Mayank Agarwal could likely to make his ODI debut as the first of the three-match ODI series kicks off in Chennai on Sunday. But all eyes will be trained on under-fire Pant who will have to work to prove his worth in the squad.
Quinton de Kock finally found form as he stroked his first half-century in IPL 2021 to power Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals, in the IPL match, in Delhi on Thursday.
"(The loss) Just shows we can make mistakes as well. We lost two games in a row. If we pick up momentum and win the next three, then you will be asking how is the championship feeling," he retorted when asked how back-to-back losses could affect the team going into the play-offs.
With 35 matches spread over 27 days, World T20 looks set to illustrate once again just how skewed the 20-overs game is against bowlers.
Mumbai Indians will look to continue in similar vein when they lock horns with Rajasthan Royals in
Mumbai Indians' director of cricket operations, Zaheer Khan said the failure of the team's middle-order in its last three IPL matches has put a lot of pressure on the defending champions.
Brett Lee has tipped three-time champions Chennai Super Kings to win the 13th IPL, saying the variety in their spin department gives them an advantage
Steve Smith celebrated his return at the helm with a captain's innings that powered Rajasthan Royals to a five-wicket victory over a formidable Mumbai Indians.
'I think we were good for the first 16 overs while batting when we were 140 for 4. But then in the last four overs, we should have got 40 to 45 runs, and we got only thirty. We need to focus on that'
In the last 13 months, India have played the West Indies in six T20 Internationals with the hosts coming up trumps every single time.
CSK would be looking to continue the momentum.
Rohit Sharma played a captain's knock and struck an unbeaten 68, while Kieron Pollard smashed 51 not out in just 17 balls to power defending champions Mumbai Indians to a comfortable six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match.
Virat Kohli anchored a tricky chase before Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur played useful cameos with the bat to power India to a series-winning four-wicket victory over the West Indies in the third ODI, in Cuttack, on Sunday. IMAGES from the third and final ODI in Cuttack on Sunday.
Kuldeep Yadav took a hat-trick after openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul hit centuries to help India crush West Indies by 107 runs in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam and level the three-match series at 1-1. Rohit smashed 159 from 138 balls, while Rahul stroked 102 from 104 balls to power India to a huge 387 for five in their 50 overs. In reply, West Indies made a brave effort courtesy of Shai Hope (78) and Nicholas Pooran (75) but Kuldeep finished off their hopes with his second ODI hat-trick.
Openers Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum shared a breathtaking 109-run stand off 44 balls as Chennai Super Kings outplayed Mumbai Indians by six wickets to maintain their unbeaten run in the IPL.
Kolkata Knight Riders snapped their six-match losing streak with a 34-run win over Mumbai Indians in a high-scoring IPL game.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, in Abu Dhabi.
'India fans can't wait for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 to start for this reason. We have the players, we have the momentum -- we just need to go out there and execute now.'
Images from the IPL match played between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday
Wriddhiman Saha smashed a 55-ball 93 before the Kings XI Punjab pacers bowled an excellent spell in the death overs to help the visitors edge past Mumbai Indians by seven runs in a thrilling finish, in the Indian Premier League, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya termed the last seven months the toughest of his life and dedicated the award-winning performance in the IPL match against Chennai Super Kings to those who stood by him.
Unlike in previous years when the under-19 players were in focus and even got lucrative offers, this time the franchises were rather subdued when it came to locking in the junior stars as evidently, it takes time for them to be mature enough for top-flight cricket.
The mighty Mumbai Indians are looking all set to win their fifth Indian Premier League title, when they take on Delhi Capitals in the final, in Dubai on Tuesday.
Youngster Hardik Pandya blasted an unbeaten half-century to help Mumbai Indians edge past Kolkata Knight Riders and boost their hopes of making it to the play-offs in the Indian Premier League in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai on Saturday.
'COVID-19 will not stop the expansion of China's 'infrastructure power'.'
Images from Thursday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, in Dubai.
Fresh from their clinical display against Sunrisers Hyderabad, two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will look to set the record straight against nemesis Mumbai Indians in their second IPL match in Chennai on Tuesday.
Mumbai Indians had an off day on the field with below par bowling and catching performance against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
A fine all-round bowling display saw Trinbago Knight Riders win the battle of the unbeaten teams and go to the top of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table. Glenn Phillips was the only standout for the Jamaica Tallawahs as the power-hitters struggled for fluency, and Sunil Narine's second consecutive 50 did the bulk of the work even as the Knight Riders took their time about the chase.
Mumbai did well to defend 208 in batsmen-friendly conditions.
Mumbai Indians were left to rue their luck as heavy rains forced their Champions League Twenty20 match against Cape Cobras to be abandoned in Bangalore on Friday, hampering the home side's chances of advancing to the semifinals.
The left-hander's classy 92 off 62 balls guided India to the brink of victory, and he was helped by powerful hitting from Rishab Pant, whose 58-run knock was part of the 130-run partnership that formed the backbone of the Indian chase.
After winning the 2nd T20I with ease, the Windies go into the decider with confidence and the tie will certainly not be a cakewalk for the hosts, who will look to seal their second T20I series this season.
Fast running out of time, a struggling Rajasthan Royals will hope to complete the double against Mumbai Indians in a return-leg IPL fixture and revive their campaign in Jaipur Saturday.
'It is no accident that politicians strive to control sports bodies, and get their names associated with popular sports, sometimes by renaming stadiums after themselves,' observes Devangshu Datta.
'It is not foreign to have two left-handers in the team. Australia have not done it a lot in the past but I don't see why we can't do that. Mitch bowls exceptionally well at the death, can also bowl at the middle and upfront. So, it might be a case if both of us are picked in the same team we can have different roles'
What makes these players such hot properties at the IPL Players Auction?
Mumbai Indians opener Quinton de Kock rued the lack of support for Hardik Pandya, whose incredible power-hitting kept Kolkata Knight Riders on tenterhooks till the final ball of the 18th over.
The Pune outfit is presently languishing at the sixth spot in the eight-team standings with just four points.
