'Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence' Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday said he was surprised to not see Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane in the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against West Indies. In a tweet, Ganguly wrote, "There are many in the squad who can play all formats ..surprised not to see Shubman gill ..Rahane in the one-day squad". "Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence.. too few are playing in all formats ..great teams had consistent players ..it's not about making all happy but picking the best for the country and be consistent..@bcci," Ganguly tweeted. On Sunday, India had announced the squads for the upcoming T20Is, ODIs and Test match series against West Indies. Many people expressed their displeasure over the omission of Gill from the squad as the player enjoyed good form in the recently-concluded five-match unofficial ODI series between India A and West Indies A. The player went on to amass 218 runs in the series against West Indies A. After India were knocked out of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in the semi-finals, former BCCI Secretary, Sanjay Jagdale had backed Rahane to be the number four batsman in the ODI format. "In my opinion, the Indian team needs a batsman like Ajinkya Rahane at number four. We have tried many options at the batting position for the past three months. We tried those batsmen who did not have a good record overseas. Rahane has always scored good runs in England," Jagdale had told ANI. Team India chief selector MSK Prasad on Sunday had announced the squads at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai for the upcoming series in Windies. Putting all speculations to rest about India captain Virat Kohli's participation in the limited-overs series, he was chosen to lead the team in all formats. Dhawan, who was ruled out of the World Cup after sustaining an injury to his left hand in the region between the index finger and thumb, returned for both ODIs and T20Is. Meanwhile, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was rested for three ODIs and as many T20Is. Veteran wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni was rested as well; Rishabh Pant will be keeping the wickets for the team. Pant has been named across all three formats and Wriddhiman Saha found a spot in the two Tests.
'There is no question of dropping Rahane. He has scored really well, he has been extremely successful over the last couple of years'
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed five for 52 as Indian bowlers dominated the proceedings to bowl out West Indies for a meagre 196 on Day 1 of the second Test in Jamaica.
'Credit must go to all the bowlers. I thought the fielding was very supportive. We knew we could beat India. Just needed some application'
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has heaped praise on right-handed batsman Babar Azam, saying he is as good as swashbuckling Indian batsman Virat Kohli. During the recently concluded Hamilton Test against New Zealand which Pakistan lost by eight wickets, Azam scored an unbeaten 90 and Arthur says the former deserves the high praise.
Ajinkya Rahane carved out his seventh Test century and was unbeaten on 108 runs as India extended their lead over West Indies by a mammoth 304 runs to take firm control of the second Test in Kingston. The final session on Day Three of the second Test was washed off due to rain.
Shikhar Dhawan has always had the uncanny knack of producing goods when the chips are down which he attributes to his 'big heart' and the 'backing' he has got from skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble.
Batsman Darren Bravo has been dropped from the West Indies squad in Zimbabwe for a triangular one-day international series because of "unacceptable behaviour", the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said on Saturday.
Winning is 'contagious' and Indian Test captain Virat Kohli feels that it is a 'good habit' that his boys can create in order to become a formidable Test team anywhere in the world.
India skipper Virat Kohli says the much improved batting performance by the lower order batsmen, particularly wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, was the biggest gain of the West Indies series, which they won 2-0.
On a high after sealing the series with comprehensive victories, an upbeat India will be aiming to complete a 3-0 rout in order to retain it's No 1 Test ranking, when they meet a listless West Indies in the final Test match of the series in Port of Spain on Thursday. Having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series after their crushing 237-run win in the third Test, Virat Kohli and his men will be aiming to go for the kill and keep their top ranking in Test. India were reinstated as the No.1 Test side after Australia 0-3 whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka.
The Indians dominated the Test match for four days at Sabina Park with both bat and ball. Yet, they fell short of the victory marker on the fifth and final day when they needed to take six wickets in 98 overs.
India recorded their biggest Test series win on Caribbean soil with a 2-0 victory over West Indies following a washout in the fourth and final Test match but ended up losing the number one spot in the ICC rankings, in Port of Spain, on Monday.
India are on the verge of losing their No. 1 ranking in Test cricket after Day 4 in the fourth and final match against West Indies was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of a wet outfield, in Port of Spain, on Sunday.
India need to dominate Test matches and players cannot be content with just looking to improve, captain Virat Kohli said after the tourists thrashed West Indies by an innings and 92 runs in the first Test in Antigua on Saturday.
Wriddhiman Saha wears his reticence like a badge of honour and, quite like his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni, doesn't believe in sledging opposition batsmen.
He will have to fight it out with the in-form KL Rahul and a solid Murali Vijay for one of the opening slots in the playing XI of the Test team but Shikhar Dhawan terms the competition "good for Indian cricket" and finds "nothing wrong with it". "I am aware that there could be three players for two (opening) spots. But there is nothing wrong in it. In fact it is good for Indian cricket. To have healthy competitions among players for places in the team is good for Indian cricket and the game in general.
He is expected to play an important role in the upcoming 13 Tests at home, but Ajinkya Rahane doesn't want to look too far ahead, as it can clutter one's mind.
Virat Kohli has said that his team isn't reading too much into the newly acquired number one ranking in the longest format as they prepare to take on West Indies in the fourth and final Test starting in Port of Spain on Thursday.
West Indies' off-spinner Roston Chase has expressed pleasure at his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, terming the achievement as a great feeling.
Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a Test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.
The West Indies' Cricket Board hit back at its detractors, insisting it is trying to find ways to keep its best players competing for the national team.
The series appeared done and dusted when in the 4th ODI on Sunday India began a modest 190-run chase but their intimidating batting line-up fell short by 11 runs in a stunning turnaround on a slow pitch.
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Sanjay Patel has informed that the West Indies Cricket Board has sent "an apology letter" for the sudden cancellation of its India tour by their players after an internal payment dispute.
'The moment you are representing your country, you are supposed to do whatever you are assigned. When I was carrying drinks during the Champions Trophy, I had no ego issues. That's how I am as a person' 'The biggest lesson of life for me is to keep things simple'
Lavishing praise on his bowlers for their disciplined show on day two, West Indies' coach Phil Simmons said they would now look to get the remaining Indian wickets and urged the batsmen to step up to help them bounce back in the second cricket Test.
West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has said that the pitch at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is a batting friendly where the bowlers need to be patient in order to get wickets.
Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle has been left out of their preliminary squad for the limited overs series against Australia in the Caribbean as the Jamaican's row with the regional cricket board rumbles on.
West Indies players will share the entire $1.6 million in prize money for winning the men's World Twenty20 title as well as a portion of sponsorship revenue, the head of the region's cricket board told Reuters on Sunday.
A contractual dispute between West Indies players and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is unlikely to halt next year's tour of Australia, a WICB spokesman said on Tuesday.
Just hours after the powerful Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) announced they would take legal action against the WICB and were suspending all planned tours of the Caribbean -- moves that could have a devastating financial impact on the West Indies -- officials gathered at a beachside hotel to deal with the fall-out.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ended the confusion over the status of West Indies' tour of India by categorically stating that the series has been called off, despite the WICB claiming that it has not yet done so.
Dave Cameron, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India to sort the issue of his country's pull-out from their India tour midway into the series last year through a bilateral discussion or third-party mediation over the next two months.
Swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle is set to play his 100th Test at his home ground in Jamaica when New Zealand tour the Caribbean in June.
'It's completely mental (adjustment). The good thing in this team is anyone can bat at anywhere. We have that flexibility. I have batted at top, numbers 3,4 and 5. It's important to handle that situation and utilise that situation. If you adjust in mind, you can adapt anywhere' 'He did not say anything about my technique but spoke only on the mental aspect'
Indian cricket team's batting coach Sanjay Bangar praised Ravichandran Ashwin for "brilliantly" fitting in the role of a No 6 batsman in the current Test squad stating that the Tamil Nadu all-rounder has now given more option to management in terms of combination. After a century in the first Test, Ashwin against bailed India out of trouble with an unbeaten 75 after a top-order collapse that saw India reeling at 126 for five on the first day of the third Test.
India vice-captain Rohit Sharma on Friday hinted that Ajinkya Rahane could be the one replacing his regular opening partner Shikhar Dhawan, who will miss the first three ODIs against Australia due to personal reasons.
'I hope we put up the same performance as we did in the last series against Australia'
Ravichandran Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha stitched an unbeaten 108-run partnership for the sixth wicket to rescue India from a precarious start as the visitors' posted 234 for five when stumps were drawn on day 1 of the third Test at St Lucia. Ashwin will resume the second day on 75 and will be eyeing his second century of the series. His partner Saha will begin his innings on 46. Statistical highlights on Day one of the third cricket test between India and the West Indies, here on Tuesday.
Former West Indies opening batsman Gordon Greenidge was appointed as the new convener of West Indies selectors.
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