Abhishek Sharma roared back to form with a blistering 84 off 32 balls, while Arshdeep Singh's superb 3 for 19 helped India cruise to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening T20I in Delhi on Sunday.
Indian cricketers were surprised with AI-generated 1980s avatars of themselves during a photo session before the Afghanistan T20I series, leading to humorous reactions from players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Axar Patel, and Ishan Kishan.
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
Shivam Dube's explosive innings helped India recover from a slow start against the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup, after the top order struggled against Aryan Dutt's spin bowling.
Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana have been included in India's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, pending fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence.
'Apart from Bumrah, nothing much stood out in the bowling, except for the new spell bowled by Arshdeep.'
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav says India will consider playing two spinners in the T20 World Cup if the situation demands, highlighting the team's strong spin bowling options and flexible batting lineup.
A timely unbeaten 53 from vice-captain Rinku Singh and a fine spell from Varun Chakravarthy powered former champions Kolkata Knight Riders to their first win of IPL 2026.
Sony Sports Network has secured exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, scheduled from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will feature India led by Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran, with both teams showcasing aggressive T20 cricket. This acquisition strengthens Sony's sports portfolio and offers a platform for Afghanistan to demonstrate its talent against a top-tier team.
The spotlight is on mystery spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Usman Tariq, who could exploit the Premadasa Stadium's testing pitch during the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Abhishek Sharma's explosive 82-run innings led India to a seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the opening T20 International in New Delhi, giving them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Despite recent underwhelming performances, the Indian team showcased a strong collective effort, with key contributions from Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Ishan Kishan, while Afghanistan's skipper acknowledged their batting shortfall.
Indian cricket fans and former players questioned India's decision to leave Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out of the XI for the second T20I against Afghanistan.
VVS Laxman, BCCI's Centre of Excellence chief, will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. Gautam Gambhir, the regular head coach, will be with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. Amol Muzumdar will continue as the head coach for the Indian women's team, who will also defend their title.
Faf du Plessis called upon KKR to prepare spin-friendly pitches for their home games at Eden Gardens, which will bring their spin duo Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy into contention.
Quinton de Kock advises his South African teammates to rely on their strengths and instincts when facing Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy in their upcoming T20 match, acknowledging Chakravarthy's skill and the pressure of the game.
The Indian cricket team is preparing for its upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, with Jasprit Bumrah set to rejoin training after recovering from injury. The team's net session saw Washington Sundar working hard, while concerns over player injuries have led to the BCCI considering the removal of senior physio Kamlesh Jain. Pace bowling coach Morne Morkel was also absent due to visa issues.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy has taken a veiled dig at Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief Mohsin Naqvi for refusing to hand over the Asia Cup trophy to Team India in Dubai, saying that while the trophy can be withheld, nobody can take away the title of "champions" from India.
Just hours after being named to India's Champions Trophy squad, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been sidelined with a calf injury.
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma continued to stay at the top of the ICC Men's T20I batting charts despite a horrendous run in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel emphasises giving opportunities to second-line bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar in the upcoming ODI series against West Indies. He believes this match time is crucial for building a strong bowling group for next year's World Cup. Morkel also highlighted the importance of exposing bowlers to tough match situations to develop their temperament.
India spinner Varun Chakravarthy says his T20 World Cup preparation is centred around backing his lengths, maintaining confidence and constantly challenging himself mentally even in matches that appear straightforward.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are reportedly dissatisfied with the arrangements and facilities for the upcoming Asian Games cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Concerns include inadequate dressing rooms, distant washrooms, and small hotel rooms. As a result, India might send a 'B' team instead of the previously announced full-strength squad, pending a report from a BCCI observer.
Varun Chakravarthy credited the intense domestic grind and the role clarity provided by new head coach Gautam Gambhir as vital in helping regain his lost form.
Indian mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy has extended his lead at the top of the ICC Men's T20I Bowler Rankings, climbing to a new career-high rating.
The mystery spinner has not bowled to his strength, says former India spinner Piyush Chawla.
Ahead of the match against LSG he was sat down by the KKR social media team who got him to answer some rapid fire questions.
Virat Kohli was on Sunday named in India's squad for the three-match ODI series against England next month, subject to fitness clearance.
National selectors are set to convene in New Delhi to finalise India's ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming home series against West Indies, with Rishabh Pant's potential white-ball return and Hardik Pandya's fitness being the primary discussion points.
Former India captain Anil Kumble praised Rohit Sharma's impressive start to IPL 2026, noting his improved fitness and dominant batting performance.
Maestro Virat Kohli and skipper Shubman Gill displayed their mastery in 50-over format with virtuoso hundreds as India subdued the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Varun Chakravarthy, who has quickly become one of India's most consistent bowlers in T20Is, further cemented his reputation with a brilliant 3-23 in the first T20I in Kolkata.
Rajasthan Royals head coach Vikram Rathour has expressed his support for Riyan Parag, who has been struggling with his form in the current season. Rathour believes it is only a matter of time before Parag starts performing well and contributing to the team's success.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday?
He's a tough one, the one we'll have to look out for: Short on mystery tweaker Varun
Ravichandran Ashwin's tactical foresight proved spot on as mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy dismissed the dangerous Travis Head early in India's Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia.
Except in the IPL, the Australians have not had a good look at Varun Chakravarthy's bowling and that could spell trouble for Steve Smith and Co.
A struggling Indian team, yet to secure a win on their UK tour, is set to make a crucial change for the third T20 International against England, likely replacing out-of-form leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi with an additional pace bowler to strengthen their attack.
Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in their recent IPL match, with their bowling unit receiving high praise for restricting the opposition to a manageable total. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane credited the bowlers, particularly the spinners, for their consistent performance and ability to take crucial wickets.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is set to meet Head Of Cricket VVS Laxman to review the rehabilitation management programme at the Centre of Excellence (COE) following a spate of injuries to key Indian players. The meeting aims to address concerns regarding player fitness and the effectiveness of the COE's injury management protocols.
Varun Chakravarthy is the second oldest debutant for India in One-Day Internationals after Farokh Engineer.
