'It's important to take one match at a time, not think about five-match Test series (against England). The team is only for the first two games. The motto would be to perform in the first two games and then look forward to the rest of the games.'
Pujara could get the selectors' nod if Ajit Agarkar and his team decide to fall back on his experience.
Senior batter Manoj Tiwary combined with the young Sudip Kumar Gharami to steer Bengal to a hardfought seven-wicket win against Baroda to climb to the top of Group A in the Ranji Trophy.
How former India batter-keeper Vijay Dahiya discovered a gangly leg-break bowler -- Digvesh Singh Rathi -- with a high-arm action.
Karun Nair is only the second Indian to score a triple hundred in Test cricket.
Veteran medium pacer Nilkantha Das has also been included and even opener Sudip Gharami, despite a season of non-performance has made it to the squad.
The BCCI's 2015-16 domestic calendar, which, in a media statement, boasts that it will host 900 matches in the span of six months, starting October 1, has discarded the inter-zonal competition which was started in 1961-62. The tournament was conducted to perpetuate the memory of K S Duleepsinhji, nephew of K S Ranjitsinhji in whose memory the national cricket championship is played.
Rajput said that India will miss pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at home, if he is ruled out of the event through injury.
Saurashtra, led by the inspirational Jaydev Unadkat, will back themselves to win an elusive Ranji Trophy title at home but a buoyant Bengal will be no pushovers in what promises to be an absorbing final beginning, in Rajkot, on Monday. Both the teams are desperate to go all the way with Saurashtra reaching their fourth final in eight seasons while Bengal has not tasted success in the premier domestic event since the 1989-90 triumph.
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played on Friday.
History and form make them the odds-on-favourites, but Mumbai are not taking things for granted ahead of the Ranji Trophy final against Saurashtra, beginning at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday.
A summary of the first day's proceedings in the Ranji Trophy matches across the country.
Out of favour India veteran Yuvraj Singh's decision to do fitness training at the National Cricket Academy at the expense of Ranji Trophy matches has not gone down well with a section of the Board of Control for Cricket in India officials.
Riding on a splendid bowling performance led by off-spinner Vishal Joshi, Saurashtra on Sunday thrashed Punjab by 229 runs to enter the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in 75 years.
Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary and his Mumbai counterpart Rohit Sharma are eyeing spots in the Indian middle-order which has opened up following the retirement of Test greats Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman even as they are focusing on their current jobs in the Ranji Trophy.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has advised temperamental Bengal pacer Ashoke Dinda to "concentrate" on doing well for the state team rather than grumble about not getting a national call-up.
A round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday.
Despite a disappointing batting performance in the second innings, Services are through to the quarterfinals of the Ranji Trophy as it is highly unlikely that any team in Group C would cross their 26-point barrier.
All-rounder Rameez Khan, who is facing charges of killing a black buck, was included in the Madhya Pradesh team for the forthcoming season of Ranji Trophy.
Shaw's lack of attendance at crucial training sessions, particularly after poor performances, coupled with a lax approach to fitness, has alarmed the Mumbai team management and led to tough choices.
Odisha bowlers came up with a superb performance to steer their team to second win in a row and pocket six points by crushing Karnataka by 65 runs in their Group B Ranji Trophy match in Bangalore.
Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal on Friday expressed his delight after smashing his third century of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, saying he was always confident of making a strong back after going through a lean patch in the last season.
'A cricketer is a very proud person.' 'When he sees the kind of performances he has had in the past but cannot replicate them, and when young players are performing well, these factors weigh heavily on his mind.'
Suryakumar Yadav has been named the captain for this T20I series, bringing his leadership and experience to the relatively young squad. Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma will serve as the wicketkeepers, while key players such as Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Washington Sundar are included to strengthen the batting and bowling departments.
A consistent performer in domestic circuit who could never make the cut for the Indian team, Amol Muzumdar on Friday, became the highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy in a Plate Division match in Guwahati.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Thursday.
Harshit Rana's meteoric rise may have come as a surprise to many, but not N S Negi, his coach in his formative years, who has seen the strapping youngster mature into a pacer with the "potential to become a multi-format bowler for India".
Out-of-favour India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been handed a golden opportunity to get back into the reckoning after being named captain of Rest of India for the Irani Cup match against Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka, in Bangalore, from February 9 to 13. Also included in the Rest of India team is Gautam Gambhir, who is also keen to make a comeback to the Indian team. However, his Delhi team mate Virender Sehwag failed to make the cut after a poor run in the Ranji Trophy.
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Tuesday that middle-order batters KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan are locked in a selection battle for the second Test against New Zealand here even though head coach Gautam Gambhir is keen to give the former, a long rope.
The likes of Robin UthaManoj Tiwaryppa, Manoj Tiwary and Kedar Jadhav will get another chance to impress the selectors and push their case for a comeback to international cricket when Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka clash against Rest of India lock in a five-day Irani Trophy match, in Bangalore, starting on Tuesday.
Jadhav said Virat Kohli's aggression and attitude has worked well for whichever team he plays for.
Dhawal Kulkarni had figures of five for 32 as Saurashtra were shot out for only 82 runs in the second innings of the Ranji Trophy final, on Day 3.
'Shreyas Iyer likes a challenge, tough situations, playing against the top teams.'
Ravi Shastri said that it was a touching moment for him to get bestowed with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played across India on Sunday
Gavaskar didn't mince words while pointing out the repeated failures of the team's batters, who failed to cross the 200 mark six out of nine times during the series.
Suryakumar Yadav and Aditya Tare hit unbeaten half-centuries to put Mumbai in a commanding position against Madhya Pradesh on day three of the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Cuttack, on Monday.
Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
Ganguly, who is expected to join the West Bengal team midway, has not yet reached the coal township.
'I was mentally disturbed and thinking too much. I spoke to them (Jayawardene, Tendulkar and Gambhir) and expressed myself about what had happened in the Ranji season, they shared their experience which helped me'
