However, most of the fringe players taking part are aware that they do not stand a fair chance of getting selected in the Indian side for the Pakistan ODIs even if they perform.
Yashasvi Jaiswal presented a heady cocktail of patience and flair on debut but India's expected series win over West Indies will not serve as an accurate parameter.
Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez completed Spain's domination of the race walks at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday.
A look at how India have fared in their World Cup opening games.
India, says Anil Kumble, have done really well against Australia in the recent past and they need to reinforce that view in Thursday's quarter-final.
India scored a breathtaking one-run win over South Africa in a low-scoring second One Day International in Johannesburg on Saturday. The home side made heavy weather of what seemed like a modest chase to be all out for 189 in 43 overs.
Warne's Royal anecdotes: Handling Kaif's ego, figuring Munaf's age, nurturing Jadeja's talent
Here is what Tendulkar had to say about his first interaction with Kohli.
Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh will be among a host of former stars in the India Maharaja team which will take part in the inaugural edition of the Legends League Cricket (LLC), starting on January 20 in Oman.
Rishabh Pant was hospitalised following a major car crash on Friday.
The injury-hit Indian cricket team heaved a sigh of relief after opener Murali Vijay was declared fit for the opening Test against the West Indies, starting in Jamaica, on Monday.
Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad discusses the current national side and the plethora of seam bowlers who have turned out for Team India in the recent past.
'He was keen to win the IPL with the team he had, he had no desire to have big names in his team.' 'He just wanted good players, who he knew he could mould into match-winners.'
Kerala pacer Basil Thampi feels that being a part of this T20 tournament is a big opportunity for young domestic players like him.
In 2011 on April 2, India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in the final to lift their second ODI World Cup.
Skipper Cheteshwar Pujara struck his second unbeaten century in as many days while Praveen Kumar blasted his way to a 26-ball 53 as India 'B' posted a 21-run win over Bengal to set up a title clash with India 'A' in the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in Rajkot on Monday.
Pacer Munaf Patel said that dearth of effective bowling partnerships undid India during the last month's five-match ODI series against New Zealand which the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side lost 0-4.
'Batsmen were good, but if have to win overseas, we have to get players from the MRF Pace Foundation and the NCA coming through, try to prepare pitches to encourage these faster bowlers rather than dusty turners'
Gujarat emerged triumphant in the West Zone Vijay Hazare trophy match against Baroda.
Former India cricketers Yusuf Pathan, Naman Ojha and R Vinay Kumar, all of whom recently announced their retirements, will feature in the India Legends team in the Road Safety World Series starting in Raipur on March 5.
The Men in Blue also have kept their unbeaten streak against Pakistan in the World Cup as the side defeated them in the 2015 and 2019 50-over World Cup. ies.
Irfan Pathan's blistering unbeaten 57 helped India Legends beat Sri Lanka. He displayed his batting skills, hammering six boundaries and three sixes.
Virender Sehwag (74 not out; 11x4) played all the shots in the book, including the traditional late cut, while Sachin Tendulkar (36;7x4) executed drives, upper cuts and stepped out to spinners, something he did with majestic grace all through his illustrious career.
Apart from having a balanced squad, familiar conditions and strong home support will be the key factors as India seek to win the upcoming ICC World Cup and break a 28-year-old jinx, feels seamer Munaf Patel.
Sreesanth is open to playing in overseas leagues and coaching roles
Munaf Patel and Sudeep Tyagi wreaked havoc with seven scalps between them as India Red won the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy, steamrolling Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Blue team-mates by seven wickets in an extremely lop-sided final in Nagpur, on Sunday.
Paceman Munaf Patel's devastating five-wicket haul propelled Rest of India to a nine-wicket win over Ranji champions Mumbai on the penultimate day of the match.
The former India opener said Kaneria has played 60-55 Tests for his country. If despite that he's being made to face such torture, "this is really shameful".
Ajit Agarkar and Munaf Patel have been laid low with injuries in the ongoing tour of South Africa.
India went on to maintain its 100 per cent winning rate against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup after defeating them by 29 runs in the semi-final clash at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
'I was not sure whether such a big player would come to my house but he was quite happy to visit my place... which was just unbelievable!'
Munaf Patel joins Kandy Tuskers in LPL; Sarfaraz pulls out, Malinga unsure
'It is not that we took the decision out of some vengeance.' ' 'It was not that we dropped someone because we had some enmity with him.'
Ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly and Baroda's Krunal Pandya were among a host of cricketers who have come to aid of former India player Jacob Martin, who is in a critical condition in a Baroda hospital
The Maharashtra Minorities Commission has written to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, asking if 'Mission Mrityunjay', a Mumbai Police initiative to rope in students to help police detect crime, especially against women, has the government's approval.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians in Kolkata, on Wednesday.
Controversy erupted in the IPL match between Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians in Visakhapatnam on Monday with the latter team's captain Harbhajan Singh having a heated and prolonged arguement with the field umpires who committed a mistake in not giving a home side batsman out.
Decimated by injuries but spirited nonetheless, Mumbai Indians will bank on their familiarity with the conditions to fight through another tough challenge when they take on England's Somerset in the semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20 at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai on Saturday.
Statistical highlights of the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in Mumbai.
