As India prepares for their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting August 15, the team management faces critical decisions regarding their playing XI to bolster their World Test Championship 2027 final aspirations.
Sonal Dinusha's maiden Test hundred sparked Sri Lanka's fightback in Galle, but India retained firm control after bowling out the hosts for 284 to secure a 178-run lead.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Sonal Dinusha, who averaged 140 in the recent Test series against India, found solace and success in cricket as an escape from financial hardship. His journey, marked by dedication and a relentless work ethic, saw him rise from a child without a bat to a national hero, with coaches highlighting his unwavering commitment to the game.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar anticipates leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav replacing pacer Arshdeep Singh in the crucial T20 World Cup match against Pakistan, citing favorable conditions for spinners and strategic bowling decisions in recent games.
Batting great Cheteshwar Pujara believes veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja's recent shift to a more aggressive, wicket-taking mindset in red-ball cricket will make him a vital player for India during the upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
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.
Sanju Samson heads into the second T20I against England with his place under the spotlight, as teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waits in the wings after another underwhelming outing from the India opener.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday?
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja led India's bowling attack on Day 3 in Galle.
Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy and is dropped from the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, while K L Rahul returns as deputy and young players earn maiden call-ups.
Or should they include a fast bowler for the Eden Gardens Test against Sri Lanka?
A look at what went wrong for India in the England ODI series.
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.
Mitchell says adapting to Kuldeep key after series-levelling win
The team's balance puzzle once again took centre stage on Tuesday night, even as individual performances from the ongoing series highlighted why leaving either out is a tough ask.
Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey has been named as the replacement for the injured Washington Sundar in India's squad for the third and final One Day International against England. Sundar sustained a right hamstring injury during the second ODI and will undergo recuperation. The series is currently level at 1-1, with India aiming for a victory.
Chawla said the 'tricky' pitch in New York brought the best out of 'good teams' such as India.
'Saransh is a very keen observer, he wants to keep learning.' 'He has the skills to be a top off-spinner, the way he releases the ball that is very good.' 'He is also mentally tough because he has played so much of domestic cricket.'
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.
India lost the first Test on Tuesday at Leeds as the hosts chased down a stiff 371 on the final day courtesy a brilliant 149 by opener Ben Duckett.
Kuldeep bowled the best ball to beat me in drift and my hands followed: Stubbs on his dismissal
'Am I the reason team will lose? Kuldeep might think, I am bowling so well, even after that I am not playing, then am I the problem in this team?'
With India conceding more than 600 runs for the first time since 2014, the case for including a wicket-taking spinner like Kuldeep Yadav is stronger than ever for the must-win fifth and final Test against England.
India should seriously consider playing Kuldeep but it will be selection dilemma: Harmison
Rajasthan all-rounder Manav Suthar has made his Test debut for India against Afghanistan in Mullanpur, becoming the 319th player to represent the country in Test cricket.
Kuldeep Yadav compared the 22-yard strip at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati to a "road" due to the benign nature of the pitch.
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.
Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari has been fast-tracked into the India A team for the two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A later this month.
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara and ex-assistant coach Abhishek Nayar have offered critical insights into India's recent T20I series defeat against England, highlighting issues with middle-order depth, all-rounders, poor fielding, and struggles against short balls.
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for Thursday's second ODI against Australia?
India's spin department is in 'transition' and the team management is in the process of assessing a pool of young bowlers who can potentially graduate to a higher level, said spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule.
Following India's dominant win over Afghanistan in the second ODI in Lucknow, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised young fast bowler Gurnoor Brar for his standout performance, highlighting his rhythm, run-up and ability to extract steep bounce.
The superlative effort of 4-7 in 2.1 overs against the UAE saw Kuldeep Yadav bagging the man-of-the-match award and at the post-match presentation ceremony he got a chance to express his disappointment and question the logic behind his constant omission from the Playing XI.
India Test captain Shubman Gill hailed spinner Kuldeep Yadav for his match-winning performance with the ball in the second and final Test against West Indies in Delhi.
Kuldeep Yadav has a good record in T20 Internationals with 69 wickets in 40 matches at an economy rate of 6.77, with a best of 5/17 against South Africa.
India's assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate conceded that too many players have batted at number three in Test matches after Cheteshwar Pujara's retirement and it was time that either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal is given a long rope at the key batting position.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has defended Rishabh Pant after he was removed as India's Test vice-captain following a disappointing IPL season with Lucknow Super Giants. Kaif said Pant should not be judged on his IPL performances alone and insisted he remains India's biggest match-winner in Test cricket.
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.
Virat Kohli was on Sunday named in India's squad for the three-match ODI series against England next month, subject to fitness clearance.
