New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner feels assessing the conditions in Dharamsala and countering an in-form Rohit Sharma will be vital as they eye the "tough" task of beating India at home during their World cup clash on Sunday.
Veteran Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor on Thursday created history by making a resolute return to international cricket after a hiatus of of three-and-a-half years.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead will no longer coach the One-Day International and T20 teams but may re-apply for the Test role, he said on Tuesday.
Chennai Super Kings will lean on their formidable spin strength under favourable conditions at the Chepauk as well as recent record against Mumbai Indians sans Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, when the two sides face each other in their Indian Premier League campaign opener in Chennai on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji check out who could be the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2025 before the final.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
A seemingly invincible India will be eager to sharpen their game against spin and give a run to second-line players ahead of the semi-final when they take on New Zealand in their last group match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
Babar Azam's approach drew heavy criticism from fans
The batting maestro, known for his aggressive stroke play, fell victim to a full toss from Mitchell Santner in the 24th over.
Thrown into the spotlight in just his second ODI, Varun Chakaravarthy made the opportunity count in spectacular fashion.
After his stellar performance, Chakaravarthy credited senior players for helping him settle his nerves during the game.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana's hat-trick was in vain as New Zealand clinched the three-match One-Day International series against Sri Lanka with a game to spare after a 113-run victory in a rain-shortened second one-day international in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli has succumbed to spin three times in the first two Tests, while scoring just 68 runs in four innings.
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene on Friday said star pacer Jasprit Bumrah was still recuperating from a back injury and that the team was waiting for him to be cleared by the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Mitchell Santner scored his maiden Test century and then grabbed three quick wickets to reduce England to 55-3 at the close of play on the fourth day of the first Test at Bay Oval on Sunday.
New Zealand clinched the tri-nation title by beating hosts Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Karachi on Friday to give them a major boost ahead of next week's Champions Trophy.
Successful in keeping opponents and vitriol at bay so far, India will have to rise above traditional bugbear New Zealand and a rigmarole of emotions surrounding stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to reclaim the Champions Trophy after 12 years in Dubai on Sunday.
New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner has been ruled out of the first Test against Australia and replaced by spinner Mark Craig, the team said on Tuesday.
Tilak Verma, who has two T20I hundreds for India and is one of the pillars of the core MI set-up, had scored just 25 off 23 balls, inclusive of two boundaries, when Mitchell Santner, with a career IPL strike-rate of 106, was sent in.
Chris Jordan's all-around brilliance could not prevent New Zealand from securing a series-levelling 21-run victory over England in the second Twenty20 International of the five-match series on Sunday.
Australia captain Tim Paine lost a referral when third umpire Aleem Dar upheld the decision after reviewing video replays from several angles.
The 37-year-old player added that uncertainty about a place in the Playing XI or 12, means one needs to capitalise on chances offered.
'Yeah, the IPL, I guess, is the pinnacle of all T20 tournaments and I was pretty excited when I was picked up in 2018.'
With an impressive blend of composure and aggression, Iyer has been a standout performer in the 50-over format, particularly against the Blackcaps.
What stood out on Wednesday wasn't just the dominant win -- it was the sight of Wankhede fans cheering loudly for a man they once booed. The redemption was complete.
With just a week to go until the start of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, it sets up a tight race for the premier position for batters in 50-over cricket during the eight-team tournament.
Simon Doull lambasted Indian batters for their poor batting performance against spinners Mitchell Santner and Glenn Phillips during the second Test
Mitchell Santner admitted it was 'shocking' to clean up Virat Kohli on a full toss, in Pune, on Friday.
New Zealand romped to victory by 423 runs after dismissing England for 234 on the fourth day of the third Test in Hamilton on Tuesday to claim a consolation victory and send Tim Southee out a winner in his final match.
In a resolute display, Punjab Kings outsmarted Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in a must-win encounter and assured themselves of a top-two finish in the IPL at the Sawai Mansingh stadium, Jaipur, on Monday, May 26, 2025.
New Zealand were ahead of the DLS par score of 78 at that stage before the game was eventually called off.
Although in the opposition camp, Mhatre was not short of support during his eye-catching knock. His band of cousins were spotted celebrating his boundaries, with one of them driven to tears of joy.
Rajasthan Royals will face Mumbai Indians in a crucial Indian Premier League match on Thursday, looking to halt the five-time champions' surging momentum.
Spinner Krunal Pandya upstaged brother Hardik as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged Mumbai Indians by 12 runs in a high-scoring thriller.
Rookie all-rounder Mitchell Santner and veteran Grant Elliott have been rewarded for their recent strong performances by being included in New Zealand's list of centrally contracted players on Wednesday.
While this may not secure qualification outright, it would certainly keep them in contention. New Zealand head coach Gary Stead drew inspiration from the inaugural WTC cycle in 2019-21, when New Zealand won six consecutive matches enroute to securing the title.
Stationed at mid off, Du Plessis 'flew' with his right hand stretched out to pluck it out of the air. The 39 year old timed his jump to perfection as he was 2.3 metres off the ground when he grabbed the ball.
New Zealand secured a one-day international series win over Bangladesh this week with a match to spare and the dead rubber will be played on Saturday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances