When players select themselves, the selectors' job becomes delightfully simple. But did the Indian selectors have that luxury while picking the T20 World Cup squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup? asks K R Nayar.
Samson tried to whip Donovan Ferreira down the ground but the ball hit umpire Rohan Pandit on the shin and he required medical assistance before he was able to continue.
The eight players who featured in India's World Cup triumph in 2024 will aim to repeat their magic from two years ago.
In India's 100th T20I at home, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan struck explosive fifties as India chased down 209 with ease to beat New Zealand in Raipur, taking a 2-0 lead in the T20I series ahead of the World Cup.
In this rivalry, numbers fade and national pride takes centre stage.
'Jitesh Sharma has shown he is quite a capable player. He can bat lower down the order and look to hit the big shots even with a slightly older ball.'
Sanju Samson boasts of a superb record in T20 Internationals, with 995 runs in 51 matches at a strike rate of 147.40, including three centuries and as many fifties.
Mitchell Santner explains his defensive T20I blueprint after a match-winning 3/26 against India in Visakhapatnam, detailing how pressure, match-ups and key wickets powered New Zealand's 50-run win.
Opener Abhishek Sharma's explosive unbeaten 68 off 20 balls set up a comprehensive eight-wicket victory against New Zealand.in the third match in Guwahati
Former Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina believes the five-time IPL champions should look at buying the in-form Sarfaraz Khan at the auction on Tuesday.
When I was out, asked myself one question, 'Can I do it or not?', says Kishan
India put on a commanding performance to beat South Africa by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup warm-up clash at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Defending champions India look to do something they have never done in World Cups and retain the trophy.
Shubman Gill is set to make a comeback during the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting in Cuttack, on December 9.
Gill, who was vice-captain of the T20I side, was the most high-profile absentee when the national selectors named a 15-member squad for the global showpiece in India and Sri Lanka starting February 7.
As India start their T20 World Cup title defence in less than 72 hours, one is tempted to look at Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir's working relationship which has been fantastic, at least so going by the results -- a whopping 31 wins in 39 games with a winning percentage of 79.48.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Shubman Gill's injury during the South Africa T20I series earlier this month was the moment when India's World Cup opening combination became clear.
Sanju Samson caught up with batting legend Brian Lara and pace great Shane Bond.
A mouth-watering India-South Africa warm-up at the D Y Patil stadium did exactly that, igniting anticipation and hopes among fans.
'It will not happen that Dhoni is off the field and leaves someone like Sanju Samson to keep wickets.'
Padikkal's fourth VHT ton this season powers Karnataka to big win vs Tripura
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
'It is a passing phase'. 'He will bounce back'. 'He is a run machine; poor form is just temporary'. The vote of confidence in Gill was inspiring and reassuring, notes Sandeep Goyal.
Rohit Sharma offered a hilarious piece of advice to spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the T20 World Cup this year from February 7.
Viswanathan added that Chennai's long-term roadmap guided the move.
A toe injury suffered before the fourth T20I is set to keep Gill out of the final T20I here as India would want to take a cautious route, more so when there is a ready replacement for the top order slot in Sanju Samson.
Sanju Samson continued his dream run in T20I cricket, smashing his second consecutive century in the first match of the series against South Africa at Kingsmead, in Durban on Friday night.
'People should realise he is an impact player, like Virender Sehwag.' 'You don't expect these players to score a 70-80 every time they bat, but whenever they score they will win matches for your team.'
Ishan Kishan will play ahead of Shreyas Iyer in the series against New Zealand as he is a part of India's T20 World Cup squad and a like-for-like replacement for an injured Tilak Varma being a left-hander, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Tuesday.
India lead the five-match series 2-1 and the contest in Ahmedabad on Friday will be their last assignment for the calendar year.
Suryakumar Yadav, who returned to form with a blazing 82* against New Zealand at Raipur, spoke on how he dealt with his lean patch
'I have been waiting for this day and I am very fortunate that I am going to wear the yellow jersey.'
The controversial decision to select Shubman Gill in place of a well-settled Sanju Samson as the opener has backfired for the Indian team so far.
Shivam Dube flickered brightly with a fifty of exceptional quality but it was insufficient to prevent India's 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20 International.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill's indifferent form is a massive concern but the national selection committee is unlikely to make any shocking changes when it picks the 15-member squad for next year's T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.
Following his SMAT heroics, Kishan has also returned to the Indian team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
Quite similar to the hero introduction scenes in Kollywood movies, the elaborately staged sequence combines slow-motion shots, silhouettes, and high contrast lighting to enhance the dramatic narrative.
Shubman Gill will return 'better, stronger' after T20 World Cup snub: Gujarat Titans COO
Suryakumar Yadav will miss the first round match after suffering a a sprain to his right thumb.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
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