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.
The eight players who featured in India's World Cup triumph in 2024 will aim to repeat their magic from two years ago.
Virat Kohli's unbeaten 73 off 54 balls led Royal Challengers Bangalore to a seven-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar on Wednesday backed out-of-form legends Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma, saying that they must be given "space and time to come back".
'It was good fun. I was obviously really nervous. Super stoked for the boys to get the win.'
Dhruv Jurel continued his remarkable form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 with an unbeaten 160 for Uttar Pradesh against Baroda, a knock that sends a clear message to selectors ahead of India's New Zealand ODI series.
While the cricket fraternity is taken aback by talismanic Virat Kohli's wish to retire from Test cricket, it has been learnt that selection committee did ponder over the idea of handing over leadership to him in England to allow Gill some more time to groom.
Ashwin said Kohli only expressed his opinion that the WTC final should be a best of three series but never demanded the format to be changed.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), already qualified for the playoffs, will aim to secure a top-two league stage finish when they face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash in Lucknow.
'I was already on that flight, mentally. But when I wasn't selected, it hit me hard. I couldn't understand what went wrong.'
Kohli is struggling for big runs of late and his last Test century was against the West Indies at Port of Spain in July 2023.
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.
Virat Kohli opened up on his batting methodology, saying his focus remains on analysing the conditions and rotating the strike.
Australian bowlers were smashed all over the park by Indian batsmen, especially Virat Kohli, but visiting skipper George Bailey said he is not disappointed by their performance as they stuck to the team's plan in the sixth cricket One-dayer in Nagpur.
Reflecting on RCB's disastrous first half of the tournament, star batter Virat Kohli admitted he had his 'bags packed in April' itself.
Openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli will brace for a fiery showdown against thunderbolts from express pacer Jofra Archer as Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru look to get back to winning ways in the IPL match in Jaipur on Sunday.
England skipper Ben Stokes on Thursday said the hosts don't think the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin makes India any lesser side as their "ginormous" talent pool is enough to fill the void.
Although he termed it as Indian team's internal matter, Cummins was a touch surprised with Rohit Sharma's decision to drop himself from the playing eleven on account of poor form.
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.
Clearly, it is not something that children watching Kohli's antics on television would like to copy.
Shubman Gill's aggressive behaviour during the Lord's Test came as a surprise to many, including former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's run out will be huge in the broader context of the fourth Test match against India as it also affected Virat Kohli's concentration
Rohit turned back the clock and produced a sizzling 121*(125), to lift India to a nine-wicket win.
This will be Virat Kohli's first Ranji Trophy match in 12 years.
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.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to bounce back in the Champions Trophy, expressing confidence in their ability to lead India to success.
Suryakumar Yadav revealed that as captain Rohit Sharma was known to make everyone comfortable around him in the team.
Australia's stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh continued his fine run of form on Sunday, scoring 46 not out and leading his side to a seven-wicket triumph over India in the weather-affected first one-day international at Perth Stadium.
RCB batsman AB de Villiers can still sense the momentum which his side gained in the 13th edition of the IPL in UAE.
Nitish flaunted his six-hitting muscle in the first innings and showed signs of living up to the belief that the former Indian skipper has exuded in him. After being put to bat by Australia, rain interrupted the play on four instances, and the Indian team toiled for rhythm as well as runs.
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.
India's new Test captain Shubman Gill will drop down one spot in the order to take Virat Kohli's old position at number four
Rohit Sharma (57) and Virat Kohli (33) added 75 in an unbroken second wicket stand to carry India to a nine-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup Pool B encounter in Perth on Saturday.
Following their 21-run loss at the hands of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore stand-in skipper Virat Kohli said they deserved to lose the match.
With the departure of seniors Rohit Sharma and Kohli from the T20 International scene, workload management of someone like Jasprit Bumrah assumes greater significance, Gambhir said.
Royal Challengers Bangalor will attempt to break a 17-year jinx at the Chepauk stadium when they face Chennai Super Kings in the IPL match on Friday.
After Sarfaraz Khan received his maiden Test call-up in the India squad, former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh heaped praise on the 26-year-old and said that he has worked very hard to be in this place.
'Players can apply for permission if they want their families to stay longer on tours.' 'The BCCI will make a decision as it sees fit.'
Captain Shubman Gill acknowledged losing early wickets was one of the big reasons for India's loss in the rain-hit first ODI against Australia.
'Usually, there's a doubt in a bowler's mind before he approaches his captain. That has never been the case with Virat.'
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