Kevin Pietersen's test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was hailed as a "million pound asset" when named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.

Kevin Pietersen's Test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.

England captain Alastair Cook declined on Saturday to offer any assurances to mercurial batsman Kevin Pietersen about his Test future.

Three persons died due to severe cold in north India where icy winds swept through most parts and mercury plummeted by several notches.

Skipper Laxmi Ratan Shukla's valiant unbeaten half-century helped Bengal stage a remarkable fight-back against Railways in their controversy-marred Ranji Trophy quarter-final at the Eden Gardens.

Avalanche threat loomed large over high altitude tribal areas and people have been advised to stay indoors as biting cold wave conditions prevailed in Himachal Pradesh in spite of marginal rise in temperature.

The mercury continues to be in a free fall in Kashmir and Ladakh divisions as Leh was the coldest recorded place at minus 17.4 degrees Celsius in the state.

Cold wave tightened its grip further in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh region as minimum temperatures in most places dipped several degrees below the freezing point.

Delhi recorded the lowest minimum temperature in a decade for the month of December as mercury dipped to a chilling 2.4 degrees on Monday morning.

Delhi and Leh were among some of the places in northern India which recorded their lowest minimum temperatures so far this winter as the cold gained in intensity in the region.

The cold tightened its grip on Jammu and Kashmir as the mercury plummeted by eight degrees in Leh in Ladakh region to register the season's lowest temperature and most parts of the Valley froze in sub-zero temperatures.

North India was in the grip of intense cold with 40 days of harshest winter period 'Chillai-Kalan' beginning in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday and icy winds sweeping across the plains.

Dhoom 3 continues the tradition of extravagance in adventure and expenditure by roping in the fastidious Aamir Khan as its latest star antagonist, writes Sukanya Verma.

People on the Ladakh sector of the border with China are compelled to ponder over a heart ripping prospect of a future in China -- a country they viscerally hate for steadily usurping their land. Their swelling disillusionment and popular frustration with India is fraught with grave geo-strategic and national security implications for the country. New Delhi's morbid indifference is indeed frightening, says R N Ravi.

Curtains came down on the India Resort Fashion Week this weekend. Here's who set the mercury soaring.

With his new party making a spectacular debut in the Delhi assembly elections, and the non-sectarian nature of his voter base, the question is naturally being asked: Does Arvind Kejriwal have it in him to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate, no less?

Rahul's time is not now, only Sonia Gandhi can lead the Congress into the 2014 final, says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.

Rahul's time is not now, only Sonia Gandhi can lead the Congress into the 2014 final, says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.

Joe Root and Ian Bell are the two candidates to replace Jonathan Trott at No 3 in the England batting order for this week's second Ashes Test in Adelaide, batting coach Graham Gooch said on Monday.

Rohit Sharma blasted a record-breaking 209, including a world record 16 sixes, which propelled India to a 57-run victory over Australia in the seventh and final One-Day International.

Jose Mourinho got the better of old adversary Arsene Wenger once again as Chelsea showed their strength-in-depth by reaching the League Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over London rivals Arsenal on Tuesday.

If Indian PM boycotts the CHOGM, it is likely to add to Sri Lanka's bitterness. This would not help India's desire to add more depth and content to its relations with Sri Lanka but its ability to influence Sri Lanka's decision making process on the both strategic issues and on Tamil minority issues, says Colonel (retd) R Hariharan.

Here's what's happening in the world of Hollywood.

Paolo Di Canio was forced out of Sunderland after a player revolt at the Italian's abrasive management style, media reported on Tuesday.

Soft drinks are a part of the larger consumer non-durables category, which rose five per cent in June, against a 0.5 per cent fall a year earlier, showed official data released on Monday.

The Congress seems to have brokered peace with the main Opposition parties on the crucial food security and land acquisition Bills and ensured that they are not dependent on the whims and fancies of smaller parties. Renu mittal reports

The four-cylinder 998cc engine with an all-hell-breaks-lose figure of 195bhp power and 110Nm torque is likely to blaze on Indian roads by the end of this year, writes Shubhananda Bera.

Banerjee along with other regional leaders are likely to play an important role in any future government in New Delhi, so it is in India's interest that regional leaders like herself realise the importance of progressive economics and good governance, says Tridivesh Singh Maini.

Here's what your favourite Hollywood stars have been up to.

By refusing permission for the proposed ship-breaking facility, India can send a categorical message to the foreign ship owning countries that they should keep their own waste and recycle

Heavy rains continued to lash various parts of Himachal Pradesh, disrupting normal life in lower and mid hills while most of the rivers are in spate due to sudden rise in water level due to rains in catchments areas.

World No 2 Andy Murray beat World No 1 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to win the 2013 Wimbledon Championship.

Riding on a brilliant front-nine, Anirban Lahiri closed the gap between him and leader Pariya Junhasavasdikul of Thailand with a four-under 67 in the third round of the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters in Selangor.

Tough times have made car manufacturers think hard about which brands to keep and which to discontinue.

Four deaths have been recorded so far from various parts of Assam including one in Guwahati due to the prevailing hot weather conditions. Wednesday was the hottest day in almost a decade for the residents of Assam, with Guwahati recording 38.8 degree Celsius -- the highest June temperature since 1979.

Northern India experienced a slide in temperatures across the region even as the country's south welcomed the south-west monsoon which set in over Kerala and Lakshwadeep on Saturday.

Parts of north India, which is in the grip of a heat wave, on Friday enjoyed slight relief due to a marginal slide in the mercury with some areas also reporting a little rainfall.

Vast swathes of the country continued to reel under intense heat, with capital Delhi witnessing its hottest day in a decade for the month of May with a record-breaking 45.7 degrees Celsius.

Delhiites on Sunday reeled under heat wave conditions with the mercury soaring to over 46 degrees Celsius in some parts of the capital, which recorded the hottest day of the season so far.

Factbox on Barcelona, who were crowned Spanish champions for the 22nd time after second-placed Real Madrid's 1-1 draw at Espanyol on Saturday left them with an unassailable lead.