For captain Rohit Sharma, leading Mumbai Indians to the IPL title for a record third time ranks as one of the biggest achievements of his career so far.
Saurashtra's middle-order batter Sheldon Jackson followed in senior teammate Cheteshwar Pujara's footsteps, completing his century on day two of their Ranji Trophy Group A tie against Rajasthan to guide the defending champions to a 300-plus total in Jaipur on Saturday.
'The last time we were here, we were tested and challenged in all departments of our game and I think we replied to it quite well. So I expect a good, strong and competitive series.'
As much as Ishan Kishan has done his bit, India will need Iyer, the proverbial slayer of spin bowling in the middle overs during the World Cup.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for their T20 World Cup match against South Africa on Sunday?
The big question for Captain Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Rahul Dravid is to where to accomodate Virat Kohli, who has struggled for runs across formats in the last couple of years.
'While acknowledging Sanju's potential to pivot the course of a game with his exceptional abilities, it's imperative to recognise the distinct role that Team India expects from him.'
Captain Rohit Sharma continued to lead by example as a thoroughly professional Mumbai Indians outclassed Pune Supergiants by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League encounter.
The young Tilak Varma was included in the Indian team for the Asia Cup as the sixth specialist batter.
It may be an inconsequential game on paper but Indian bowlers await another tough test against South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup when the two teams meet in the final game of the three-match series in Indore on Tuesday.
Mhambrey said while the bowlers will get some rest in days leading up to the WTC final, the group is determined to extract the maximum benefits from the training sessions.
'There's going to be a lot of logistics involved given the IPL final is only a week before the WTC final'
At the end of it all, Dravid's one-year report card doesn't paint a rosy picture and a meticulous planner like him will sit back and think hard about the tough calls he might need to take before the ODI World Cup in a year's time.
KL Rahul has struggled at the top of the order, managing just 36 runs at a strike rate of 90 in the first two matches against Pakistan and Hong Kong.
Skipper Rohit Sharma will be travelling to the port city on Wednesday and is expected to feature in the series-opener.
Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are expected to spit fire on a track that will offer steep bounce as India's top-order gears up for its toughest test in adverse conditions against a top-notch South African side in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Injured T20I captain Hardik Pandya is unlikely to be available for India's upcoming five-match series against Australia, starting November 23. The star all-rounder will require more time to recover from his left-ankle ligament tear.
Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has successfully completed his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy following a back injury and will join India's squad ahead of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, beginning New Delhi on Friday.
Images from the third T20 International between India and New Zealand, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Sunday.
The Indian cricket team will assemble in New Delhi on June 5 ahead of the five-match T20I series against South Africa.
A clinical India outclassed West Indies by a whopping 200 runs in the third ODI to win the series 2-1.
Thousands of fans from both countries have crisscrossed the globe to watch their team in action and trust rival captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam to tell you this is another 'match' for them, but all the 22 players and reserves know that this is 'The Match'.
Rohit Sharma's sizzling century went in vain as Australia survived a few anxious moments before pulling off a tense four-wicket win over India in a cricket tri-series ODI match in Melbourne.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Siraj have been added to the squad as injury replacements but they do not figure in the World Cup-bound squad, as of now.
Virat Kohli hit a second successive unbeaten half century. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav also reached the 50-mark
Images from the second One-Day International between Bangladesh and India, in Mirpur, on Wednesday.
Mumbai Indians will look to address their poor death over bowling when they take on a resurgent Gujarat Titans.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the first Test against Australia?
Mohammed Shami was named as the replacement for the injured Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal understands why Kuldeep Yadav is playing ahead of him in the ODI format.
Having already won the series, Rohit and Dravid will now like to maintain a fine balance between winning and also trying out all their available resources to see how each and every individual is placed.
'It's a relief for other teams that Bumrah and Harshal aren't playing this Asia Cup!' Irfan told Waqar.
Flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will join the team ahead of the Test series that follows the ODIs.
How Rishabh Pant performs as skipper will be watched with interest
Shreyas Iyer's performance will be under intense scrutiny as India gear up for the back-to-back T20I games against West Indies
It is understood that Kuldeep, who had lost his mojo in the Kohli-Ravi Shastri era, has been called back as the current team management and selectors feel that he has the X-Factor to contribute to team's cause.
Will India pick Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel or Yuzvendra Chahal for the semi-final game on Thursday?
Ravichandran Ashwin is fast closing in on the No 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers.
India would be looking to sort out issues such as the opening blues, the middle-lower order conundrum and also the bowling strategies during the three-match T20 series against West Indies.
Umesh was brought in as Shami's replacement
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances