Rajneesh Gupta previews Game 1 in IPL 12: Chennai Super Kings versus Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In a new series, Bollywood's towering talents, who themselves made brilliant works this year, pick their favourite show of 2021, and tell us just why they loved it.
Axar Patel did the star turn as laggards Kings XI Punjab rode on the left-arm spinner's hat-trick to upset table toppers Gujarat Lions by 23 runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.
Following the debacle in the New Zealand ODI series, the selectors finally lost patience with the under-performing Suresh Raina and Ishant Sharma and axed them from India's squad for the Asia Cup later this month. Cheteshwar Pujara, who played two ODIs in Zimbabwe in August, made a comeback to the ODI squad.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lands in Dhaka for three-match series
Chennai Super Kings will look to continue their winning streak when they lock horns with Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL), in Mohali, on Sunday.
Check out the Chennai Super Kings squad for the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League.
A look at the star arrivals.
They endured a disastrous run the last time around to finish at the bottom of the heap and Kings XI Punjab would be aiming to make amends this season when they begin their campaign against newbies Gujarat Lions in their IPL opener in Mohali on Monday. Kings XI Punjab did not make any big buys this year and have a new captain in South African David Miller in place of Australian George Bailey who was released after leading the side to the last place in the previous season. Virender Sehwag has also retired and he will serve as team mentor this season. The Preity Zinta-owned side continues to lack the team balance as it has not added any significant player, only snapping the likes of all-rounders Farhaan Behardien and Marcus Stoinis, seamer Mohit Sharma and left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh. Last season, their batsmen lacked consistency and whenever they did well, the bowlers let the side down. On the other hand, debutants Gujarat Lions have a balanced side with top-class performers in both batting and bowling. They have explosive batsmen in Brendon McCullum, captain Suresh Raina, Aaron Finch and a plenty of top-notch all-rounders in Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja and James Faulkner.
A look at how India have fared in their World Cup opening games.
The talented Punjab youngster Gurkeerat Singh Mann was selected for the upcoming One-day International series against South Africa.
The likes of Suresh Raina, Brendon McCullum, and Aaron Finch will be aiming to match the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Hashim Amla, and Marcus Stoinis stroke for stroke on what promises to be another belter of a track.
Ahead of the three-match series, here's the schedule and key stats between the teams.
Kings XI Punjab released explosive South Africa batsman David Miller after eight IPL seasons along with Englishman Sam Curran and Australian pacer Andrew Tye.
'Ajay Devgn is perfect to slip into Idris Elba's shoes.' 'Taapsee can play any role under the sun.'
Suresh Raina feels that Chennai Super Kings' stupendous success as the most consistent team in the eight editions of Indian Premier League tournament should be attributed to their skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leadership skills.
It will be a big statement if Virat Kohli's young side could start off with a bang at Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 'spritual home', a task which will be easier said than done.
Mumbai Indians humbled Chennai Super Kings by 37 runs in the Indian Premier League, in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Young wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson and leg spinner Karn Shama are the new faces in India's squad for the One-Day International series against England.
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.
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.
'This is a movie made with this gaze fixed on its immediate well-wishers, while at the same time it squints hard looking for those swaying back and forth on the fence,' notes Rohit Sathish Nair.
Mohit Sharma took five for 47 to help Haryana bundle out Uttar Pradesh for a meagre 227 in their Ranji Trophy Group B match in Lucknow.
India maintained their stranglehold over Zimbabwe, winning the fourth ODI in the five-match series by nine wickets, in Bulawayo, on Thursday. Opting to field after winning the toss, India dismissed the hosts for a paltry 144, and then chased down the target with 115 balls to spare at the Queens Sports Club.
India's slow bowlers tormented England again to claim a six-wicket victory in the third one-day international in Nottingham on Saturday to go 2-0 up in the five-match series.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the Chennai Super Kings record in the IPL over the years.
Movies, their motives and time of release make me wonder if we'll ever be able to see India as India and not a reflection of its governments, notes Sukanya Verma.
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.
Left disappointed after their Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 was washed off without a single ball being bowled against Lahore Lions, Chennai Super Kings would be looking to shut out Perth Scorchers on Saturday to book their last-four spot.
Dhoni's men will be slight favourites as it will be Bairstow's last game
His team might have registered a crushing 54-run win over Dolphins in Bangalore but Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni indicated that it would need to improve its bowling to win the Champions League Twenty20.
Chennai Super Kings batsman Suresh Raina reckons that the early dismissal of South African swashbuckler A B de Villiers proved to be the decisive factor in CSK's 27-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their Indian Premier League match in Bangalore on Wednesday.
What was the need to fictionalise a series on real events that were far more horrific because they were real? asks Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.
Chennai Super Kings will aim to maintain their pole position with a victory over a struggling Kings XI Punjab
CSK would be looking to continue the momentum.
Factbox on Saturday's World Cup Pool B match between India and United Arab Emirates.
Former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming lauds the showing Chennai Super Kings players Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohit Sharma and Suresh Raina at the ongoing World Cup
Rajneesh Gupta figures out the Indian ODI and T20 sides for the South Africa series.
A summary of Thursday's action in the Ranji Trophy group stage matches.
Suresh Raina smashed an unbeaten half-century as Chennai Super Kings booked a berth in the second qualifier with a comfortable seven-wicket win over holders Mumbai Indians in the IPL eliminator in Mumbai on Wednesday.
