Harshit Rana returns to the Indian after regaining fitness even as Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to prove his ODI credibility as India look to sweep series against Afghanistan.
Spin great Anil Kumble praised Nitish Kumar Reddy's showing with the ball on Day 1 of the Lord's Test on Thursday.
Thakur, who resumed Day 3 unbeaten, brought up his century with ease, reinforcing his case as the ideal seam-bowling all-rounder ahead of the Leeds Test.
Tears of joy flowed freely as Nitish Kumar Reddy reunited with his family after his maiden Test century.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 38.
Heinrich Klaasen (69) and Ishan Kishan (55) made Punjab Kings pay dearly for their sloppy fielding, powering Sunrisers Hyderabad to a handsome 41-run win to jump to the top of the table in the IPL, in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Former India leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed as the spin-bowling coach for the men's national team, commencing with the Test against Afghanistan. He brings extensive coaching experience from domestic cricket and the IPL.
Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill are missing from the list of probables for the Asian Games, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been included in the 30-member squad submitted by the BCCI to the IOA.
'But I would say given the importance of this series and given the conditions we think we are going to face, he (Nitish Kumar Reddy) might miss out in this Test this week.'
The ruling NDA alliance has secured a majority in the Rajya Sabha elections, winning key seats in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana, while other candidates were elected unopposed across multiple states. The elections were marked by cross-voting allegations and political maneuvering.
The father of young fast bowler Prince Yadav has described his son's maiden ODI call-up to the Indian team as a proud and emotional moment for the entire family.
It was a proper Test innings, it was of the highest class, and given the circumstances it came in, it was one of the best innings by an Indian batsman in recent memory, applauds Prem Panicker.
A look at what went wrong for India in the England ODI series.
Virat Kohli's batting a plus but lots of areas need improvement, says Shubman Gill
Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar's impressive batting performances helped Gujarat Titans reach a total of 168 for five against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL match.
India set to remain unchanged as team wants Reddy to settle in all-round role
Nitish flaunted his six-hitting muscle in the first innings and showed signs of living up to the belief that the former Indian skipper has exuded in him. After being put to bat by Australia, rain interrupted the play on four instances, and the Indian team toiled for rhythm as well as runs.
'If the RJD loses it would be out of power for nearly 25 years. Meanwhile, the JD-U will have survival issues if it gets less number of seats.'
As the team prepares for the Test series, it's clear they're making the most of both their training and the local sights.
Ravichandran Ashwin stressed that Washington Sundar must be treated as a frontline bowling all-rounder and given a full quota of overs to build confidence with the bat as well.
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a promise to himself post the Australia tour that he would improve his bowling.
Dale Steyn noted that Virat Kohli's confidence has grown, allowing him to play more aerial shots regularly.
MITCHELL AND PHILLIPS SAVE NZ This is the first time in 37 years that New Zealand have won an ODI series in India
India will look to seal the ODI series against Afghanistan while continuing to test combinations for the 2027 World Cup, with Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal among those pushing for opportunities in the second match.
Virat Kohli completes 54th ODI ton in third match against New Zealand
India registered a thumping 86-run victory in the second T20I against Bangladesh to seal the three-match series 2-0.
Bengal marched into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy after registering a comprehensive innings and 90 runs victory over Andhra in Kalyani on Tuesday.
While the first India vs New Zealand ODI will be played at Vadodara, the second match will get underway at Rajkot. The teams will face off for the final ODI of the series at Indore.
Some sections of the crowd inside the Indore stadium chanted 'Gambhir Haaye Haaye' during the presentation ceremony after India suffered a 41-run defeat against New Zealand in the third ODI.
Rohit Sharma joined India's white-ball nets in Mohali on Wednesday and remained the box-office attraction despite the presence of young and emerging stars.
Shubman Gill was rewarded with the captaincy of the Indian ODI team for the upcoming tour of Australia, the BCCI announced on Saturday.
Every team circles its opponent like a hawk, waiting to expose the slightest weakness.
If SRH's batting unit fires consistently and the bowlers find rhythm, they have the potential to challenge for the playoffs.
Lucknow Super Giants face a tough challenge against a confident Sunrisers Hyderabad in their upcoming IPL clash. SRH's explosive batting and home advantage make them favourites, while LSG needs to address their batting inconsistencies to secure their first win of the season.
Sudip Kumar Gharami's brilliant 299 propelled Bengal to a commanding position against Andhra in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final match.
Reddy took Thakur's place in Birmingham after the first Test
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad will both be eyeing a top-two finish when they square off in their final IPL 2026 league match.
Mumbai Indians face a must-win clash against in-form Sunrisers Hyderabad at Wankhede as Hardik Pandya's struggling side look to revive their IPL 2026 campaign.
India A captain Shreyas Iyer has pulled out of the second unofficial Test against Australia A starting in Lucknow on Tuesday because of personal reasons.
The ferocity and fearlessness of a 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be pitted against the combined might of an explosive top-order when a resurgent Rajasthan Royals run into a solid Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League Eliminator in Mullanpur on Wednesday.
