Having turned the tables in the one-dayers after a shoddy show in the Test series, New Zealand speedster Tim Southee is confident that the Black Caps can script history by winning their first ever bilateral ODI series in India.
Come Thursday, Dhoni could possibly be his swansong on home turf and a big score to add to his legacy could be the fans' expectations.
New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham feels his team was simply outdone by the brilliance of Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the third One-day International in Mohali. Neesham (57 off 47) helped New Zealand post 285 with a maiden half century down the order before Kohli made short work of the target to give India a seven-wicket victory on Sunday. Kohli, who hit his 26th ODI hundred, remained unbeaten on 154 after sharing a 151-run stand with Dhoni (80).
Sri Lanka's medium pace bowler Thisara Perera said he did not realise that he had taken a hat-trick till his teammates informed him about it, as his entire concentration was on bowling in the death overs during the second T20 International against India in Ranchi on Friday. Although Sri Lanka lost the second game against India by 69 runs here last night to concede the advantage, Perera stole the show by becoming the first Sri Lankan bowler to take a hat-trick in T20 Internationals. "Actually, I didn't know that it was a hat-trick. Because that time my concentration was about my death bowling," Perera said at the post-match press conference here. "My teammates told me I got a hat-trick. Then I thought it was very good for me," he said when asked when did he come to know about the feat. Perera first dismissed Hardik Pandya in the fourth ball of the final over and then sent back Suresh Raina in the next delivery. In the last ball of the over, he had Yuvraj Singh caught at long-on. By the time Perera's hat-trick came it was a bit too late and thus, it did not help Sri Lanka's cause. Perera said it was good to get his second hat-trick in international cricket. "This is my second one -- the first hat-trick was in an ODI (against Pakistan)," he said. Defending his team's decision to bowl first upon winning the toss, Perera said, "We thought dew factor could play a role at the latter stage of the match. So we wanted to bowl first."
Brimming with confidence after a clean-sweep in the Test series, India will look to carry on their dominance over New Zealand when the two teams lock horns in the first cricket One-day International of the five-match series, in Dharamsala on Sunday.
India made two changes for this must-win game, with Gurkeerat Mann and Rishi Dhawan handed debuts on account of their all-round capabilities. Ravichandran Ashwin and Manish Pandey made way for them in the playing eleven.
Veteran left-hander Yuvraj Singh feels that most of the batsmen in the ongoing Duleep Trophy have struggled to pick wrist spinners bowling with the pink ball.
Buoyant Kolkata Knight Riders will look to continue their winning momentum when they face defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Yuvraj Singh feels it moved a bit more than SG Test ball while Robin Uthappa's observations varied from colour change to lack of reverse swing as the first set of inputs on the much talked about 'Pink ball' Day-Night experiment in the Duleep Trophy came to the fore.
India's middle-order batsman Virat Kohli finds the new ODI rules introduced by the ICC confusing and feels that the playing condition, which allows for a run out if a batsman is deemed to have obstructed the field, is "vague".
"Jinx (Ajinkya Rahane) batted well at No 3 but Virat couldn't score, this is something we will have to look at," Dhoni said.
The Alastair Cook-led English team, which arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday for a five-match one-day series and Twenty20 game against India, got down to business with a practice session.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni rued the lack of consistency by his bowlers after India were beaten by South Africa by seven wickets in the first Twenty International on Friday, saying his team could have executed their game plans better.
With the Eden Gardens set to host the country's first day-night match with a pink ball in club cricket, an expert panel, comprising Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Dean Jones, strongly feel the innovation is here to stay.
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here is the next set of responses -- and you can share yours too!
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here is the next set of responses -- and you can share yours too!
Facing the prospect of a series defeat at home for the first time in 15 months, skipper Virat Kohli will have a relook at his team combination as hosts India take on a resurgent England in a do-or-die second T20 International, in Nagpur on Sunday.
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here is the next set of responses -- and you can share yours too!
If you do not require too many higher specs I would say that the Mach One is a better bet than Karbonn Titanium Mach Two for your money.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said rather than talk about India's deficiencies, he would like to pay tribute to the West Indies, who capitalised on the chances they got in the World T20 semi-final in Mumbai.
Throughout the World Twenty20 championship, he was in good flow with the bat and Kohli the bowler also resurfaced when it mattered.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy said he is not concerned as the ones who are in the side have enough calibre to be simply destructive.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hailed his bowlers for the resounding series-clinching win over New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI in Visakhapatnam, describing it as "one of the best performances by the bowlers".
Rajasthan Royals are in a similar situation like last year when they were one win away from qualifying for the play-offs of Indian Premier League but were knocked out by Mumbai Indians and the team members have talked about it, said Stuart Binny in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said 'losing wickets against the run of play' while chasing a tricky target led to the home team's defeat against New Zealand in the second ODI, in New Delhi, on Thursday.
The defeat to a depleted Sri Lanka in the first T20 International is a good wake-up call for the Indians, according to former captain Sunil Gavaskar.
Under pressure after four consecutive defeats, Mumbai Indians came out with a 'positive' display to register their first win.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is highly impressed with young Gujarat pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has given the Australian batsmen hard time during the limited overs series in Australia that concluded in Sydney on Sunday.
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here are some more responses -- and you can share yours too!
We invited readers to send in their interesting monsoon snapshots. Here are some more responses -- and you can share yours too!
The first-ever India International Jewellery Week kicked off in Mumbai on August 15. And besides the eye-searing gems on display, stars dazzled on the ramp too -- check it out!
India's captain cool is back and how! The strategy of going with three spinners and two pacers worked perfectly as India thrashed arch-rivals Pakistan by seven wickets in their World T20 campaign opener.
We invited readers to send in their interesting summer snapshots. Here are a few more responses -- and you can share yours too!
Former India captain Rahul Dravid feels that it will require "three good days" to win the coveted World Cup cricket tournament for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men.
Former India speedster Javagal Srinath thinks India have a "more balanced bowling attack in the longest format" compared to South Africa which will provide them the edge in the upcoming four-Test series starting November 5.
Comprehensively outplayed by South Africa in both the T20 internationals of the just-concluded three-match series, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that he does not want a lot of grass cover for the upcoming five-match ODI series, beginning October 11 in Kanpur.
Having already sealed the T20I series against India, South Africa batsman David Miller said the visitors are aiming to continue their good showing and complete a clean sweep in the three-match T20 International series in Kolkata, on Thursday.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lashed out at his batsmen after losing to South Africa by six wickets in the second T20 International in Cuttack on Monday, saying they did not address their shortcomings.
Images from the practice sessions ahead of Friday's second One-Day International between India and Sri Lanka in Nagpur.
Rohit Sharma registered the highest score in One-Day Internationals and also became the first in the history of cricket to hit two double centuries in the 50-overs' format in the fourth ODI against Sri Lanka, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.