A lot of grey areas are yet to be addressed, but a young Indian team, with an admirable collective temperament, will start as favourites in the series-deciding fifth T20 International against South Africa, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
It is believed that if Saini stays back, it will help bowling coach Bharath Arun to invest more time in the 26-year-old Karnal-lad
Kohli has always led from the front but he knows his search for a maiden title will remain incomplete if the team doesn't perform in all departments.
While Ishan Kishan has done well so far, Ruturaj Gaikwad (23, 1) has pulled the team down with questions being raised over his technique against quality pacers and his ability to force the pace early on.
RR have a lot of issues to sort out, particularly in the absence of key foreign players like Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has witnessed Jasprit Bumrah evolve into a potent weapon for India and said that the Gujarat bowler has worked a lot on his action, which is paying dividends.
'In South Africa you want to play on seaming tracks and do well there. In England you want pitches and conditions that suit swing bowling. Hopefully going forward wickets will have more life in them,' said the Indian skipper.
India 'A' consolidated their position in the second unofficial Test, amassing over 550 runs and then reducing New Zealand 'A' to 198 for five on the second day of the match in Lincoln on Thursday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar says not losing the ability to swing the ball despite adding extra pace to his armoury has made him a much better bowler than what he was two years ago.
India underwent a full member training session
With its back to the wall, Team India responded like champions, said coach Rahul Dravid in an inspiring dressing room speech after his young side registered a series-clinching win in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday.
A destructive spell from left-arm pacer Obed McCoy (6 for 17) and a superb half-century from Brandon King (68) powered the West Indies to a five-wicket victory over India in the second T20I of five-match series in St Kitts on Monday.
A look at the prospects of the eight teams competing in the ICC Champions Trophy, starting on Thursday.
Gujarat Lions will have to fight off the fiery pacers of the Sunrisers Hyderabad when the two teams clash in the Indian Premier League Qualifier 2, in New Delhi, on Friday.
Ahead of the play-offs we take a look at the top wicket-takers in the league stage.
Perhaps for the first time, India's pace strength is not centred on any one individual, or set of individuals.
Images from the third T20 International between New Zealand and India, at McLean Park in Napier, on Tuesday.
Images from Sunday night's IPL game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Images from the IPL game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.
Images from the first Twenty20 International between India and Sri Lanka, in Lucknow, on Thursday.
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will be desperate for victory by a big margin when they take on wooden spooners Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai on Sunday, in what could also be their last outing in IPL 2023.
'Just a little bit of fun, the guys getting together. The guys have been cooked up in their rooms for 18 days, it is not easy. Honestly, it is just nice to be out.'
Team India did well to win the Mohali Test against Australia, despite a day being washed out. A progress report on the team.
Trent Boult (3 for 28) and Rahul Chahar (3 for 19) helped Mumbai Indians win and go atop the IPL 2021 points table.
India medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is of the view that the onus is on his bowling to quickly get rid of the remaining English batsmen on Saturday, Day 3 of the second Test, at Lord's. He had figures of 4 for 46 as the hosts' scored 219 for 6 in their first innings by stumps in reply to India's 295.
Images from Day 1 in the second test between India and England at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Photos of Day 5 of the first Test between India and England, being played in Nottingham
Photos from Day 4 of the first Test match between India and England in Nottingham, on Saturday.
'The whole batting line-up and team are talented. I am looking forward to them having a good game against England, which is their biggest test. If they win the semi-finals, they will lift the trophy.'
Images from the second's day play in the opening Test between England and India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
One of the most consistent teams in the Indian Premier League over the last five years, Sunrisers Hyderabad would look to improve upon their middle-order batting in the upcoming 14th edition of the T20 league.
India's white ball squad, led by Shikhar Dhawan, arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday as they began their two-week quarantine ahead of their tour of Sri Lanka next month.
The chinks in India's pace bowling armour were badly exposed in the three-match T20s against Australia.
Since Dhawan is not part of the Test squad, the Delhi left-hander would like to finish the Caribbean assignment on a high.
India had two bowlers - Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma - in the top five, and three (R Ashwin) in the top six.
Ahead of their IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper said they would use Rahul Tripathi's inputs, with the latter being a former Knight.
Coach Boucher ruing the absence of Aiden Markram during the series but was impressed by one Indian player
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn't hide his disappointment in the way Mohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled with the new ball as the visitors lost the first ODI against South Africa by a whopping 141-run margin.
Gujarat Lions skipper Suresh Raina, Mumbai Indians spinner Harbhajan Singh and Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar have got a place in former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's Best XI of Indian Premier League 2017.
Lungi Ngidi decimated India's top order as South Africa triumphed by five wickets
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