Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their title defence against a formidable Mumbai Indians side in the opening match of the eighth edition of Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, on Wednesday.
You do wonder why this is so, especially because top Indian players earn significantly higher amounts than their international counterparts with similar or greater ability. Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the Most Valuable Players in the IPL so far.
What separates the men from the boys? What is it that winners have but losers lack? Sonil Dedhia/Rediff.com lists lessons you can learn from Mumbai Indians' win against Chennai Super Kings at Eden Gardens on May 24.
Their morale on the upswing after back-to-back victories, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will aim to continue the winning run when they take on the inconsistent Sunrisers Hyderabad in their fifth IPL cricket match in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
Dale Steyn claimed six for 100 to bowl out India for 334 in their first innings. In reply, South Africa got off to a positive start, scoring 82 for no loss, at stumps on the rain-hit second day in Durban, on Friday.
Kolkata Knight Riders might have come up trumps in a high-scoring IPL opener against Mumbai Indians, but skipper Gautam Gambhir was all praise for his bowling unit that was ably led by South African speedster Morne Morkel.
For the legion of CSK fans, it will be a homecoming like no other as the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will play at the M A Chidambaram stadium in Chennai for the first time since May 2015.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers featuring the India team from the World Cups.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has said they will have to dish out a "big performance" against Bangladesh in the summit clash of the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament if they desire to lift the trophy on Sunday.
Virender Sehwag's wretched run in domestic cricket continued as the veteran opener failed to open his account but Delhi did manage to comfortably beat Punjab by four wickets to notch up their maiden win in the North Zone leg of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after game 47 of IPL 10.
This is clearly a new India, one that displays temerity in plenty, and backs up intent with performance.
Taking note of the fatigue factor, India are likely field a second string team for the forthcoming limited overs tour of Zimbabwe next month.
Suresh Raina's return could not have been better-timed as Gujarat Lions, jolted by the tournament's biggest ever defeat, seek to revive their campaign when they face off with Kolkata Knight Riders.
India Blue reached the Duleep Trophy final on the basis of a massive first innings lead, completing a comprehensive performance against India Green even as the game ended in a draw in Greater Noida on Wednesday. There was only one team going into the final against India Red after India Blue took a huge 470-run first innings lead yesterday by dismissing the Green team for 237. India Blue had amassed 707
Kolkata Knight Riders will have to break the agonising sequence of debacles when they clash with defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL eliminator, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Some teams have completely overhauled their squads. Others retained their core at the IPL Players Auction.
A total of 62 players were sold at the auction for the 13th edition with the eight franchises spending a total of 1.403 billion rupees ($19.73 million). Australia's Pat Cummins became the most expensive overseas buy ever in the Indian Premier League when the Kolkata Knight Riders paid a staggering Rs 15.50 crore ($2.18 million) for the fast bowler in Thursday's auction in Kolkata on Thursday.
In the other matches, Manipur trounced Nagaland by 10 wickets in the battle of newcomers while Jammu and Kashmir defeated Andhra Pradesh by five wickets.
While KKR suffered their heaviest defeat of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last game, Pune looked to have found their mojo in the business end of the tournament having registered consecutive wins in their last two matches.
Veteran opener Virender Sehwag is making most of his hard-earned form as he blended caution with aggression during an attractive unbeaten knock of 147 to take Delhi to a respectable 278 for 7 at stumps against Haryana in the Ranji Trophy Group B match in Lahli, on Monday.
Yuvraj Singh knocked at the doors of national team selectors following a superb, quick-fire century (89-ball 123) to lead India 'A' to a thumping 77-run victory over West Indies 'A' in the first of the three-match One-day series, in Bangalore on Sunday.
Brilliant bowling by the pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel, followed by skipper Gautam Gambhir's superb half-century, powered Kolkata Knight Riders to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Saturday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the Most Valuable Players in the IPL at the end of Match 59.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the 60 Most Valuable Players in the IPL so far.
Glenn Maxwell took the India A bowlers to the cleaners yet again, smashing a quickfire half-century, to help Australia A win by 25 runs and storm into the final of the A teams tri-series in Pretoria, on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians will have their task cut out when they lock horns with Chennai Super Kings.
Now that IPL 2014 is over, our data journalists take a look at who the VFM batsmen and bowlers were in the tournament.
Mumbai Indians need to rethink their strategy; Narine boost for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten half-century was in vain as Delhi scored a 99-run victory over Jharkhand in a lop-sided second quarter-final in the Vijay Hazare trophy, One-day tournament, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present the Most Valuable Player Index of the just-concluded three-match series between India and Zimbabwe.
Delhi Daredevils face a herculean task to revive their IPL campaign when they clash with Kolkata Knight Riders
Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders and a transformed Kings XI Punjab cross swords in an Indian Premier League contest in which big-hitting Jamaicans Andre Russell and Chris Gayle will be up against each other in Kolkata on Saturday.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Friday
He is the youngest Indian to achieve the feat at 12 years, seven months and 17 days, erasing the mark set by his state-mate R Praggnanandhaa in June last year.
Young pacer Tushar Deshpande recorded his career-best figures of six for 70 to help Mumbai earn a sizeable first innings lead against Railways on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Group A encounter in New Delhi on Saturday.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Friday
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after Game 51 in IPL 10.
The nation on Saturday remembered Mahatma Gandhi on his 68th death anniversary with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the country in paying homage to the Father of the Nation.
Karnataka's in-form young opener K L Rahul has staked a strong claim for his inclusion in India's Test squad to Australia.
