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.
Rohit Sharma offered a hilarious piece of advice to spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the T20 World Cup this year from February 7.
When the Indian team entered the ICC Cricket Academy Arena for their evening net session ahead of the Asia Cup, Samson was the first to start his solo keeping drills with fielding coach T Dilip, even as others were just about lumbering up.
Suryakumar Yadav, who returned to form with a blazing 82* against New Zealand at Raipur, spoke on how he dealt with his lean patch
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
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.
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that head coach Gautam Gambhir has a firm grip on the team and is popular among the players.
All-rounder Axar Patel was named vice-captain of the squad, which also saw the return of in-form Ishan Kishan, who pipped Jitesh Sharma as the second wicketkeeper behind Sanju Samson.
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.
If starting with Jitesh Sharma in the last three T20s in Australia felt like an experiment, his selection over fellow wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in the series opener against South Africa provided ample clarity over team management's thought process going in to the World Cup at home.
Sanju Samson's T20I future took another hit on Tuesday as India benched him yet again, favouring the finishing skills of Jitesh Sharma in a team that now appears fully committed to its Shubman Gill-led blueprint.
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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.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav would want the attacking batter in him to front up and bolster his leadership against New Zealand when the five-match T20I series gets underway in Nagpur on Wednesday, serving as a final dress rehearsal for India's World Cup title defence in less than three weeks' time.
Ashwin highlighted the sheer volume and impact of Sooryavanshi's recent performances in a social media post, underlining just how extraordinary the youngster's run has been.
Amidst strong speculation of him wanting to snap the ties with Rajasthan Royals, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson said his long association with the IPL franchise has transformed his life and career.
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.
'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.
The former South African batter pointed out that Rana does not have a lot of international experience with the new ball, but is well supported in the pace department.
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Anil Kumble believes fans may have already seen the last of M S Dhoni behind the stumps, hinting that the Chennai Super Kings icon may not don the gloves in IPL 2026.
'He just has to do what he does best -- which is to destroy opposition bowling.'
These comments come after India recently announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in his first-ever ICC tournament as captain, with Axar Patel named as his deputy.
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.
India lead the five-match series 2-1 and the contest in Ahmedabad on Friday will be their last assignment for the calendar year.
Following his SMAT heroics, Kishan has also returned to the Indian team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
The indefatigable duo of Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj is expected to be the big talking point on Saturday when the selectors pick a 15-member Indian ODI squad for a three-match series against New Zealand starting January 11 in Vadodara.
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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.
Shubman Gill is set to make a comeback during the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting in Cuttack, on December 9.
'Had I been launched as a leading actor, it would probably have worked better.' 'Prabhu Devaa came eight years after me. Maybe if a filmmaker had thought of a film for me like the ones he got, my career would have been a different trajectory.'
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.
Shubman's T20I series participation against South Africa doubtful; Samson, Jaiswal contenders for the slot
Tilak Varma says out-of-form India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav 'needs just one innings' to rediscover the mojo with which he once dominated bowlers like a marauder.
'Hearts are broken for sure. You've got to feel bad for Shubman Gill.'
India all-rounder Axar Patel was on Monday ruled out of the remaining two T20 Internationals against South Africa due to illness with the BCCI's selection committee naming Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement.
Rajasthan Royals likely to trade Sanju Samson for CSK all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran
With the T20 World Cup less than two months away, India would want their captain Suryakumar Yadav to rediscover his rhythm sooner rather than later.
Images from the fifth T20 International between India and South Africa, in Ahmedabad, on Friday.
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