It will be an uphill task for the defending champs given their opponents' form and formidable line-up.
Rising Pune Supergiants now face an uphill task of taming the rampaging Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League clash, in Pune, on Friday.
# Ravindra Jadeja is the first Chennai bowler to bag 10 wickets in the IPL 2012 at an average of 20.80 in 13 matches.
India gets new face in pace attack
Gujarat medium-pacer Jasprit Bumrah was named as India's replacement for the injured Mohammad Shami in the Twenty20 series against Australia starting January 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India wrote in a statement on Monday.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, in Dubai, on Monday.
'We have almost got too many batting options at the moment, so that's why I say we were a little bit muddled with what we're sending out.'
Images from Friday's IPL match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings, in Mumbai.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Paceman Thakur led India's disciplined effort with the ball to restrict Sri Lanka to a below-par 152 for nine in a rain-hit match which was reduced to a 19-overs-a-side contest.
The captain says that the series might be the perfect opportunity for spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Parveez Rasool to seal their spots as T20 specialist spinners for the future
With most of their top stars rested, a depleted Indian cricket team will seek revenge for the humiliation it suffered three years ago when it takes on minnows Zimbabwe in a five-match ODI series starting on Wednesday, well aware of the perils of taking the home side lightly.
Leading the side in the absence of rested regular skipper Virat Kohli, opening batsman Rohit hit five fours and an equal number of sixes in his 61-ball knock to guide India to 176-3 in their 20 overs.
Former champions Chennai Super Kings handed the Delhi Daredevils their sixth consecutive defeat in the tournament this season. Here are the statistical highlights from the match played in New Delhi on Thursday.
Uttar Pradesh thrashed Assam by eight wickets to win their first Ranji match of the season.
Statistical highlights of the Pepsi IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Pune Warriors in Mumbai on Saturday.
The Men in Blue won the first T20I at Johannesburg by 28 runs and a victory on Wednesday will see them wrap up another series win on this tour.
Rajneesh Gupta previews Game 7 in IPL 12: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians.
India skipper Virat Kohli says he opened in the deciding fifth T20I against England to open up a slot for someone like Suryakumar Yadav, who 'is playing the way he is at the moment'.
The third ODI between India and Bangladesh was called off after heavy showers rendered the ground unfit for play in Mirpur on Thursday.
pacer Ishant Sharma left the Gabba at lunch on the third day on Saturday, after finding that there was no vegetarian preparation in the menu.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, in Chennai.
Kieron Pollard singlehandedly took Mumbai Indians to an astonishing four-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL match in Delhi on Saturday.
Mumbai Indians' offie Jayant Yadav reveals the secret
India relied on their bowlers to stage a remarkable recovery scripting a comfortable 48-run win in the second cricket One-day international against the West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1 in New Delhi.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni credited his bowling arsenal for the 3-0 Twenty20 series whitewash over Australia and cited the contributions of young Jasprit Bumrah and experienced Ashish Nehra as being crucial to India's win in the series.
Mumbai fast bowler Shardul Thakur will replace injured pacer Jasprit Bumrah in India's ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against England, starting July 12. Bumrah injured his left thumb during India's first T2OI against Ireland in Dublin and was ruled out of the ongoing T2OI series against England.
A 15-member India cricket squad, led by Virat Kohli, left here this morning for Zimbabwe to take on the hosts in a five-game One-Day International series commencing on July 24.
India should draft all-rounder Irfan Pathan and Manoj Tiwary in the side for the next tri-series match even if it means dropping a spinner along with Suresh Raina, suggested former skipper Sourav Ganguly.
Kohli has created a flutter by blaming 'doubtful decision-making' and lack of clarity for the debacle in Bangladesh.
Riding high on a comfortable win over Dolphins in their last encounter, Chennai Super Kings will look to keep the momentum going when they lock horns with Lahore Lions in the Champions League T20.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Wednesday.
Ravindra Jadeja kicked-off Chennai Super Kings' campaign in the opening match of the India leg of the Indian Premier League with a match-winning performance with bat and ball, as the two-time champions easily beat 2012 winners Kolkata Knight Riders by 34 runs, in Ranchi, on Friday night.
A dominant India cruised into the final with three convincing victories in a row, but Bangladesh will also be high on confidence following their thrilling victory against Sri Lanka in their last league match.
While a billion hearts would pray for all the participants to do well, all eyes would be set on the duo of Deepika Kumari/Atanu Das, the four shooters and Mirabai Chanu to open India's medals count.
Skipper Rohit Sharma will be desperate to get back to form as a resurgent India look to set their record straight against hosts Sri Lanka in the third match of the Nidahas Tri-Series, in Colombo, on Monday.
The Indian Premier League has given players an idea of how to cope with pressure situations, especially in the knockout stages, feels India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
India men's team captain Virat Kohli (1,983) is the next Indian on the list, followed by Rohit Sharma (1,852) and Suresh Raina (1,499).
It is learnt that Test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been kept on standby for the limited overs series against England in case Rohit Sharma fails to clear the 16.1 qualifying mark.
A scrappy India will have to lift their game by several notches against an improving Australia when the two fierce rivals clash in a virtual quarter-final cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
