India have a couple of middle-order slots still up for grabs and Shreyas Iyer sees this as an 'opportunity'
Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday expressed disappointment over Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the Asia Cup squad
Sunil Gavaskar reckons Shreyas Iyer's Punjab Kings have it in them to script a turnaround and make it to the IPL 2026 final.
'A player like Hardik Pandya is needed in every franchise. He is a proper three dimensional player.'
Punjab Kings (PBKS) are keeping their approach simple and positive ahead of their final IPL 2026 league match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has not just won a match. He has led from the front, lifted a struggling side, and announced -- loudly and clearly -- that he is here to stay, applauds R K Nayar.
India's decision to drop 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the fifth and final T20I against England, despite the series already being decided, has drawn criticism from former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar and Graeme Swann, who argue the youngster should have been given more opportunities.
Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A, starting September 30 in Kanpur.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's possible T20I debut and India's batting struggles after the Ireland whitewash dominate the build-up to the five-match series against England, where testing conditions await Shreyas Iyer's side.
Indian batter Tilak Varma has defended his batting approach during the recent tours of Ireland and England, stating that his strike rate was dictated by match situations and team requirements rather than personal preference. He emphasised his commitment to adapting his game, whether it means aggressive hitting or anchoring the innings, based on the team's needs, especially when wickets were falling frequently.
India's challenging UK tour threw up another obstacle on Saturday when a traffic jam delayed their arrival at Southampton for the fifth and final Twenty20 International against England, which the hosts won by 56 runs.
Jos Buttler rolled back the years with a blistering century, while skipper Harry Brook hammered a quickfire 95 as England annihilated an out-of-sorts India by 56 runs in the fifth and final T20 International.
'If a player who is not being selected after scoring so many runs in the IPL, then there is some other reason for his non-inclusion.'
Pacer Ashok Sharma will make his debut against Zimbabwe in the T20I series opener in Harare on Thursday.
According to medical reports, Shreyas Iyer will require over a month to regain full match fitness.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia made it clear that such discussions have not taken place. Speaking to the Hindustan Times newspaper, he said, 'That's news to me. There have been no such discussions.'
Rajasthan Royals' teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to rewrite records in the Indian Premier League 2026, becoming the fastest player to reach 400 runs in a single edition.
Sanju Samson smashed a quick 57 as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Suryansh Shedge's India call-up may have come as a "lucky break", but the young all-rounder has been urged to treat it as a learning opportunity by soaking in everything inside a dressing room full of experienced players and young leaders.
Former India cricketer and selector Saba Karim believes Suryakumar Yadav's inconsistent form might cost him a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2028 plans. Karim also suggested Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan as potential captaincy candidates, while expressing doubts about Hardik Pandya's leadership. He also advocated for the inclusion of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the national squad.
The umbrella of 'inexperience' or 'reset' is merely an excuse. Team India's think-tank will have to admit that this is experimentation without a roadmap, points out K R Nayar.
With big ticket events around the corner, the Indian team is eagerly waiting for the comeback of some of their injured players.
Following India's dominant T20I victory over Zimbabwe, social media erupted with fan discussions, with many attributing the team's relaxed performance to Gautam Gambhir's absence and V V S Laxman's oversight, while others cautioned against overreacting to a single match.
Punjab Kings kept their IPL playoff hopes alive after a convincing win over Lucknow Super Giants, but qualification now depends on results involving MI, RR and KKR.
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.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak discusses the Indian cricket team's ongoing transition, highlighting the debut of young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the challenges of playing without Hardik Pandya. He emphasises the team's focus on developing new talent and improving in all departments for future World Cups.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer attributes the team's early-season IPL success to internal competition and a desire to impress each other, rather than external validation, after securing their second consecutive win.
Zimbabwe T20 captain Sikandar Raza believes the upcoming three-match T20I series against India will be a closely contested affair, with both teams having an equal chance of victory.
Delhi Daredevils beat Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in their Indian Premier League match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Tuesday.
Venkatesh Iyer smashed an unbeaten 73 off 40 balls in a pressure game against Punjab Kings, powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the IPL 2026 playoffs with a commanding victory.
Former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor on Friday said the depth in India's T20I squad for the Asia Cup allowed the national selectors to leave out a player of Shreyas Iyer's calibre, who was ignored for the continental tournament.
The Indian team, which looked invincible under Suryakumar Yadav, has suddenly hit rock bottom a few months after winning the T20 World Cup.
Punjab Kings' co-owner Preity Zinta expressed her joy on social media after her team secured a dominant victory against Mumbai Indians in the IPL, maintaining their unbeaten streak.
Gautam Gambhir, known for his serious demeanour, surprised fans by sharing a series of memes on Instagram featuring a rare smile.
R Ashwin has questioned India's decision to drop T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, calling it a significant selection precedent and suggesting the star batter deserved more time to rediscover form.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has raised concerns over the bowling strength of Kolkata Knight Riders, saying opposition teams may no longer feel threatened by their attack.
The No 3 batter will rejoin India squad ahead of T20 WC warm-up game in Mumbai.
It remains to be seen if India will fall back on Sanju Samson to revive their sagging fortunes with a revamped batting order in the must-win fourth T20 International in Bristol on Thursday.
The Mumbai batter was India's top run-getter and the second-highest overall in the Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60, including two fifties and a top score of 79, playing a crucial role in India's second straight white-ball title.
