A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played across India on Wednesday
Team Director Ravi Shastri expects a winning start from his Indian players in the Asia Cup, which kick-starts in Fatullah, in Bangladesh, on Wednesday.
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will fight for survival when they lock horns in the Indian Premier League in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
If MI have their problems to sort out, having lost at the death in all three games so far, RCB too have their own shortcomings to address with only one win in three games under their belt.
Kolkata Knight Riders would look to usher in a fresh era under new captain Dinesh Karthik with a victory when they open their Indian Premier League campaign against heavyweights Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Captain Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu played crucial knocks after Harbhajan Singh's impressive showing with the ball as Mumbai Indians notched up a thrilling five-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils in their rain-affected Indian Premier League match at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
A clinical Rajasthan Royals shot out Royal Challengers Bangalore for a paltry 70, the third lowest total in the Indian Premier League history, and then romped to a six-wicket victory in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
A look at Royal Challengers Bangalore's IPL record over the years.
Mumbai Indians had things well in control before losing the plot in the last two overs that cost them 41 overs but opener Parthiv Patel refused suggestions that it affected their chances in the Qualifier 1 of the IPL.
Railways seamer Anureet Singh's five-wicket haul kept them in the hunt for the quarter-finals as they got three crucial points against Jammu and Kashmir by virtue of a first innings lead in a rain-curtailed Group B league match of the Ranji Trophy, in a home tie in New Delhi on Saturday.
Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front with an unbeaten half-century to steer Mumbai Indians to a hard-earned five-wicket victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Mumbai, on Monday.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between South Africa and India at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg on Friday
After the 72-run loss in the opening Test, the margin got bigger as the visitors handed the home side a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
High on confidence after one of their splendid run-chases across 10 editions, Mumbai Indians will like to continue their winning momentum against a resurgent Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League encounter, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
The top order failed to fire in difficult conditions, but the bowlers stood out, not only performing with the ball but scoring vital runs as well.
Mumbai Indians team celebrate their second IPL title at the iconic Wankhede stadium on Monday.
Pacer Mukesh Kumar took six wickets to help Bengal beat Karnataka by 174 runs and enter the final of the Ranji Trophy for the first time in 13 years, in Kolkata, on Tuesday. Chasing 352 for victory, Karnataka were bowled out for 177 in their second innings with Mukesh taking 6-61 in 21 overs, while Ishan Porel and Akash Deep took two wickets each.
Results from final league games of Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament
Round up of the Ranji Trophy matches being played across the country
Chennai Super Kings would look to plug the bowling loopholes when they take on a struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore
Rajneesh Gupta highlights the six top performances by Indian spinners in Tests abroad since the 2000s began.
A roundup of the matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy One-Day tournament, on Saturday.
It was an inauspicious start to the inaugural Day/Night Duleep Trophy match with a major floodlight malfunction grabbing more attention than Pink ball making its first class debut in India. A power failure saw two stoppages in play with the second one leading to lights going off completely in a couple of floodlight towers. There was a total 78 minutes of interruption due to power tripping in two towers in two separate phases.
Pacers Basil Thampi and Sandeep Warrier powered Kerala into the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy as the hosts registered a thumping 113-run win over Gujarat, on Day 3, in Wayanad, on Thursday.
Rediff.com takes a look at a few players who made a significant impact to their team's fortunes.
Mumbai Indians' star bowler Mitchell McClenaghan said his side is fully prepared for the IPL play-off match.
Looking to salvage pride in the third Test beginning, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday, team India got down to business at the Wanderers with a practice session that lasted just under four hours.
Mumbai Indians' third IPL triumph on Sunday was largely down to a stellar contribution with the ball from the young fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Mumbai Indians will start as favourites when they take on laggards Kings XI Punjab.
"The game is still in balance if we get early wickets tomorrow. The match can be in anybody's favour. We will look to create pressure tomorrow as well. I think the game is still in balance right now," said Bumrah after stumps on day three.
Washington Sundar claimed three wickets to help Rising Pune Supergiant outclass Mumbai Indians by 20 wickets and storm into the final of the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai on Tuesday.
India's Test captain Virat Kohli feels that it will be difficult to replace someone like Mahendra Singh Dhoni but Wriddhiman Saha according to him 'deserves' to don the gloves for the national team for the 'next five to six years'.
The series is even more important for Kohli as it would also define his legacy as a leader having already established himself as world's premier batsman.
It will be a battle of youngsters with the likes of Nitish Rana, Hardik Pandya on one side and the new star in the horizon Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan with his variations on the other side.
Nothing but a win will keep their play-off hopes alive as defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Gujarat Lions in a do-or-die battle, which will be their final IPL league match in Kanpur on Saturday. With seven wins in 13 matches, Mumbai are currently placed fifth, tied on 14 points with Royal Challengers Bangalore (3rd) and Kolkata Knight Riders (4th) -- both having better net run-rate with one match to go. A loss on Saturday will knock them out of the race for play-offs and Mumbai will hope to pull the rug from under the feet of the Lions this time after suffering a defeat during their home leg on April 16.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Saturday
Having found some light at the end of the tunnel, Royal Challengers Bangalore will be keen to expose the chinks in Kings XI Punjab's armoury during their must-win IPL encounter in Indore on Monday.
IMAGES from the IPL match played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad on Monday
While 41 times champions Mumbai are expected to last the distance, it will be a stern test of character for Gujarat who are in their first final in 66 years with the baggage of never winning the prestigious domestic trophy.
Aditya Tare played a captain's knock while Abhishek Nayar and Shardul Thakur complemented their fine bowling effort with half-centuries to help Mumbai take the all-important first innings lead over Tamil Nadu in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament in Rajkot. Tare made a fine 83 off 181 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries to hold together Mumbai's first innings. He was ably supported by Nayar (58) and Thakur (52) as Mumbai made 406 in their first innings in reply to Tamil Nadu's 305 before being bowled out at stumps on the third day of the five-day marque encounter.
