Rahul to continue to bat down the order, Arshdeep could be rested, hints Ten Doeschate
Hardik Pandya's return to cricket is contingent on him proving full fitness, specifically bowling his complete quota of 10 overs for India A, as selectors eye his potential role in the 2027 ODI World Cup amidst persistent injury concerns.
Krunal Pandya kept his India comeback hopes alive after missing the Afghanistan T20I squad, following a strong IPL season where he impressed with bat and ball.
India's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has received clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence to participate in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah had been recovering from an impact injury sustained during the recent ODI series against England, which forced him to miss the third ODI. His return is crucial for India's World Test Championship aspirations.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
Kris Srikkanth questioned whether India's star-studded Afghanistan squad was picked out of fear after recent defeats, arguing the series offered an ideal chance to blood promising youngsters.
Naman Dhir's batting flexibility and useful off-spin could address a missing role in India's ODI setup, with Irfan Pathan highlighting his potential following a standout domestic T20 campaign.
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
VVS Laxman, BCCI's Centre of Excellence chief, will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. Gautam Gambhir, the regular head coach, will be with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. Amol Muzumdar will continue as the head coach for the Indian women's team, who will also defend their title.
Sony Sports Network has secured exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, scheduled from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will feature India led by Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran, with both teams showcasing aggressive T20 cricket. This acquisition strengthens Sony's sports portfolio and offers a platform for Afghanistan to demonstrate its talent against a top-tier team.
Kris Srikkanth has questioned Washington Sundar's inclusion for India's Afghanistan T20Is, saying the all-rounder must prove match fitness through competitive cricket after recurring injuries.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are reportedly dissatisfied with the arrangements and facilities for the upcoming Asian Games cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Concerns include inadequate dressing rooms, distant washrooms, and small hotel rooms. As a result, India might send a 'B' team instead of the previously announced full-strength squad, pending a report from a BCCI observer.
National selectors are set to convene in New Delhi to finalise India's ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming home series against West Indies, with Rishabh Pant's potential white-ball return and Hardik Pandya's fitness being the primary discussion points.
India's ODI captain Shubman Gill has voiced strong concerns over the recurring injury issues plaguing his bowlers, questioning their fitness commitment ahead of next year's World Cup. Following a 1-2 series loss to England, Gill highlighted that multiple key players were sidelined due to injuries, impacting team combinations and raising doubts about their ability to sustain performance through a long tournament.
India's top centrally-contracted cricketers, including Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, underwent mandatory fitness tests at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. These assessments, featuring the Bronco Test, 2k run, and YoYo test, are crucial for the upcoming eight-month home season, which includes series against Afghanistan and West Indies, and the Asian Games.
Indian batter Dhruv Jurel scored an unbeaten 115, becoming only the second Indian to hit a Test century at No. 7 or lower in Sri Lanka. His crucial partnerships, including a 112-run stand with Rishabh Pant, helped India declare at 503/9, putting them in a strong position against Sri Lanka in the second Test.
The BCCI has summoned Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar and V V S Laxman to Mumbai on Thursday to review India's disappointing performances in Ireland and England.
The BCCI's fitness monitoring system is under scrutiny after pacer Harshit Rana was found overweight despite being cleared for selection for the England tour. This incident, coupled with other player injuries, has prompted the board to introduce stricter, uniform fitness benchmarks, including a fixed Bronco Test standard, to address inconsistencies and improve player fitness assessment.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played a key role in Sunrisers Hyderabad's 65-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders, said he had been waiting for such a performance for a long time after his all-round show helped his side register their first win of the IPL season in Kolkata on Thursday.
Tilak Varma is emerging as India's potential middle-order backup, offering left-handed batting variety and developing off-spin as selectors seek younger, flexible options ahead of the ODI World Cup.
India have rested Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya from the Ireland and England tours as selectors prioritise the pacer's role in the World Test Championship and Pandya's importance to India's ODI World Cup plans.
Sanju Samson has been dropped from the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe, making way for Punjab Kings' wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh.
A significant communication breakdown between the Centre of Excellence's (CoE) sports science team and the senior national men's selection committee has been exposed by Jasprit Bumrah's unexpected absence from the Test series against Sri Lanka, alongside other player injury concerns.
Mumbai's Sarfaraz Khan was named as the replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, the BCCI announced on Sunday.
VVS Laxman, head of the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, lauded Virat Kohli as an 'exemplary professional' and 'great role model' for his consistent high standards.
A source at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru has expressed significant concerns regarding players competing in the Indian Premier League while injured, attributing this to franchise and financial pressures, which subsequently complicates their rehabilitation and return to international cricket.
'Even if Reddy fails, the management should persist with him, and India will eventually get a good all-rounder.'
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.
Indian selectors face a selection dilemma for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with Washington Sundar unlikely to be fit for the first Test, while senior all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to return to white-ball cricket from August after recovering from injury.
VVS Laxman, chief of the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), confirmed that the search for a permanent Head of Sports Science and Medicine is ongoing, nearly 18 months after Nitin Patel's departure, despite mounting injury cases among Indian cricketers.
Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party has secured its first seat in the Bihar Assembly, with Kishor winning the Bankipur bypoll in his electoral debut, stunning the BJP in its long-held bastion.
Premier Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the upcoming two-Test tour of Sri Lanka due to a persistent knee injury.
Ashwin wants Bhuvneshwar Kumar in India's 2027 World Cup squad, saying the veteran seamer's swing bowling could be crucial in South African conditions.
Former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes India's recent Test struggles stem from the departure of senior players, emphasising the need for a core of seven to eight experienced cricketers in the longer format.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discusses the Indian cricket team's ongoing transition, highlighting the debut of young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the challenges of playing without Hardik Pandya. He emphasises the team's focus on developing new talent and improving in all departments for future World Cups.
Uncapped off-spinner Saransh Jain has been named as the replacement for the injured Washington Sundar in India's Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, while the availability of key players Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan hinges on their fitness clearance.
Nitish Kumar Reddy visited the Tirupati temple to give thanks for his standout show during the Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.
Rohit Sharma was dismissed for 48 by Rashid Khan, while Yashasvi Jaiswal's return to the ODI side ended in disappointment as he was out cheaply. Both Indian openers failed to convert their starts in the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow.
As the team prepares for the Test series, it's clear they're making the most of both their training and the local sights.
There is a school of thought that having done the hard yards in the England series, Karun Nair deserves an opportunity against a weaker opposition where a century could boost his career.
