It is a tribute to a system so robustly meritocratic that this team represents India's diversity better than any other institution: The Union Cabinet, our chief ministers, the civil services, the leadership of our armed forces and security agencies, the judiciary and more than all of these, our typical newsroom. That is the biggest message from this breathless rise of Indian cricket, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
'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.'
Another twist in the tale was that there were some undercover Pakistan intelligence officials who were sent to keep an eye on the players as the side has suffered badly because of spot-fixing and match-fixing in the past few years.
Shan Masood was wrongly adjudged LBW in 2nd Test vs New Zealand in Dubai last month.
Pakistan have dropped out-of-sorts pace bowler Mohammad Amir from their 17-man squad for next month's two-Test series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates, with left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz earning a recall.
Misbah noted that normally teams played with four specialist bowlers in a five-day Tests and four-day games will create more difficulties for the bowlers.
He replaces Khaled Mahmud as captain and will lead Bangladesh on their tour of Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the three-match T20Is and ODIs against West Indies but has been included in the Test squad, while veteran wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is 'unavailable' for the entire tour.
The late ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya supported PCB a lot in the Shoaib Akhtar bowling action case. He took a stand for PCB despite the ICC members insisting that Akhtar's bowling action was illegal.
Misbah-ul-Haq felt that players while training in isolation will have ample time to adjust and it is also a good opportunity for the young players in the side to gain exposure.
;It's a given that Dhoni won't be around when the next ICC World T20 happens in Australia in 2020.' 'So, there wasn't any point continuing with him if he will not play World T20.'
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still hopeful of hosting Sri Lanka for a limited-overs tour this month despite alleged terrorist threats.
Azhar was named Test captain this month in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed whose spot as wicketkeeper has been taken by Mohammad Rizwan.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah marks his return to the national men's team as Pakistan on Wednesday announced an 18-member squad for next month's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that left-arm paceman, Rahat Ali would be replacing injured fast bowler Junaid Khan in Pakistan's World Cup final squad.
The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shahryar Khan has conveyed to Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq that the board wants him to retire after the tour to the West Indies in March-April.
A PCB official said the suspended off-spinner has been named in the preliminary squad as he was in the process of correcting his action and would soon appear for an ICC biomechanics test.
Pujara has so far scored 521 runs in seven innings with three hundreds at an impressive average of 74.42.
Ambati Rayudu said that he has no regrets about his "3d" jibe at chairman of selectors MSK Prasad after being dropped from the World Cup squad.
"There is competition for almost every spot in the playing eleven and that can only be good for the Indian team," said Prasad, who heads a trimmed three-member selection panel post the Lodha Panel recommendations.
The selection committee on Sunday met at National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to pick the India 'A' squad.
He has now informed the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) of his availability.
Disgraced David Warner still has a future in Australian cricket, the sport's chief executive James Sutherland says, handing the explosive opener a lifeline after a cheating scandal.
Pakistan cricket, on Saturday, lost its oldest living Test player Imtiaz Ahmed after he passed away in Lahore following a protracted illness. He was just five days away from turning 89.
End of chopping and changing has brought stability to white ball tea, says Pakistan captain Sarfraz
It remains to be seen how Powar works alongside Mithali, who had accused him of bias after the Harmanpreet Kaur-led T20 team dropped the veteran batter for the all-important World Cup semi-final against England.
Out of favour for more than four years, veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra staged a comeback to India's Test squad for the three-Test away series against Sri Lanka, starting August 12.
Convicted spot-fixer Muhammad Aamir was selected in the Pakistan cricket team that will tour England for a four-Test series for the first time since the spot-fixing scandal broke in 2010. However the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still awaiting for Aamir's visa approval from the UK High Commission. 24-year-old Aamir has made an impressive comeback in shorter formats and ironically his probable return to Test cricket will happen in the same country where he was arrested for indulging in spot-fixing along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. Chairman of selectors Inzamam ul Haq said that the board had given clearance to pick Aamir in the side as they had been told his visa would arrive on Monday.
Azhar Ali to lead the Test side, Babar Azam to lead T20s
The leg-spinner was England's best bowler in their 2-1 triumph in the one-day series against India which concluded earlier this week, prompting talk of a possible Test return.
Former Maharashtra stumper Hemant Kanitkar, who had a 15-year first class career but played in only two Tests as a batsman in the home series against Clive Lloyd's West Indies in 1974-75, passed away in Pune at his residence on Tuesday night.
Rayudu had pulled out of the coming Ranji Trophy tournament attacking the Hyderabad Cricket Association
McGrath, who is known to make predictions ahead of the Ashes series, said it's going to be a great contest between Australia and England.
Since the ICC makes travel arrangements for all participating teams, the Indian contingent flew economy class, which is the norm, but it made travel all the more tedious.
Pakistan enjoy a superior head-to-head record against India but recent matches between the two teams have generally been one-sided affairs in favour of the Men in Blue.
'I don't know how we approach this kind of an itinerary where you go for a holiday in between and then come back to play Test matches. One week break was enough post the WTC final. The thing is you need to play continuously. I am amazed this itinerary was approved.'
All-rounder Soumya Sarkar has been rewarded for his strong domestic performance with a spot in Bangladesh's 15-man World Cup squad.
Former India wicketkeeper Kiran More said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's innings against Royal Challengers Bangalore took him back to 2006.
Pakistan's misery continues during the World Cup now chief selector Moin Khan is in the dock for a Casino night out with his wife after the team's defeat against the West Indies on Saturday night.
