Virat Kohli has finally clarified his stance on unfriending the Australian team, saying he 'meant only a couple of guys' and that his comments were blown out of proportion. But what has made the Indian captain changed his tune? Does the Indian Premier League ring any bells, asks Norma Godinho/Rediff.com.
Former Australian captain Brad Haddin encouraged the Aussie public to go out and watch Indian icons Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action
'We are an experienced team now, we played good cricket. All bases were covered and I'm really happy with the way things went in this Test'
Virat Kohli may have stepped away from Test cricket, but he leaves behind a faster, leaner, hungrier Indian team.
'You guys need to understand, these guys are human beings. You give them the stick now, but at the end of their careers, you look back and how did they make you feel when they played? They made people feel happy.'
Cummins remains a doubtful for the Ashes opener at Perth starting on November 21 but Marsh is among the players who would be in fray for selection for the opening Test of the five-match series.
'We never stop trying. We did not give in and we did not let the opposition roll over us'
Virat Kohli roared back to form in sensational fashion, smashing his 51st ODI ton to help India secure a six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan.
Virat Kohli and Yusuf Pathan emerged India's star batsmen, while off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the most economical bowler, in the five-match ODI series against South Africa, which they lost 2-3.
India will be playing five T20s, three ODIs and two Tests in New Zealand.
Shubman Gill has not just scored a double hundred; he's rewritten the record books.
'He backs players he likes but lets go of those he doesn't.'
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma lauded the batter following his match-winning performance against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.
The Indian team has drawn praise from former cricket greats after regaining the No.1 ranking in Tests following a thumping 3-0 victory in the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand. Legendary Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya on Wednesday hailed Team India and captain Virat Kohli for their splendid performances in the last few months.
Gavaskar also wants Kohli to continue batting as an opener as the team needs their best batsman 'to bat as many overs' as he can.
The secret to Virat Kohli's phenomenal success, says Dhruv Munjal, lies in his fitness and a tenacious urge to be the best.
Patidar made a bright beginning to his stint as RCB captain, leading his side to a seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening game of the IPL 2025 in Kolkata on Saturday.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
As India prepare for a high-stakes ODI series, all eyes naturally turn to Rohit and Kohli as this series marks their return since the title-winning ICC Champions Trophy Final earlier this year.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu hailed MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli as "institutions" whose relevance will not die down while their contemporaries fade.
'It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous. Super stoked for the boys to get the win.'
Jaiswal ticked a box in the third ODI with his maidan ton and Ruturaj Gaikwad chipped in with a hundred at Raipur, leaving Gambhir pleased as punch.
Another failure to win an ICC tournament will put Virat Kohli's leadership future in doubt. When BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah hold a virtual meet with the national selectors in a couple of days' time, the leadership issue will be discussed.
Gujarat Titans skipper Gill is expected to captain India on the Test tour of England following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Rishabh Pant is likely to be his deputy.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly lavished praise on Virat Kohli, saying he wants the Test skipper to do better than what he had done for his country.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Mullanpur on Sunday
Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli has been fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining slow over rate during the team's Indian Premier League game against Rising Pune Supergiants.
The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over.
Axar Patel revealed he was doing the math for Virat Kohli's century during their partnership in the India-Pakistan match, ensuring he didn't edge the ball to make sure Kohli reached his milestone
A sore right knee forced Virat Kohli out of the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday but the extent of the problem was not immediately clear.
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam shared a brief yet significant exchange before Pakistan began their innings.
England pacer Brydon Carse is expecting the transitioning Indian team to put up a strong fight in the five-match Test series despite the recent retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, thanks to their "huge depth".
Beginning of Gambhir era: Coach becomes most powerful figure in Indian dressing room
Virat surprised me, he had at least 2-3 years of Test cricket left in him: Shastri
'The 2018 series win in Australia stands out in his captaincy.'
Under Rohit Sharma, India won the 2018 and 2023 ODI Asia Cup, runners-up position in the 2023 World Cup at home and triumphed in the the ICC Champions Trophy in March.
While the white-ball trophy cabinet kept getting heavier, Team India's fortunes in Test cricket swung wildly between hope and despair in 2025.
Rohit turned back the clock and produced a sizzling 121*(125), to lift India to a nine-wicket win.
Showing an insatiable hunger to learn and succeed, Shubman Gill turned to senior players and former greats for insights, embodying the ethos of a student of the game.
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