Earlier, warm-up routines had players darting through shuttle runs and high knees before bats were unsheathed.
Cooper Connolly was named Player of the Match after an unbeaten 72 on debut powered Punjab Kings to a tense three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 opener.
A Test series win in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa ranks as a "bigger" achievement than an IPL title, said India's new captain Shubman Gill on Thursday.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop believes that Shubman Gill's captaincy will only grow stronger with the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the upcoming ODI series in Australia, calling their presence "a huge support system" for the young leader.
England's right-handed batter Harry Brook has replaced his teammate Joe Root to reclaim the No. 1 Test batter's position in the world
Gill second successive ton as skipper takes India to 310 for 5
India captain Shubman Gill has had a trial by fire in his debut series as captain with all three Tests against England lasting five days but more than the physical fatigue, he feels tired mentally.
Fans on social media accused Gautam Gambhir of favouritism, questioning Ayush Badoni's inclusion given his modest List A record.
A toe injury suffered before the fourth T20I is set to keep Gill out of the final T20I here as India would want to take a cautious route, more so when there is a ready replacement for the top order slot in Sanju Samson.
The youngster spoke about handling the limelight, the comparisons
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will need a lot of game time going forward now that they play only one format but a decision on how the two white ball legends will stay in rhythm will be decided once the South Africa ODI series is over, skipper Shubman Gill said on Saturday.
Mitchell Starc's four-wicket haul helped Delhi Capitals restrict Rajasthan Royals to 193 for eight after a blazing start in their IPL match, keeping Delhi's playoff hopes alive.
Gill's first X post of the IPL 2025 season, following Gujarat Titans' victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, sparked intense speculation.
'Can never go wrong with the Hakim,' SG captioned his Instagram post.
Mitchell McClenaghan hails Jasprit Bumrah's first-over spell as a "masterstroke" after MI pacer ends wicket drought and strikes early against Gujarat Titans.
Kris Srikkanth had fans in splits as he took a cheeky dig at Gautam Gambhir's 'favourite', Harshit Rana
Gill hit a purple patch in the three-match series against England, scoring 87 (in Nagpur), 60 (in Cuttack), and 112 (in Ahmedabad) as he was adjudged the 'Player of the Series' in the hosts' 3-0 clean sweep.
After walking down the track earlier in the over to drive the bowler through covers, Gill shuffled again, only this time he used his supple wrists to nonchalantly flick the left-arm pacer over fine leg and deep into the stands.
Rinku Singh made a roaring return with a match-tilting 44 not out off 20 balls against New Zealand in Nagpur on Wednesday
Shubman Gill was extremely consistent with thought process, respected good balls: Sachin Tendulkar
The BCCI has postponed Wednesday's press conference to Thursday afternoon, where Ajit Agarkar will unveil India's squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies, with Shubman Gill returning as captain.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has called on his team to embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time as their playoff hopes dwindle after a series of losses in the ongoing tournament.
K L Rahul takes over the captaincy after regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series because of a neck injury.
On young Indian players frequently choosing the sweep and reverse sweep shots against spinners, Gill said it was not a team strategy.
Moody believes Gill, Sudharsan can weather any storm as they "learnt to move through gears"
In a nail-biting encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Rajasthan Royals edged out Gujarat Titans by just six runs, posting 210/6 and holding their nerve as GT fell short at 204/8 in 20 overs
Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali sees shades of Virat Kohli in Shubman Gill's aggressive on-field demeanour, but feels the India batter's approach during the Lord's Test may have triggered a stronger response from the hosts.
The squad also features Karun Nair, who returns to the national set up after a long gap of eight years.
Kagiso Rabada reflects on a 'disappointing' previous season, highlighting his shift from 'desperate' to 'determined' after a match-winning spell that helped Gujarat Titans defeat Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
The final Test begins on Friday in New Delhi, and the Shubman Gill-led side is expected to maintain their winning combination as they look to wrap up the home series.
Fans are travelling from across cities just to be in the stadium on days Rajasthan Royals play -- on the off-chance they get to watch him bat. Television numbers spike the moment he walks out to the crease. And there's a pattern that have quietly started to notice: The moment Sooryavanshi is dismissed, a significant chunk of viewers switch off.
'The most important thing for India is to throw the counter punch almost immediately.'
Captain Shubman Gill and the ever-dependable K L Rahul gave India a glimmer of hope with resilient half-centuries after a well crafted hundred from Ben Stokes extended England's supremacy in the fourth Test in Manchester on Saturday.
Shreyas Iyer, Riyan Parag and Jitesh Sharma are the three names that Aakash Chopra has thrown in as potential replacements for the injured Tilak Varma.
With just 10 days remaining in the Indian Premier League's league stage, a late surge from teams like Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders has intensified the competition, leaving eight teams vying for the coveted four playoff spots.
Indian captain Shubman Gill and his teammates also revelled in the win and expressed their pride and joy on social media handles.
With the much-anticipated Group A clash against arch-rivals Pakistan looming, India is sparing no effort in their training sessions, honing skills and strategising tactics.
Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a rib injury in the series opener in Vadodara.
Runs have dried up for Suryakumar, with his last T20I fifty coming back in October 2024. With the World Cup less than two months away, the pressure has begun to mount.
Gujarat Titans assistant coach Parthiv Patel attributes their IPL loss to Punjab Kings to challenging pitch conditions and effective bowling by the opposition.
