With just days to go before the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 begins, the spotlight is not only on the players but also on the voice that will set the tone - Shreya Ghoshal's stirring anthem, Bring It Home.
India's newly-appointed ODI skipper Shubman Gill on Thursday said senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain a part of the team's 2027 World Cup plans as their skill levels and voluminous experience cannot be ignored.
K L Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan struck sublime hundreds as India A registered a stunning five-wicket win over Australia A while hunting down a target of 413 to seal the two-match unofficial Test series 1-0, in Lucknow, on Friday.
World Cup Tune-up: India Women to host Australia Women for three ODIs in Sept.
India's batting is a major concern with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling for runs ahead of the tour of Australia.
The 27-year-old suffered a fractured metatarsal during the Manchester Test in July, an injury that has sidelined him for months and ruled him out of the West Indies series and the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia.
India have a mounting worry in the lack of runs so far from talismanic Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the energetic Jemimah Rodrigues.
After the proceedings began with light warm-up and catching, the action shifted to the nets where all batters had long stints in the nets while the other pace bowlers too put in the hard yards.
This was no Ranji clash, but a marquee Test opener-an international match that deserved a full house-yet Ahmedabad's 132,000-capacity stadium looked eerily empty.
Veteran allrounder Marizanne Kapp excelled with both bat and ball, while skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus also smashed fine half-centuries as South Africa defeated Pakistan by 150 runs (DLS Method) in a rain-affected Women's World Cup match to go top of the table, in Colombo, on Tuesday.
From Mumbai to Colombo: Venues to host ICC Women's World Cup 2025
There are three aspects of the decision taken jointly by Agarkar and Gambhir with the blessings of someone very powerful in Indian cricket ecosystem. First, they are on same page that both Rohit and Virat Kohli aren't exactly in their scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup.
'I am also thrilled to compete against some quality players in the opposition teams, it will be a good challenge for us.'
Lakshay Sheoran and Neeru Dhanda missed out on making the medal round in the trap mixed team event at the ISSF Lonato World Cup.
The 38 year old has transformed his physique ahead of the coming ODI series in Australia, shedding noticeable weight and showing the results of intense off-field training since the conclusion of IPL 2025 in June.
Shubman Gill has described his appointment as India's ODI captain as the "biggest honour", expressing pride in carrying forward the legacy left by Rohit Sharma, who will play under him in the upcoming three-match series in Australia.
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
Pacer Kim Garth and spinner Alana King are up one spot each to be fourth and fifth in the ODI bowling ranking, their highest ever.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald hinted at a rejig in the top order after misfiring in the World Test Championship final defence against South Africa at Lord's.
'They have won everything but the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and they know that, they've spoken about that, this is the one they want to tick off.'
West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican stressed that seizing crucial moments will be the key to competing in the two-match series against India.
With a five-match T20I series in October-November in Australia, five T20Is against South Africa at home in December and five T20Is against New Zealand at home in January 2026, Team India will now look to test itself, its combinations and youngsters against some of the world's best T20I teams ahead of the T20 WC 2026, which will start in early 2026.
New Zealand, champions in 2000, are just outside the top four with three points from as many games.
'We'll sit down and review -- see what went well, where we can improve, and how we can keep learning every day. There'll be a meeting for that. One game won't change our mindset.'
Gambhir said his only advice to Gill has been, "Just be himself".
Shreyas Iyer said that returning to an upright batting stance has helped him regain confidence and consistency, allowing him to adapt better to varied conditions at home and overseas.
'Never knew golf could be this much fun.'
Calling it the formal start of Gill's era, Chopra also wondered what the change means for Rohit Sharma, whose place in India's long-term plans could now depend solely on form and fitness.
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.
Former No. 1-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would open the innings for Australia in the WTC final against South Africa while the fit-again Cameron Green would bat at the No. 3 position.
India suffered a major pre-match blow in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the title-deciding clash in Dubai due to a niggle.
Indian archers made a spectacular start to their World Championships campaign, storming into the finals of the compound men's team and mixed pair events to assure at least two medals
Mohammed Siraj's commitment to a team-first approach sets him apart from the others and the pacer has demonstrated strong leadership qualities, said former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
In 242 international appearances, Gambhir scored 10,324 runs at an average of 38.95, with 20 centuries and 63 fifties in 283 innings. He is amongst 14 Indians to have 10,000 international runs.
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
Both teams began their World Cup campaigns in contrasting fashion. Hosts India defeated Sri Lanka by 59 runs, while Pakistan, collapsed against Bangladesh, losing by seven wickets in a match where they struggled against both pace and spin.
'It's about taking the right options in the given situation.'
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.
Rishabh Pant is yet to recover from the injury suffered during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
Australia will also play a three-match ODI series against India ahead of the 50-over showpiece event.
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