quick fact check on how both teams stand at the Gabba.
It was CSK who denied Delhi a top-two spot in the league standings with a crushing 80-run win at Chepauk and the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side stands in their way again, only the stakes are much higher.
Ishant made his Test debut as an 18-year-old in Bangladesh when Rahul Dravid was the captain and subsequently was led by Kumble, Dhoni, Kohli and Rahane during the last decade and half.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur on Sunday said that the board is not averse to having different coaches for different formats in future just like Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni captaining teams across Tests and limited overs respectively.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead an 18-man squad for the Test series against England. Opener Gautam Gambhir, whose last Test was in 2012, makes a comeback while two uncapped medium pacers - Ishwar Pandey and Pankaj Singh - find a place in the team after Zaheer Khan, who had to set out of the India leg of the Indian Premier League following a back injury, was overlooked.
Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir asked the Indian selectors to have a word with veteran wicketkeeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni regarding his future plans.
Kohli surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to become the most successful Indian Test captain.
Saha affected his 100th dismissal when Umesh Yadav had Shadman Islam (29) caught at the hands of the wicket-keeper.
Umar was slapped with a three-year ban from all forms of cricket by the PCB. Kamran said he can also benefit from observing the conduct of Tendulkar and Dhoni who have always steered clear of controversy.
Gujarat left-arm spinner Akshar Patel was recalled to the Indian squad for the last two One-Day Internationals against West Indies, while senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continues to be rested.
The Capitals have been inconsistent so far, winning five and losing six of their last 11 games.
Mumbai medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni, who has played four ODIs for India (8 wickets), was named as a replacement for the injured Mohammed Shami in the One-day squad.
When the cameras are off; Virat Kohli turns into the clown of the Indian dressing room.
Back in form with an impressive performance against South Africa in the recently-concluded Test series, Ravindra Jadeja is likely to make a comeback when the national selectors meet in New Delhi on Saturday.
Bolstered by their dramatic come-from-behind win in the last game, India will look to keep the winning momentum going when they clash against West Indies in the fourth One-Day International in Dharamsala on Friday, on what is expected to be a pacy track.
A win for either side will help it consolidate its position at the top and also seal a spot in Qualifier 1.
