Shankar believes how he prepares will be the key factor going into the tournament.
Sachin Tendulkar's maiden Twenty20 century went in vain as Kochi Tuskers Kerela opened their account in the Indian Premier League with an eight-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on Friday.
Shikhar Dhawan and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma made a steady start and added 21 runs before Boult hit his rhythm.
Citing Mahendra Singh Dhoni's lack of form, former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has said that India's ODI skipper is "no longer the player he used to be".
Sharma (62) combined with captain Kohli (60) in a 113-run partnership to set up their successful chase before Ambati Rayudu (40) completed the formalities with Dinesh Karthik, who was 38 not out, as India romped home with seven overs to spare.
Tamil Nadu batsman S Badrinath and paceman Praveen Kumar are expected to get call-ups as the national selectors meet in Chennai on Friday to pick India's ODI squad for tour of West Indies amid indications that a few seniors would be rested. While Ishant Sharma is tipped to return to the one-day fold, young Ambati Rayudu is also a strong contender for a berth in the squad for the ODI and Twenty20 series against the West Indies beginning from June 4.
Check out the Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2014.
Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist was gracious in defeat but expressed surprise over an injured Ambati Rayudu's decision to come off the bench and don the keeping gloves for Mumbai Indians after regular stumper Davey Jacobs got hurt in their Indian Premier League match at the Wankhede on Monday.
A severely hamstrung Kedar Jadhav held his nerve in the closing stages, while the lower order made vital contributions with the bat as India edged past Bangladesh by three wickets to win their seventh Asia Cup title in a pulsating last-ball finish, in Dubai on Friday.
Mumbai Indians edged past Pune Warriors by seven wickets in the Indian Premier League match at Wankhede on Wednesday to get back to winning ways. Chasing a modest 119 to win, the home team made heavy weather of the chase, before scoring the winning runs off the final delivery of the match.
A summary of Tuesday's play in the Ranji Trophy matches at various venues across the country.
CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed the game against SRH due to a stiff back but is likely to be back for Sunday's match against Virat Kohli-led RCB.
India's stand-in-captain Virat Kohli feels that present field restriction rule is an advantage for batsmen only when they are playing in the sub-continent and it will be a completely different ball game during World Cup in Australia, next year.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings.
IMAGES from the 2nd ODI played between Australia and India at Adelaide on Tuesday
Middle-order batsman Omphile Ramela struck an attractive century as South Africa 'A' posted a comfortable 293 for 4 on the opening day of the first unofficial 'Test' against India 'A', in Wayanad, Kerala, on Tuesday. Riding on the left-hander's 112 off 197 balls, the Proteas dictated terms after skipper Dane Vilas chose to bat.
India and Pakistan meet in their opening World Cup match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Ahead of what promises to be a thrilling contest here's a fact-file on the teams.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals on Saturday.
Dhoni, on Friday, urged people to refrain from 'criticising individual preferences' with regards to a number of India internationals who have decided to skip this year's Ranji Trophy.
Kieron Pollard and Jos Buttler's late assault helped Mumbai Indians keep their hopes alive with a convincing six-wicket victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, in Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
Gujarat left-arm spinner Akshar Patel was recalled to the Indian squad for the last two One-Day Internationals against West Indies, while senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continues to be rested.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni revealed on Saturday that Virat Kohli's agreement to drop down the order paid the team rich dividends and the strategy would be followed in the remainder of the One-Day series.
Suresh Raina has been named captain of the India Blue team for the Duleep Trophy, which will be held in Kanpur and Lucknow from September 7 to 29, providing him a platform to make a return to the Indian team.
Mayank Agarwal could likely to make his ODI debut as the first of the three-match ODI series kicks off in Chennai on Sunday. But all eyes will be trained on under-fire Pant who will have to work to prove his worth in the squad.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji reveal the Most Valuable Players of the Inda-Australia ODI series.
Rohit Sharma and Lendl Simmons hit half-centuries as Mumbai Indians demolished Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs to win their second Indian Premier League title, in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Nothing but a win will keep their play-off hopes alive as defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Gujarat Lions in a do-or-die battle, which will be their final IPL league match in Kanpur on Saturday. With seven wins in 13 matches, Mumbai are currently placed fifth, tied on 14 points with Royal Challengers Bangalore (3rd) and Kolkata Knight Riders (4th) -- both having better net run-rate with one match to go. A loss on Saturday will knock them out of the race for play-offs and Mumbai will hope to pull the rug from under the feet of the Lions this time after suffering a defeat during their home leg on April 16.
Images from the Indian Premier League 3 match between the Delhi Daredevils and the Mumbai Indians at Ferozshah Kotla on Wednesday.
Still licking their wounds after a sound thrashing in the lung opener, India will have to regroup quickly and fortify the chinks in their armoury when they take on a determined West Indies in the second One-Day International in Delhi on Saturday.
Mumbai Indians will look to continue their rampaging run when they take on the formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad.
It was CSK who denied Delhi a top-two spot in the league standings with a crushing 80-run win at Chepauk and the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side stands in their way again, only the stakes are much higher.
West Indies captain Jason Holder said his team did not do justice to their potential in the fourth and penultimate ODI, in Mumbai on Monday, but expressed optimism of bouncing back in the series decider.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings, in Mohali.
India captain Virat Kohli, on Sunday, hailed his deputy Rohit Sharma for his superlative batting display, saying it is easy to chase down any target when the Mumbai batsman is at the other end.
India's batting came a cropper in the Hamilton game as they were dismissed for their seventh lowest total of 92.
Stand-in captain Rohit Sharma Tdescribed India's batting performance as 'one of the worst in a long time' after the visitors were shot out for their seventh lowest ODI total in a shocking eight-wicket loss to New Zealand.
Table-toppers Chennai Super Kings will look to complete the double against Kolkata Knight Riders, just like Delhi Capitals did, when the teams clash in Sunday's IPL match in Kolkata. The home side's consistency has suddenly taken a beating after two defeats on the trot, first in Chennai and then against Delhi Capitals on Friday night. Thus, the Knight Riders will be under immense pressure to arrest the slide when they face mighty Chennai.
Jhye Richardson said Australia were lucky to get Mahendra Singh Dhoni out with a dubious call.
It was only a fourth win in 20 one-dayers going back to June 2017 for world champions Australia and came at the same Sydney Cricket Ground where their first home Test series loss to India was sealed on Monday.