A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Dasun Shanaka is their 10th captain in nearly five years, and barring a classy batsman like Dhananjaya de Silva and a steady pacer in Dishmantha Chameera, this team lacks quality to challenge the might of the Indian team led by Shikhar Dhawan.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday insisted that Virat Kohli's IPL captaincy will not have an impact in the World Cup as he enjoys a good record as the skippers in One-Day Internationals.
'The past few weeks in England will be remembered as much for Kohli's skilled conquest of his English demons as they will be for his dreadful reading of pitches, curious selection choices, sporadic tactical lapses, and overall inability to help his side cross the finish line,' notes Dhruv Munjal.
Some 17 months on, with his rehabilitation after a one-year ball-tampering ban apparently completed, the 32-year-old will return to the Test arena at Edgbaston on Thursday at the start of his sixth Ashes series.
India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane said criticism that the team does not play the short-ball well does not hold merit.
A formidable Indian cricket team is likely to revel in home conditions, as they prepare to host and dominate New Zealand in the first Test in Kanpur, from Thursday, heralding the beginning of a long 13-match home season.
The visitors have a 2-0 lead in the series and can wrap up the contest with another win here before leaving for the last leg of the tour in Colombo.
A dominant Indian team routed Pakistan at Old Trafford.
Young Rishabh Pant's competition for the second wicketkeeper's slot with veteran Dinesh Karthik will be the highlight of the discussion.
India have set an aggressive tone to the ongoing four-match Test series.
Cheteshwar Pujara rose to the occasion with a maiden century in Australia, pulling India out of a deep hole to a respectable 250 for nine on day one of the first Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
'The point is that if as a player I have always played for the team, then I deserve chances more consistently. That's the least I am asking.'
Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane feels that the batsmen will have to show a lot of patience if they are to find success in the upcoming four-Test series against the West Indies.
The Australia vice-captain struggled in the four-Test series in India preceding the IPL but has been at his attacking best in the Twenty20 tournament, where he has registered back-to-back 600-plus run seasons.
Virat Kohli held centrestage with a delightful unbeaten 85 after a collective bowling effort as India cruised to an easy six-wicket victory over New Zealand taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series in Dharamsala on Sunday. After bowling out New Zealand for 190 in 43.5 overs, India reached the target in a mere 33.1 overs in a match that turned out to be thoroughly one-sided.
With 14 required off the last over, Umesh Yadav was hit for a boundary each by Jhye Richardson and Pat Cummins as Australia reached the target of 127 off the last delivery of the match.
The Indian pace attack has been talked up of late and to be fair, they have done a decent job in South Africa.
Seeking to continue their winning momentum and take an unassailable 2-0 lead, India were dealt a blow ahead of the third one-dayer against England at Trent Bridge on Saturday as opener Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the remainder of the tour because of injury.
Check out PM Modi's personal messages to India's players at World Cup.
This edition of the league will bear special significance with the mega ODI World Cup starting only two and half weeks after the final on May 12. In 2011 and 2015, the World Cup was held before the IPL and this is the first time that it will be held post the tournament.
The top order failed to fire in difficult conditions, but the bowlers stood out, not only performing with the ball but scoring vital runs as well.
Norma Astrid Godinho picks her IPL 2022 Dream XI, an unbeatable combination that could give the very best a run for their money...
Harish Kotian evaluates the Indian team's performances in the first Test.
India will be hoping to put up an improved bowling show with their front line pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah back in action for the third ODI
A World Cup victory will put Kohli in a league of his own and even those sceptical about his tactical nous, will have no other option but to grudgingly doff their hats at his heady achievements.
Star batsman Virat Kohli says India's triumph in the 2007 World T20 tournament proved the catalyst in the team winning the 50-overs World Cup four years later.
Images from Day 4 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Sunday.
Australia vice-captain Alex Carey said the ODI series win against a top team like India 'will mean a lot' considering the hosts' struggles over the last 12 months.
India would look to continue their ruthless streak
After their below par showing in the World Cup, some senior Indian players are living on borrowed time.
With Shikar Dhawan back in the squad, it is indeed a happy problem for skipper Virat Kohli, who has to choose two quality openers among three.
Dhoni's diverse talents make him an invaluable asset to the Indian side. But it will be his batting that will keep him afloat, says Dhruv Munjal.
Australia made a meal of it but successfully chased down 128 for a four-wicket victory and an unassailable 2-0 series lead after dismissing India for 224 on the fourth day of the second Test.
The famed Indian batting line-up crashed for a lowly 135 to lose the first Test by 72 runs in Newlands on Monday.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh in Indore.
On paper as well as on current form, West Indies are no match for defending champions India, who have registered convincing victories against Pakistan, South Africa and UAE in their first three matches of the ICC World Cup.
The cricket fraternity from across the globe reacted with shock and sadness at the sad demise of Australian batsman Philip Hughes.
Four openers. Two middle order batsmen. Two leg-spinners. Three fast bowlers. Harish Kotian picks his IPL XI from the league stages.
'When Dhoni walked in, India needed 105 to win with 32 overs to play. The situation called for calm, nerveless, ice-cold execution without necessitating any adrenalin-fueled impestuosities -- the sort of situation that is the Indian captain's spiritual home.'
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