On Monday (February 20), Harmanpreet Kaur achieved a huge feat when India locked horns with Ireland in their last group stage match of the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. When skipper Harman came out for the coin toss, she became the first male or female player to&nbsp;play 150 T20I matches. The swashbuckling right-hander had surpassed Rohit Sharma (148), the senior Indian men's captain, in the overall list of most T20I matches played by a player during India's previous encounter, versus England, before moving past him to create history.&nbsp;

Most T20I matches played by a player 
Harmanpreet Kaur - 150 
Rohit Sharma - 148 
Suzie Bates - 143

Harmanpreet made her T20I debut in&nbsp;2009, against England, during the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 WC. Since then, she has featured in 150 games scoring 3,006 runs at an average of 27.83, including a solitary hundred. In the list of most runs in Women's T20Is, she features in the fourth spot. Under her, India reached the semi-finals of the 2018 edition and played the final of the 2020 edition in Australia, where the hosts won by a comprehensive margin.&nbsp;

During her 20-ball 13-run-knock in the India-Ireland contest, at the&nbsp;St George's Park, Gqeberha,&nbsp;Harmanpreet also became&nbsp;the first Indian woman to score 3,000 runs in the format. She will be eager to end the match by leading India to an easy win and confirm themselves a spot in the semi-finals.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/prithvi-shaw-attack-accused-woman-and-3-others-sent-to-14-day-judicial-custody-563934">Prithvi Shaw attack: Accused woman and 3 others sent to 14-day judicial custody</a>

At the coin toss, skipper Harmanpreet said, "We are going to bat first. Looks a hard and dry surface. Many of us haven't got that many runs, we need to express ourselves. Devika is playing in place of Radha. It (playing 150 T20I games) means a lot, I got an emotional message from my team-mates. Thanks to BCCI and ICC, we are able to play so many games."

After opting to bat first versus the Irish line-up, India rode on Smriti Mandhana's 87 to post 155 for 5 in 20 overs. Will it be enough? Only time will tell...

On Monday (February 20), Harmanpreet Kaur achieved a huge feat when India locked horns with Ireland in their last group stage match of the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa.

On Monday (February 20), Harmanpreet Kaur achieved a huge feat when India locked horns with Ireland in their last group stage match of the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. When skipper Harman came out for the coin toss, she became the first male or female player to play 150 T20I matches. The swashbuckling right-hander had surpassed Rohit Sharma (148), the senior Indian men's captain, in the overall list of most T20I matches played by a player during India's previous encounter, versus England, before moving past him to create history. Most T20I matches played by a player Harmanpreet Kaur - 150 Rohit Sharma - 148 Suzie Bates - 143 Harmanpreet made her T20I debut in 2009, against England, during the inaugural edition of the Women's T20 WC. Since then, she has featured in 150 games scoring 3,006 runs at an average of 27.83, including a solitary hundred. In the list of most runs in Women's T20Is, she features in the fourth spot. Under her, India reached the semi-finals of the 2018 edition and played the final of the 2020 edition in Australia, where the hosts won by a comprehensive margin. During her 20-ball 13-run-knock in the India-Ireland contest, at the St George's Park, Gqeberha, Harmanpreet also became the first Indian woman to score 3,000 runs in the format. She will be eager to end the match by leading India to an easy win and confirm themselves a spot in the semi-finals. Also Read: Prithvi Shaw attack: Accused woman and 3 others sent to 14-day judicial custody At the coin toss, skipper Harmanpreet said, "We are going to bat first. Looks a hard and dry surface. Many of us haven't got that many runs, we need to express ourselves. Devika is playing in place of Radha. It (playing 150 T20I games) means a lot, I got an emotional message from my team-mates. Thanks to BCCI and ICC, we are able to play so many games." After opting to bat first versus the Irish line-up, India rode on Smriti Mandhana's 87 to post 155 for 5 in 20 overs. Will it be enough? Only time will tell...

IND-W vs IRE-W, T20 WC: Harmanpreet Kaur achieves huge feat, becomes first player to feature in 150 T20Is

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw found himself in a huge controversy when he had an unforgettable experience with a group of fans, who forced him for more selfies and later attacked him, and his friend,&nbsp;on the streets of Mumbai. Following this, the woman accused -- a social media influencer named Sapna Gill -- along with three others&nbsp;has been sent&nbsp;to judicial custody on Monday (February 20). The two-week&nbsp;judicial custody will commence on Monday following the wrap of the police custody. It is to be noted that Sapna was one of eight&nbsp;people arrested by Oshiwara Police&nbsp;in Mumbai under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (143, 148, 149, 384, 437, 504, 506).

Sapna and seven others&nbsp;were booked by the Oshiwara Police following a complaint by Prithvi Shaw's friend Ashish Surendra Yadav.&nbsp;Ashish made shocking claims that the group of people attacked his car with baseball bats and even&nbsp;threatened false cases if a sum of INR 50,000 was not given to them. The video of the incident created a huge stir on social media platforms and went viral in a flash.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/viral-prithvi-shaw-faces-nightmare-experience-with-a-fan-attacked-for-denying-selfie-watch-562723">VIRAL: Prithvi Shaw faces nightmare experience with a fan, attacked for denying selfie - Watch</a>

Sapna, however, denied all the allegations and claimed that&nbsp;Shaw tried to physically assault her and her friends. In addition, she pointed out that the Indian cricketer was carrying a stick with him during the incident.

It all started when Shaw had gone out for a dinner outing in a five-star hotel in Santacruz on February 15. Just then, he met a group of fans who&nbsp;insisted on a selfie. At first, Shaw obliged two people with selfies, but the same group returned and asked for more pictures with the star cricketer. This time around, Shaw didn't entertain their requests and asked them to leave him alone. When the fans didn't listen, Shaw's friend called the manager of the hotel and reported the matter, according to the complaint. The complaint further revealed that the group of fans were asked to leave. They, however,&nbsp;waited outside and attacked Shaw and his friend.

Shaw was part of India's home T20Is versus New Zealand. However, he didn't feature in the playing XI. He will next be seen in IPL 2023 for the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw found himself in a huge controversy when he had an unforgettable experience with a group of fans, who forced him for more selfies and later attacked him, and his friend, on the streets of Mumbai.

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw found himself in a huge controversy when he had an unforgettable experience with a group of fans, who forced him for more selfies and later attacked him, and his friend, on the streets of Mumbai. Following this, the woman accused -- a social media influencer named Sapna Gill -- along with three others has been sent to judicial custody on Monday (February 20). The two-week judicial custody will commence on Monday following the wrap of the police custody. It is to be noted that Sapna was one of eight people arrested by Oshiwara Police in Mumbai under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (143, 148, 149, 384, 437, 504, 506). Sapna and seven others were booked by the Oshiwara Police following a complaint by Prithvi Shaw's friend Ashish Surendra Yadav. Ashish made shocking claims that the group of people attacked his car with baseball bats and even threatened false cases if a sum of INR 50,000 was not given to them. The video of the incident created a huge stir on social media platforms and went viral in a flash. Also Read: VIRAL: Prithvi Shaw faces nightmare experience with a fan, attacked for denying selfie - Watch Sapna, however, denied all the allegations and claimed that Shaw tried to physically assault her and her friends. In addition, she pointed out that the Indian cricketer was carrying a stick with him during the incident. It all started when Shaw had gone out for a dinner outing in a five-star hotel in Santacruz on February 15. Just then, he met a group of fans who insisted on a selfie. At first, Shaw obliged two people with selfies, but the same group returned and asked for more pictures with the star cricketer. This time around, Shaw didn't entertain their requests and asked them to leave him alone. When the fans didn't listen, Shaw's friend called the manager of the hotel and reported the matter, according to the complaint. The complaint further revealed that the group of fans were asked to leave. They, however, waited outside and attacked Shaw and his friend. Shaw was part of India's home T20Is versus New Zealand. However, he didn't feature in the playing XI. He will next be seen in IPL 2023 for the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Prithvi Shaw attack: Accused woman and 3 others sent to 14-day judicial custody

On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more. His revelations have gone viral with many having plenty to say about the chief selector's claims, in the sting operation carried out by Zee News.

The former Indian cricketer revealed how Kohli felt it was former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly behind his ODI captaincy sacking, rubbished rumours of rift between Rohit and Kohli, spoke at length on how players are desperate to hold on to their respective spots and play despite not being fully fit. After such explosive comments, social media platforms have been flooded with several reactions, including memes. Here are some memes on the entire Chetan Sharma sting operation:

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Behind the scene of the Chetan Sharma sting operation. <a href="https://t.co/VSQKBxWRfT">pic.twitter.com/VSQKBxWRfT</a>
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1625537763864092672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Someone, right now. 😆 <a href="https://t.co/BlQlfQtRjl">pic.twitter.com/BlQlfQtRjl</a>
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) <a href="https://twitter.com/KShriniwasRao/status/1625526403126145025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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BCCI and Chetan Sharma politics exposed. 
 
Fans -<a href="https://t.co/CECEQuK9eH">pic.twitter.com/CECEQuK9eH</a>
— Pratham. (@75thHundredWhen) <a href="https://twitter.com/75thHundredWhen/status/1625524728583815168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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P.O.V according to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChetanSharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChetanSharma</a> : <a href="https://t.co/0OSRlxhFgS">pic.twitter.com/0OSRlxhFgS</a>
— Valdimiputin ( Parody account) (@valdimiputin) <a href="https://twitter.com/valdimiputin/status/1625702369202692101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virat-kohli-tried-to-defame-sourav-ganguly-in-the-media-but-it-backfired-says-chetan-sharma-561986">Exclusive: Virat Kohli tried to defame Sourav Ganguly in the media but it backfired, says Chetan Sharma</a>

CLAIMS MADE BY CHETAN SHARMA

On Kohli vs Ganguly

When a player grows in stature, he starts thinking that he was become very big, bigger than the board even. Then he starts thinking that nobody can stand against him. Without him, the cricket will stop. But has that ever happened? Many big players came and went, but cricket is still there; it remains the same. He wanted to confront the then-BCCI president.&nbsp;I was present in the selection meeting. Kohli was clearly told by the BCCI president to re-think his decision to quit the T20I captaincy. We all told him to reconsider his decision. But he lied to the media when he said that he got no such suggestion from anyone in the board.

He was addressing the media ahead of the South Africa tour. He unnecessarily brought up the issue of what transpired in the selection committee.

On Kohli vs Rohit alleged rift

There are no rifts between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they support each other. Both are like Amitabh and Dharmendra.

Do players hide their injuries to play?

Maybe 10-15% do that and they ask us to let them play but medical science does not let them. Players obviously want to play; they do not want to miss any matches. In case of [Jaspreet] Bumrah, he wasn't even able to bend down so what could he do? There are only handful of such cases, however some of them, they just take injections on their own and they say they are fine.

Thus, Chetan Sharma's claims have become a huge talking point in the cricket fraternity. A strict action is expected by the BCCI in the coming few days. At present, the Rohit Sharma-led senior men's team is gearing up for the second Test versus Australia, in New Delhi, after winning the series opener, in Nagpur, by an innings and 132 runs.

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&nbsp;

On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more.

On Tuesday (February 14), all hell broke loose after explosive revelations were out from Chetan Sharma sting operation. The BCCI chief selector spoke at length about Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly rift, alleged rift rumours between Kohli-Rohit Sharma, talked about doping in Indian cricket and many more. His revelations have gone viral with many having plenty to say about the chief selector's claims, in the sting operation carried out by Zee News. The former Indian cricketer revealed how Kohli felt it was former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly behind his ODI captaincy sacking, rubbished rumours of rift between Rohit and Kohli, spoke at length on how players are desperate to hold on to their respective spots and play despite not being fully fit. After such explosive comments, social media platforms have been flooded with several reactions, including memes. Here are some memes on the entire Chetan Sharma sting operation: Behind the scene of the Chetan Sharma sting operation. pic.twitter.com/VSQKBxWRfT — Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) February 14, 2023 × Someone, right now. 😆 pic.twitter.com/BlQlfQtRjl — KSR (@KShriniwasRao) February 14, 2023 × BCCI and Chetan Sharma politics exposed. Fans -pic.twitter.com/CECEQuK9eH — Pratham. (@75thHundredWhen) February 14, 2023 × P.O.V according to #ChetanSharma : pic.twitter.com/0OSRlxhFgS — Valdimiputin ( Parody account) (@valdimiputin) February 15, 2023 × Also Read: Exclusive: Virat Kohli tried to defame Sourav Ganguly in the media but it backfired, says Chetan Sharma CLAIMS MADE BY CHETAN SHARMA On Kohli vs Ganguly When a player grows in stature, he starts thinking that he was become very big, bigger than the board even. Then he starts thinking that nobody can stand against him. Without him, the cricket will stop. But has that ever happened? Many big players came and went, but cricket is still there; it remains the same. He wanted to confront the then-BCCI president. I was present in the selection meeting. Kohli was clearly told by the BCCI president to re-think his decision to quit the T20I captaincy. We all told him to reconsider his decision. But he lied to the media when he said that he got no such suggestion from anyone in the board. He was addressing the media ahead of the South Africa tour. He unnecessarily brought up the issue of what transpired in the selection committee. On Kohli vs Rohit alleged rift There are no rifts between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they support each other. Both are like Amitabh and Dharmendra. Do players hide their injuries to play? Maybe 10-15% do that and they ask us to let them play but medical science does not let them. Players obviously want to play; they do not want to miss any matches. In case of [Jaspreet] Bumrah, he wasn't even able to bend down so what could he do? There are only handful of such cases, however some of them, they just take injections on their own and they say they are fine. Thus, Chetan Sharma's claims have become a huge talking point in the cricket fraternity. A strict action is expected by the BCCI in the coming few days. At present, the Rohit Sharma-led senior men's team is gearing up for the second Test versus Australia, in New Delhi, after winning the series opener, in Nagpur, by an innings and 132 runs. ×

Chetan Sharma quits as BCCI chief selector: Memes galore after staggering revelations in TV sting operation

R Ashwin has dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi on Friday (February 17). By claiming his third wicket of the innings, the wily off-spinner became only the second Indian bowler, after Anil Kumble, to claim 100, or more, wickets (including both home and away) versus the Baggy Greens in the purest format.

Most Test wickets for India vs an opposition 
111 A Kumble vs Aus 
100 R Ashwin vs Aus * 
99 Kapil Dev vs Pak 
95 BS Chandrasekhar vs Eng 
95 Harbhajan vs Aus

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-kl-rahul-grabs-a-one-handed-stunner-to-dismiss-usman-khawaja-on-day-1-of-2nd-test-563014">WATCH: KL Rahul grabs a one-handed stunner to dismiss Usman Khawaja on Day 1 of 2nd Test</a>

Ashwin brought India back into the contest after Pat Cummins-led Australia got off to a good start (with a 50-run opening stand between David Warner-Usman Khawaja). Ashwin struck twice before lunch, removing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, and accounted for Alex Carey's wicket to claim his 100th scalp versus the Aussies. Kumble ended his illustrious career with 111 wickets, out of a total of 619, versus the Australians. Hence, Ashwin has a solid chance to surpass his tally in the ongoing four-match series.

India lead the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 edition 1-0 after an impressive win in the series opener in Nagpur.&nbsp;

R Ashwin has dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi on Friday (February 17). By claiming his third wicket of the innings, the wily off-spinner became only the second Indian bowler, after Anil Kumble, to claim 100, or more, wickets (including both home and away) versus the Baggy Greens in the purest format.

R Ashwin has dominated proceedings on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi on Friday (February 17). By claiming his third wicket of the innings, the wily off-spinner became only the second Indian bowler, after Anil Kumble, to claim 100, or more, wickets (including both home and away) versus the Baggy Greens in the purest format. Most Test wickets for India vs an opposition 111 A Kumble vs Aus 100 R Ashwin vs Aus * 99 Kapil Dev vs Pak 95 BS Chandrasekhar vs Eng 95 Harbhajan vs Aus Also Read: WATCH: KL Rahul grabs a one-handed stunner to dismiss Usman Khawaja on Day 1 of 2nd Test Ashwin brought India back into the contest after Pat Cummins-led Australia got off to a good start (with a 50-run opening stand between David Warner-Usman Khawaja). Ashwin struck twice before lunch, removing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, and accounted for Alex Carey's wicket to claim his 100th scalp versus the Aussies. Kumble ended his illustrious career with 111 wickets, out of a total of 619, versus the Australians. Hence, Ashwin has a solid chance to surpass his tally in the ongoing four-match series. India lead the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 edition 1-0 after an impressive win in the series opener in Nagpur.

2nd Test: R Ashwin joins Anil Kumble to become second Indian bowler with 100 wickets vs Australia

Virat Kohli was going through a torrid run in 2022. With his numbers going down across formats, there were concerns being raised with regard to his spot in the national side. In July 2022, when India were involved in a three-match ODI series versus hosts England, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam -- regarded as Kohli's rival -- made heads turn with his heartfelt gesture for an underfire Kohli. Babar took to his official Twitter handle to share a message for out-of-form Kohli amid his constant criticism.&nbsp;

On July 14, Babar took to his official account and shared an image with Kohli with caption, "This too shall pass. Stay strong." Kohli also replied to Babar and wrote, "Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best."

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This too shall pass. Stay strong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/ozr7BFFgXt">pic.twitter.com/ozr7BFFgXt</a>
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) <a href="https://twitter.com/babarazam258/status/1547657073587933190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/chetan-sharma-sting-operation-memes-galore-after-staggering-revelations-made-by-bcci-chief-selector-562173">Chetan Sharma sting operation: Memes galore after staggering revelations made by BCCI chief selector</a>

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Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best 👏
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1548271087045070855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The two met in the 2022 Asia Cup, where India and Pakistan met twice (winning and losing one each), and also during the T20 World Cup in Australia (where Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. defeated Babar-led Men in Green).&nbsp;

Recently, Babar opened up on his heartfelt tweet for Kohli during&nbsp;an interview with ICC Digital Insider. He revealed, "As a sportsperson, anyone can go through such a time. At that time I thought maybe if I tweet it might give someone help and confidence. See, as a player, you try to back every sportsman in a difficult time." Babar added, "It is in difficult times that you get to know what you are thinking about others. At that time, I thought I should have done that, and maybe something positive would come out of it. Something that can be a plus point."

Kohli moved past his poor run of form immediately after Babar's tweet. He ended the Asia Cup as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs), was in superb form in T20 World Cup (with three half-centuries) and has scored three international tons since then (two in ODIs, one in T20Is). He will be eager to break his Test-century drought during the ongoing home series versus Australia. Babar, on the other hand, is leading Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2023.

Virat Kohli was going through a torrid run in 2022. With his numbers going down across formats, there were concerns being raised with regard to his spot in the national side.

Virat Kohli was going through a torrid run in 2022. With his numbers going down across formats, there were concerns being raised with regard to his spot in the national side. In July 2022, when India were involved in a three-match ODI series versus hosts England, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam -- regarded as Kohli's rival -- made heads turn with his heartfelt gesture for an underfire Kohli. Babar took to his official Twitter handle to share a message for out-of-form Kohli amid his constant criticism. On July 14, Babar took to his official account and shared an image with Kohli with caption, "This too shall pass. Stay strong." Kohli also replied to Babar and wrote, "Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best." This too shall pass. Stay strong. #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/ozr7BFFgXt — Babar Azam (@babarazam258) July 14, 2022 × Also Read: Chetan Sharma sting operation: Memes galore after staggering revelations made by BCCI chief selector Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best 👏 — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 16, 2022 × The two met in the 2022 Asia Cup, where India and Pakistan met twice (winning and losing one each), and also during the T20 World Cup in Australia (where Rohit Sharma & Co. defeated Babar-led Men in Green). Recently, Babar opened up on his heartfelt tweet for Kohli during an interview with ICC Digital Insider. He revealed, "As a sportsperson, anyone can go through such a time. At that time I thought maybe if I tweet it might give someone help and confidence. See, as a player, you try to back every sportsman in a difficult time." Babar added, "It is in difficult times that you get to know what you are thinking about others. At that time, I thought I should have done that, and maybe something positive would come out of it. Something that can be a plus point." Kohli moved past his poor run of form immediately after Babar's tweet. He ended the Asia Cup as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs), was in superb form in T20 World Cup (with three half-centuries) and has scored three international tons since then (two in ODIs, one in T20Is). He will be eager to break his Test-century drought during the ongoing home series versus Australia. Babar, on the other hand, is leading Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2023.

Thought something positive would come out: Babar Azam on his 'this too shall pass' tweet for Virat Kohli

MS Dhoni-Gary Kirsten had a memorable run as captain-coach for Team India from 2007-2011. Under them, India scaled new heights by becoming the No. 1 Test side for the first time ever, winning the CB Series in Australia in 2008, beating New Zealand in their own backyard in ODIs and Tests, drawing a Test series in South Africa and winning the 2010 Asia Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup.&nbsp;

Recently, Kirsten spilled the beans on working with Dhoni. The former South African opener recalled the time he was appointed as India's head coach in December 2007 amid the "superstar" culture in the Indian team and revealed how Dhoni was different than the lot as he focused on team goals than individual milestones.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-used-to-make-things-former-indian-spinner-on-how-ms-dhoni-helped-bowlers-from-behind-the-stumps-561569">'He used to...': Former Indian spinner on how MS Dhoni helped bowlers from behind the stumps</a>

Kirsten explained, "Any coach would want a group of players playing for the name on the front of the shirt and not the name on the back of the shirt. India is a tough place with a lot of hype around individual superstars, and you often get lost in what your own personal needs are. And Dhoni meanwhile was standout as a leader as he was so focused on the team doing well, he wanted to win trophies and have great success and he was very public about that. And that pulled a lot of other guys into line, and quite simply, Sachin started enjoying cricket as well."

"MS and I formed the most unlikely partnership of captain and coach you will ever imagine in international games, and we end up having this incredible journey together," he added.

Kirsten-Dhoni's partnership was hailed for the team environment they created together. All the players came together for one goal; i.e. winning the 2011 ODI WC on home soil and were determined to top the ICC Test Rankings, a feat they attained in late 2009. Kirsten vacated the post after India's historic ODI WC triumph and was succeeded by Duncan Fletcher.

MS Dhoni-Gary Kirsten had a memorable run as captain-coach for Team India from 2007-2011. Under them, India scaled new heights by becoming the No. 1 Test side for the first time ever, winning the CB Series in Australia in 2008, beating New Zealand in their own backyard in ODIs and Tests, drawing a Test series in South Africa and winning the 2010 Asia Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup.

MS Dhoni-Gary Kirsten had a memorable run as captain-coach for Team India from 2007-2011. Under them, India scaled new heights by becoming the No. 1 Test side for the first time ever, winning the CB Series in Australia in 2008, beating New Zealand in their own backyard in ODIs and Tests, drawing a Test series in South Africa and winning the 2010 Asia Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. Recently, Kirsten spilled the beans on working with Dhoni. The former South African opener recalled the time he was appointed as India's head coach in December 2007 amid the "superstar" culture in the Indian team and revealed how Dhoni was different than the lot as he focused on team goals than individual milestones. Also Read: 'He used to...': Former Indian spinner on how MS Dhoni helped bowlers from behind the stumps Kirsten explained, "Any coach would want a group of players playing for the name on the front of the shirt and not the name on the back of the shirt. India is a tough place with a lot of hype around individual superstars, and you often get lost in what your own personal needs are. And Dhoni meanwhile was standout as a leader as he was so focused on the team doing well, he wanted to win trophies and have great success and he was very public about that. And that pulled a lot of other guys into line, and quite simply, Sachin started enjoying cricket as well." "MS and I formed the most unlikely partnership of captain and coach you will ever imagine in international games, and we end up having this incredible journey together," he added. Kirsten-Dhoni's partnership was hailed for the team environment they created together. All the players came together for one goal; i.e. winning the 2011 ODI WC on home soil and were determined to top the ICC Test Rankings, a feat they attained in late 2009. Kirsten vacated the post after India's historic ODI WC triumph and was succeeded by Duncan Fletcher.

'MS Dhoni was standout as...': Gary Kirsten on how former Indian captain was separate from other 'superstars'

India will be hosting Australia in the second Test, of the four-match series, which gets underway on February 17 (Friday). Cheteshwar Pujara, India's No. 3 batter, will be playing his 100th Test and become only the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club. He will become the second&nbsp;active Indian player to achieve the feat after Kohli (105 Tests).

Ahead of the second Test, in the national capital, R Ashwin lauded Pujara. He, however, pointed out --&nbsp;in his column for ESPNCricinfo -- that Pujara&nbsp;and even Murali Vijay, who recently retired from international cricket,&nbsp;are not celebrated enough.

Ashwin said, "M Vijay, according to me the greatest opener for India outside of Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag, and Puji are quite similar in that they haven't been celebrated enough. They also had some of the most hilarious arguments. They used to do the most difficult job in Test cricket - play out the new ball in testing conditions, as we tend to need to do whenever we go abroad - so it is par for the course to have a few eccentricities emerge from that kind of partnership."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-want-to-quit-cricket-ex-india-bowling-coach-recalls-shamis-words-reveals-how-shastri-motivated-him-561862">I want to quit cricket: Ex-India bowling coach recalls Shami's words, reveals how Shastri motivated him</a>

Further, the wily off-spinner Ashwin hailed Pujara's stubbornness, which has broken down the best of the attacks in the recent past. In this regard, he said, "Pat Cummins bowls good ball after good ball, changing the angles, trying a bouncer, trying a sucker ball, but all he gets from Puji is the leave or the dead defence. Actually I don't recall thinking Puji had a great defence when I first saw him, but his stubbornness is such that he has broken down the best of the attacks with his defence."

"Most batters add to their game when they are successful or cut out some elements when they are failing, but Puji keeps trusting his method. You can't convince him to change. I used to use a Tamil nickname for him with Shankar Basu, our previous trainer: Mirugam, the beast. Just like a beast focuses single-mindedly on its prey, Puji focuses on batting," he added.

Pujara has had a glittering career in the red-ball format. In 99 Tests, he has 7,021 runs at an average of 44.15 with 19 tons and 34 half-centuries. He will aim for a memorable outing on his 100th Test and take India to a 2-0 scoreline with another impressive win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India will be hosting Australia in the second Test, of the four-match series, which gets underway on February 17 (Friday). Cheteshwar Pujara, India's No. 3 batter, will be playing his 100th Test and become only the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club.

India will be hosting Australia in the second Test, of the four-match series, which gets underway on February 17 (Friday). Cheteshwar Pujara, India's No. 3 batter, will be playing his 100th Test and become only the 12th Indian to enter the 100-Test club. He will become the second active Indian player to achieve the feat after Kohli (105 Tests). Ahead of the second Test, in the national capital, R Ashwin lauded Pujara. He, however, pointed out -- in his column for ESPNCricinfo -- that Pujara and even Murali Vijay, who recently retired from international cricket, are not celebrated enough. Ashwin said, "M Vijay, according to me the greatest opener for India outside of Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag, and Puji are quite similar in that they haven't been celebrated enough. They also had some of the most hilarious arguments. They used to do the most difficult job in Test cricket - play out the new ball in testing conditions, as we tend to need to do whenever we go abroad - so it is par for the course to have a few eccentricities emerge from that kind of partnership." Also Read: I want to quit cricket: Ex-India bowling coach recalls Shami's words, reveals how Shastri motivated him Further, the wily off-spinner Ashwin hailed Pujara's stubbornness, which has broken down the best of the attacks in the recent past. In this regard, he said, "Pat Cummins bowls good ball after good ball, changing the angles, trying a bouncer, trying a sucker ball, but all he gets from Puji is the leave or the dead defence. Actually I don't recall thinking Puji had a great defence when I first saw him, but his stubbornness is such that he has broken down the best of the attacks with his defence." "Most batters add to their game when they are successful or cut out some elements when they are failing, but Puji keeps trusting his method. You can't convince him to change. I used to use a Tamil nickname for him with Shankar Basu, our previous trainer: Mirugam, the beast. Just like a beast focuses single-mindedly on its prey, Puji focuses on batting," he added. Pujara has had a glittering career in the red-ball format. In 99 Tests, he has 7,021 runs at an average of 44.15 with 19 tons and 34 half-centuries. He will aim for a memorable outing on his 100th Test and take India to a 2-0 scoreline with another impressive win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

IND vs AUS: R Ashwin names India's star batters who are 'not celebrated enough'

Mohammed Shami remains an integral part of Team India across formats. At 32, the pacer has represented India in 61 Tests, 87 ODIs, and 23 T20Is, claiming 219, 159, and 24 scalps respectively. While he is spearheading India's pace attack in the ongoing home Test series versus Australia, there was a time in Shami's career when he was contemplating retirement. After going through a lot in his personal life in early 2018, Shami's fitness standards&nbsp;dropped and he was out of the Indian team. Just when he thought about retiring from the game, the then bowling coach Bharat Arun took him to then head coach Ravi Shastri and the former revealed how Shastri came to Shami's aid.

'I am very angry and I want to quit cricket'

Arun told Cricbuzz, "Just before the 2018 tour of England, we had a fitness test and Shami failed it. He lost his place in the Indian team. He called me and said he wanted to have a word with me. So I invited him to my room; he was going through personal turmoil. His fitness was affected, mentally he was gone. He came to me and said 'I am very angry and I want to quit cricket'. I immediately took Shami to meet Ravi Shastri. We both went up to his room and I said 'Ravi, Shami wants to say something'. Ravi asked what it was and Shami told him the same thing that 'I don't want to play cricket'. Both of us asked 'What will you do if not play cricket?' What else do you know? You know how to bowl when given the ball."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/im-200-per-cent-sure-he-cant-do-ishant-recalls-being-investigated-for-match-fixing-allegations-on-shami-561792">I'm 200 per cent sure he can't do: Ishant recalls being investigated for match-fixing allegations on Shami</a>

Arun added, "So Ravi said 'It's good that you're angry. This is the best thing that has happened to you because you have a ball in hand. Your fitness is poor. Whatever anger it is that you have, take it out on your body. We are going to send you to National Cricket Academy and want you to go there for 4 weeks and stay there. You will not go home, and only head to NCA. It suited Shami also because he had a problem going to Kolkata then so he spent 5 weeks at the NCA. I still remember the call he made and told me 'Sir, I have become like a stallion. Make me run as much as you want'. The 5 weeks that he spent there, he realised what working on fitness can do to him."

Not going home and working on his bowling and fitness worked wonders for Shami. He missed the one-off Test versus Afghanistan in June 2018 but returned to the Test squad for the away series in England, claiming the second-most wickets for India (17).&nbsp;

After that, there was no looking back for Shami.&nbsp;He was India's top performer in the away ODI series versus New Zealand in early 2019, took a hat-trick in the 2019 ODI World Cup, and remains&nbsp;an indispensable part of India's pace attack in red-ball format to date. He is also&nbsp;a vital part of India's plans keeping&nbsp;the WTC final and 2023 ODI World Cup in mind.&nbsp;

Mohammed Shami remains an integral part of Team India across formats. At 32, the pacer has represented India in 61 Tests, 87 ODIs, and 23 T20Is, claiming 219, 159, and 24 scalps respectively.

Mohammed Shami remains an integral part of Team India across formats. At 32, the pacer has represented India in 61 Tests, 87 ODIs, and 23 T20Is, claiming 219, 159, and 24 scalps respectively. While he is spearheading India's pace attack in the ongoing home Test series versus Australia, there was a time in Shami's career when he was contemplating retirement. After going through a lot in his personal life in early 2018, Shami's fitness standards dropped and he was out of the Indian team. Just when he thought about retiring from the game, the then bowling coach Bharat Arun took him to then head coach Ravi Shastri and the former revealed how Shastri came to Shami's aid. 'I am very angry and I want to quit cricket' Arun told Cricbuzz, "Just before the 2018 tour of England, we had a fitness test and Shami failed it. He lost his place in the Indian team. He called me and said he wanted to have a word with me. So I invited him to my room; he was going through personal turmoil. His fitness was affected, mentally he was gone. He came to me and said 'I am very angry and I want to quit cricket'. I immediately took Shami to meet Ravi Shastri. We both went up to his room and I said 'Ravi, Shami wants to say something'. Ravi asked what it was and Shami told him the same thing that 'I don't want to play cricket'. Both of us asked 'What will you do if not play cricket?' What else do you know? You know how to bowl when given the ball." Also Read: I'm 200 per cent sure he can't do: Ishant recalls being investigated for match-fixing allegations on Shami Arun added, "So Ravi said 'It's good that you're angry. This is the best thing that has happened to you because you have a ball in hand. Your fitness is poor. Whatever anger it is that you have, take it out on your body. We are going to send you to National Cricket Academy and want you to go there for 4 weeks and stay there. You will not go home, and only head to NCA. It suited Shami also because he had a problem going to Kolkata then so he spent 5 weeks at the NCA. I still remember the call he made and told me 'Sir, I have become like a stallion. Make me run as much as you want'. The 5 weeks that he spent there, he realised what working on fitness can do to him." Not going home and working on his bowling and fitness worked wonders for Shami. He missed the one-off Test versus Afghanistan in June 2018 but returned to the Test squad for the away series in England, claiming the second-most wickets for India (17). After that, there was no looking back for Shami. He was India's top performer in the away ODI series versus New Zealand in early 2019, took a hat-trick in the 2019 ODI World Cup, and remains an indispensable part of India's pace attack in red-ball format to date. He is also a vital part of India's plans keeping the WTC final and 2023 ODI World Cup in mind.

I want to quit cricket: Ex-India bowling coach recalls Shami's words, reveals how Shastri motivated him

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The former Indian captain had an illustrious career at the international level, amassing 17,266 runs, scoring 16 tons, claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings, hitting 359 sixes along with leading India to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. While the wicketkeeper-batter was known for his calmness, captaincy, keeping and power-hitting skills, he was also known to be an asset behind the stumps; helping bowlers plot the downfall of opposition batters.&nbsp;

In this regard, former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha hailed Dhoni and revealed how he made life easier for the bowlers.&nbsp;"I think he used to make things very simple. If you see all the spinners who have played along with him or under him, they used to enjoy his advice. He used to make things very easy for us. As a bowler, you have to think about your own bowling, felding, you have to think about the batsman, you have to think about the conditions," he&nbsp;told&nbsp;Hindustan Times&nbsp;in an interview.

"But he was one who used to take one part out of your system, like the field placement or maybe how the wicket is behaving. These are the things which he would help you out with. That is the reason why it was less of a burden on a bowler, and that is what I enjoyed," Ojha asserted.

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The 36-year-old Ojha, who represented India in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs, and six T20Is, also revealed that Dhoni's best quality was that he used to ensure that his teammates were not under any pressure.&nbsp; "I think the best part was the way he used to make sure that the pressure doesn't come to us. That is something that really helped me. That is something I make sure that when a young person is playing, I make sure the pressure doesn't mount on him. That is something that really helps you", Ojha added.

Dhoni will next be seen in action in IPL 2023, where he will once again lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It is expected to be his last season in the cash-rich league and will be desperate to guide his side to their fifth title.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The former Indian captain had an illustrious career at the international level, amassing 17,266 runs, scoring 16 tons, claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings, hitting 359 sixes along with leading India to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure.

MS Dhoni remains a big name in world cricket. The former Indian captain had an illustrious career at the international level, amassing 17,266 runs, scoring 16 tons, claiming 634 catches and 195 stumpings, hitting 359 sixes along with leading India to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. While the wicketkeeper-batter was known for his calmness, captaincy, keeping and power-hitting skills, he was also known to be an asset behind the stumps; helping bowlers plot the downfall of opposition batters. In this regard, former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha hailed Dhoni and revealed how he made life easier for the bowlers. "I think he used to make things very simple. If you see all the spinners who have played along with him or under him, they used to enjoy his advice. He used to make things very easy for us. As a bowler, you have to think about your own bowling, felding, you have to think about the batsman, you have to think about the conditions," he told Hindustan Times in an interview. "But he was one who used to take one part out of your system, like the field placement or maybe how the wicket is behaving. These are the things which he would help you out with. That is the reason why it was less of a burden on a bowler, and that is what I enjoyed," Ojha asserted. Also Read: WPL Auction: Team India captain Harmanpreet Kaur joins Mumbai Indians for INR 1.8 crores The 36-year-old Ojha, who represented India in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs, and six T20Is, also revealed that Dhoni's best quality was that he used to ensure that his teammates were not under any pressure. "I think the best part was the way he used to make sure that the pressure doesn't come to us. That is something that really helped me. That is something I make sure that when a young person is playing, I make sure the pressure doesn't mount on him. That is something that really helps you", Ojha added. Dhoni will next be seen in action in IPL 2023, where he will once again lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It is expected to be his last season in the cash-rich league and will be desperate to guide his side to their fifth title.

'He used to...': Former Indian spinner on how MS Dhoni helped bowlers from behind the stumps

India had a perfect start to the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy edition on Thursday (February 09). Being asked to bowl first in the first Test, in Nagpur, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. were off to a flier versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, reducing them to 2 for 2, and soon dismissed them for 177 with Ravindra Jadeja (5 for 47) and R Ashwin (3 for 42) shining with the ball.

In reply, India started off on a strong note with the bat with captain Rohit leading the charge whereas his deputy and opening partner KL Rahul played cautiously. The duo had stitched an impressive 76-run-opening stand and looked set to close the day's play with their stand being unbroken. However, Rahul was once again dismissed for cheap -- after a dismal run in the Bangladesh Tests in December 2022 -- with a soft dismissal leading to his long walk back to the pavillion.&nbsp;

Rahul gave a simple catch to debutant spinner Todd Murphy to give Australia their first breakthrough. After his dismissal, Rohit was dejected and reacted strongly. Here's the video:

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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-r-ashwin-creates-history-becomes-second-indian-bowler-to-claim-450-test-scalps-560305">IND vs AUS: R Ashwin creates history, becomes second Indian bowler to claim 450 Test scalps</a>

While only few deliveries were left for Day 1 to end, Rohit-led India would've been much more content with their opening pair battling the final moments. However, Rahul's departure led to Ashwin being promoted, as a nightwatchman, to negate the final over of the day.&nbsp;

Rohit-Ashwin batted the final six balls with ease and ended day's play with India in a strong position; being 77 for 1 and trailing Australia's 177 by only 100 runs. With nine wickets in hand, the home side will look to bat for long and take a sizeable lead to dictate terms in the match.

India had a perfect start to the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy edition on Thursday (February 09). Being asked to bowl first in the first Test, in Nagpur, Rohit Sharma & Co.

India had a perfect start to the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy edition on Thursday (February 09). Being asked to bowl first in the first Test, in Nagpur, Rohit Sharma & Co. were off to a flier versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, reducing them to 2 for 2, and soon dismissed them for 177 with Ravindra Jadeja (5 for 47) and R Ashwin (3 for 42) shining with the ball. In reply, India started off on a strong note with the bat with captain Rohit leading the charge whereas his deputy and opening partner KL Rahul played cautiously. The duo had stitched an impressive 76-run-opening stand and looked set to close the day's play with their stand being unbroken. However, Rahul was once again dismissed for cheap -- after a dismal run in the Bangladesh Tests in December 2022 -- with a soft dismissal leading to his long walk back to the pavillion. Rahul gave a simple catch to debutant spinner Todd Murphy to give Australia their first breakthrough. After his dismissal, Rohit was dejected and reacted strongly. Here's the video: pic.twitter.com/prgOrmh276 — Anna 24GhanteChaukanna (@Anna24GhanteCh2) February 9, 2023 × Also Read: IND vs AUS: R Ashwin creates history, becomes second Indian bowler to claim 450 Test scalps While only few deliveries were left for Day 1 to end, Rohit-led India would've been much more content with their opening pair battling the final moments. However, Rahul's departure led to Ashwin being promoted, as a nightwatchman, to negate the final over of the day. Rohit-Ashwin batted the final six balls with ease and ended day's play with India in a strong position; being 77 for 1 and trailing Australia's 177 by only 100 runs. With nine wickets in hand, the home side will look to bat for long and take a sizeable lead to dictate terms in the match.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma reacts after KL Rahul gets dismissed before stumps on Day 1 of Nagpur Test

Pakistani cricketers never shy away from expressing their views on various aspects of the modern-day game. Often, many of them pass a glaring remark which hits the headlines. In a recent interview, Pakistan veteran pacer Sohail Khan made heads turn with many of his claims, particularly on Virat Kohli and young Indian speedster Umran Malik.

Sohail opened up on his heated exchange with Kohli during India-Pakistan 2015 ODI World Cup face-off and also commented on Umran. Speaking on the 23-year-old, Sohail praised him but said Pakistan's domestic setup is filled with bowlers like him. "I feel this Umran Malik guy is a good bowler. I’ve seen 1-2 matches. He runs fast and has kept other things in check as well. But if you think of fast bowlers with speed in excess of over 150-155 kph, I can count 12-15 players right now who play tape-ball cricket. If you go visit the trails organised by Lahore Qalandars, you’ll find many players," Sohail said on The Nadir Ali podcast.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-is-technically-better-than-virat-kohli-pakistan-pacer-makes-big-claim-558751">Rohit Sharma is technically better than Virat Kohli: Pakistan pacer makes BIG claim</a>

"Iske (Umran Malik) jaise toh bohot hain. Domestic cricket bhari padi hai hamaari. (Our domestic setup is filled with bowlers like Umran Malik).&nbsp;When a bowler comes through in our domestic level, he becomes a bonafide bowler. Like Shaheen, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf… these are bowlers who know their stuff. I can give you plenty of names," Sohail added.

<section>Umran made a mark in IPL 2022, returning with 22 scalps -- fourth-most overall -- and has played eight ODIs and T20Is each so far. He missed out on being part of India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad but has been in Men in Blue's white-ball scheme of things since then.</section>

Pakistani cricketers never shy away from expressing their views on various aspects of the modern-day game. Often, many of them pass a glaring remark which hits the headlines.

Pakistani cricketers never shy away from expressing their views on various aspects of the modern-day game. Often, many of them pass a glaring remark which hits the headlines. In a recent interview, Pakistan veteran pacer Sohail Khan made heads turn with many of his claims, particularly on Virat Kohli and young Indian speedster Umran Malik. Sohail opened up on his heated exchange with Kohli during India-Pakistan 2015 ODI World Cup face-off and also commented on Umran. Speaking on the 23-year-old, Sohail praised him but said Pakistan's domestic setup is filled with bowlers like him. "I feel this Umran Malik guy is a good bowler. I’ve seen 1-2 matches. He runs fast and has kept other things in check as well. But if you think of fast bowlers with speed in excess of over 150-155 kph, I can count 12-15 players right now who play tape-ball cricket. If you go visit the trails organised by Lahore Qalandars, you’ll find many players," Sohail said on The Nadir Ali podcast. Also Read: Rohit Sharma is technically better than Virat Kohli: Pakistan pacer makes BIG claim "Iske (Umran Malik) jaise toh bohot hain. Domestic cricket bhari padi hai hamaari. (Our domestic setup is filled with bowlers like Umran Malik). When a bowler comes through in our domestic level, he becomes a bonafide bowler. Like Shaheen, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf… these are bowlers who know their stuff. I can give you plenty of names," Sohail added. Umran made a mark in IPL 2022, returning with 22 scalps -- fourth-most overall -- and has played eight ODIs and T20Is each so far. He missed out on being part of India's T20 World Cup 2022 squad but has been in Men in Blue's white-ball scheme of things since then.

Our domestic setup is filled with bowlers like Umran Malik, says Pakistan pacer Sohail Khan

Shubman Gill has had a stellar run in international cricket in the recent past. During India's tour of Bangladesh in late 2022, he struck his maiden Test hundred and went onto slam a hundred in the Sri Lanka home ODIs before becoming the youngest to score a double ton in the 50-over format and recently became only the fifth India to log a ton in all formats with his maiden T20I ton. Having such a flawless run, one expects Gill to feature in India's playing XI for the four-match Test series opener versus Australia, in Nagpur on February 09.

Nonetheless, the competition is tough as India have preferred the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in Tests. The two were at their best during the England Tests in 2021 and were expected to open together during the Bangladesh series before captain Rohit got injured. With Rahul being his deputy, it will be tough for Gill to replace him. With no Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, either of the two can bat in the middle order as well but the questions remains as to who will open with Rohit. In this regard, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan shared his take.

“Not in all three formats but in two formats. If you talk about Test matches, you have two openers who have scored runs in difficult conditions, scored runs in England and won matches for India there. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are there, so suddenly because Shubman Gill has scored runs in the T20 format, you cannot ask them to step aside and let him play. You need the stability,” Pathan told&nbsp;Star Sports.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-rohit-sharma-but-virat-kohli-may-play-2024-t20-world-cup-predicts-former-indian-opener-558549">Not Rohit Sharma but Virat Kohli may play 2024 T20 World Cup, predicts former Indian opener</a>

Rohit and Rahul are expected to open the innings with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill to follow suit. KS Bharat might don the wicketkeeping gloves with Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Axar Patel being the spin-bowling all-rounders whereas the likes of Mohammed Shami and Siraj are likely to handle the pace unit.

Squads

India (for first two Tests):&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav

Australia:&nbsp;Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb (wk), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

Shubman Gill has had a stellar run in international cricket in the recent past. During India's tour of Bangladesh in late 2022, he struck his maiden Test hundred and went onto slam a hundred in the Sri Lanka home ODIs before becoming the youngest to score a double ton in the 50-over format and recently became only the fifth India to log a ton in all formats with his maiden T20I ton.

Shubman Gill has had a stellar run in international cricket in the recent past. During India's tour of Bangladesh in late 2022, he struck his maiden Test hundred and went onto slam a hundred in the Sri Lanka home ODIs before becoming the youngest to score a double ton in the 50-over format and recently became only the fifth India to log a ton in all formats with his maiden T20I ton. Having such a flawless run, one expects Gill to feature in India's playing XI for the four-match Test series opener versus Australia, in Nagpur on February 09. Nonetheless, the competition is tough as India have preferred the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in Tests. The two were at their best during the England Tests in 2021 and were expected to open together during the Bangladesh series before captain Rohit got injured. With Rahul being his deputy, it will be tough for Gill to replace him. With no Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, either of the two can bat in the middle order as well but the questions remains as to who will open with Rohit. In this regard, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan shared his take. “Not in all three formats but in two formats. If you talk about Test matches, you have two openers who have scored runs in difficult conditions, scored runs in England and won matches for India there. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are there, so suddenly because Shubman Gill has scored runs in the T20 format, you cannot ask them to step aside and let him play. You need the stability,” Pathan told Star Sports. Also read: Not Rohit Sharma but Virat Kohli may play 2024 T20 World Cup, predicts former Indian opener Rohit and Rahul are expected to open the innings with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill to follow suit. KS Bharat might don the wicketkeeping gloves with Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Axar Patel being the spin-bowling all-rounders whereas the likes of Mohammed Shami and Siraj are likely to handle the pace unit. Squads India (for first two Tests): Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb (wk), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

'Just because he has scored runs in T20Is....': Irfan on Rahul vs Gill debate ahead of India-Australia Tests

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I with the scoreline being 1-1. Opting to bat first at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, India rode on Shubman Gill's 63-ball 126 not out and Rahul Tripathi's 22-ball 44 to post a daunting 234 for 4. In reply, the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps were never in the hunt and only managed a paltry 66 all-out in 12.1 overs to lose by a whopping 168-run margin. With the series win, India maintained their stronghold on the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I rankings.&nbsp;

Talking about the contest, India went into the game with only one change with Umran Malik coming in place of Yuzvendra Chahal. Thus, Prithvi Shaw -- who recently slammed 379 in Ranji Trophy -- remained benched which made heads turn in the cricketing fraternity. India backed Gill and Ishan Kishan, who once again fell flat in the series finale. After the easy win over the Kiwis in the Ahmedabad T20I, skipper Hardik Pandya was presented with the trophy by BCCI President Roger Binny and Secretary Jay Shah. Hardik quickly handed the trophy to benched Shaw, grabbing eyeballs for the out-of-favour player.&nbsp;

Here's the video:

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Captain <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya93</a> collects the <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> trophy from BCCI president Mr. Roger Binny &amp; BCCI Honorary Secretary Mr. Jay Shah 👏👏 
 
Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> who clinch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a> T20I series 2️⃣-1️⃣ <a href="https://twitter.com/JayShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JayShah</a> <a href="https://t.co/WLbCE417QU">pic.twitter.com/WLbCE417QU</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1620840587044995072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-suryakumar-yadav-takes-a-stunner-to-get-rid-of-finn-allen-in-ind-nz-3rd-t20i-558138">WATCH: Suryakumar Yadav takes a stunner to get rid of Finn Allen in IND-NZ 3rd T20I</a>

Shaw would be disappointed to not get a game under his belt during the NZ series. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and make a strong statement to get a longer rope in the T20I setup with the World Cup next year in West Indies and the USA.

At the post-match presentation, a jubilant Hardik reflected on the series win and said, "I don't mind winning (man of the series award), but there were so performances here that were exceptional. This Man of the Series and trophy goes out to the whole support staff, I'm happy for all of them. (On doing things out of the box) Not to be honest, I always play the game like this. I try to read what is required, not have preconceived ideas. In my captaincy, I look to keep it simple and back my gut. I have a simple rule -&nbsp;if I go down, I will go down on my terms.&nbsp;We've spoken about taking challenges. When we played the IPL final, we felt the second innings was more spicy but on this surface today I wanted to make it a normal game because it was a decider. Hence, we batted first. Hopefully, we can continue performing like this."

India will now shift their focus to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, at home, versus Australia which gets underway on February 09.

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I with the scoreline being 1-1. Opting to bat first at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, India rode on Shubman Gill's 63-ball 126 not out and Rahul Tripathi's 22-ball 44 to post a daunting 234 for 4.

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India locked horns with New Zealand in the third and final T20I with the scoreline being 1-1. Opting to bat first at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, India rode on Shubman Gill's 63-ball 126 not out and Rahul Tripathi's 22-ball 44 to post a daunting 234 for 4. In reply, the Mitchell Santner-led Black Caps were never in the hunt and only managed a paltry 66 all-out in 12.1 overs to lose by a whopping 168-run margin. With the series win, India maintained their stronghold on the No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I rankings. Talking about the contest, India went into the game with only one change with Umran Malik coming in place of Yuzvendra Chahal. Thus, Prithvi Shaw -- who recently slammed 379 in Ranji Trophy -- remained benched which made heads turn in the cricketing fraternity. India backed Gill and Ishan Kishan, who once again fell flat in the series finale. After the easy win over the Kiwis in the Ahmedabad T20I, skipper Hardik Pandya was presented with the trophy by BCCI President Roger Binny and Secretary Jay Shah. Hardik quickly handed the trophy to benched Shaw, grabbing eyeballs for the out-of-favour player. Here's the video: Captain @hardikpandya93 collects the @mastercardindia trophy from BCCI president Mr. Roger Binny & BCCI Honorary Secretary Mr. Jay Shah 👏👏 Congratulations to #TeamIndia who clinch the #INDvNZ T20I series 2️⃣-1️⃣ @JayShah pic.twitter.com/WLbCE417QU — BCCI (@BCCI) February 1, 2023 × Also read: WATCH: Suryakumar Yadav takes a stunner to get rid of Finn Allen in IND-NZ 3rd T20I Shaw would be disappointed to not get a game under his belt during the NZ series. He will aim for a memorable run in IPL 2023 and make a strong statement to get a longer rope in the T20I setup with the World Cup next year in West Indies and the USA. At the post-match presentation, a jubilant Hardik reflected on the series win and said, "I don't mind winning (man of the series award), but there were so performances here that were exceptional. This Man of the Series and trophy goes out to the whole support staff, I'm happy for all of them. (On doing things out of the box) Not to be honest, I always play the game like this. I try to read what is required, not have preconceived ideas. In my captaincy, I look to keep it simple and back my gut. I have a simple rule - if I go down, I will go down on my terms. We've spoken about taking challenges. When we played the IPL final, we felt the second innings was more spicy but on this surface today I wanted to make it a normal game because it was a decider. Hence, we batted first. Hopefully, we can continue performing like this." India will now shift their focus to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, at home, versus Australia which gets underway on February 09.

IND vs NZ: Hardik Pandya presents T20I series trophy to benched Prithvi Shaw as video goes viral - Watch

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa.

On Wednesday evening (February 01), the BCCI took to its official Twitter handle and captioned the post, "𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri&nbsp;@sachin_rt&nbsp; and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore." Here's the viral video of Tendulkar and BCCI office-bearers honouring the achievements of Shafali &amp; Co.:

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𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! 
 
Bharat Ratna Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore. 🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JayShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JayShah</a> <a href="https://t.co/u13tWMPhLQ">pic.twitter.com/u13tWMPhLQ</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1620786135147614208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-ripped-the-team-to-shreds-and-r-sridhar-narrates-unheard-tale-of-ms-dhoni-losing-his-cool-557941">'He ripped the team to shreds and....': R Sridhar narrates unheard tale of MS Dhoni losing his cool</a>

Tendulkar gave a motivational speech to the young girls following their achievements. He was quoted as saying during the felicitation ceremony, "By winning this World Cup, you have given a dream to young girls in India, to represent the country."

Tendulkar also opined that&nbsp;the inception of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), to kick off in March, is going to change the landscape of women’s cricket in the country. In this regard, he pointed out, "The beginning of the WPL is going to be the biggest thing. I believe in equality for men and women, and not just in sports. There should be equal opportunity. The entire nation will celebrate and cherish your victory."

Shafali-led India was unbeaten in the group stage before losing to Australia in their opening match of the Super 6. Post that, they enjoyed a three-match winning streak, defeating the likes of Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England respectively, to win the title. For India,&nbsp;Batter Shweta Sehrawat (297&nbsp;runs: most in the tournament) and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra (second-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps) led the charge whereas skipper Shafali also contributed with 172 runs; third-most overall.

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa.

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa. On Wednesday evening (February 01), the BCCI took to its official Twitter handle and captioned the post, "𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri @sachin_rt and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore." Here's the viral video of Tendulkar and BCCI office-bearers honouring the achievements of Shafali & Co.: 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri @sachin_rt and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore. 🇮🇳 #TeamIndia @JayShah pic.twitter.com/u13tWMPhLQ — BCCI (@BCCI) February 1, 2023 × Also read: 'He ripped the team to shreds and....': R Sridhar narrates unheard tale of MS Dhoni losing his cool Tendulkar gave a motivational speech to the young girls following their achievements. He was quoted as saying during the felicitation ceremony, "By winning this World Cup, you have given a dream to young girls in India, to represent the country." Tendulkar also opined that the inception of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), to kick off in March, is going to change the landscape of women’s cricket in the country. In this regard, he pointed out, "The beginning of the WPL is going to be the biggest thing. I believe in equality for men and women, and not just in sports. There should be equal opportunity. The entire nation will celebrate and cherish your victory." Shafali-led India was unbeaten in the group stage before losing to Australia in their opening match of the Super 6. Post that, they enjoyed a three-match winning streak, defeating the likes of Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England respectively, to win the title. For India, Batter Shweta Sehrawat (297 runs: most in the tournament) and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra (second-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps) led the charge whereas skipper Shafali also contributed with 172 runs; third-most overall.

Tendulkar, BCCI present India U19 Women’s team a fat cheque for T20 WC win before IND-NZ 3rd T20I

MS Dhoni served Indian cricket with distinction. During his illustrious career, he amassed 17,266 international runs, slammed 16 tons, accounted for 634 catches and 195 stumpings, and smashed 359 sixes but became a darling of the nation during his captaincy tenure, leading India to all three major ICC titles. While Dhoni was known for his calm demeanour as a leader, there were several occasions when he lost his cool on his teammates.

During the West Indies tour of India in late 2014, Dhoni blasted the Indian players for their shoddy fielding efforts during an ODI at the previously named&nbsp;Ferozshah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi. While India won the game by 48 runs, in defence of 263 for 7, but then skipper Dhoni wasn't pleased with his troops. R Sridhar, India's former fielding coach, recalled the whole incident in his book 'Coaching Beyond'.

"Getting back to my early days with the Indian team... following MS' inputs, we began to get out fielding house in order with the World Cup in mind. We were playing West Indies at the Feroz Shah Kotla in October 2014 - a match we won comfortably but where we were absolutely shoddy on the field. MS was furious at what he perceived to be lack of effort and dipping fitness standards," Sridhar, who became the fielding coach in 2014, said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shaheen-is-very-good-jasprit-bumrah-nowhere-near-him-razzaq-once-again-takes-a-dig-at-india-pacer-557902">Shaheen is very good, Jasprit Bumrah nowhere near him: Razzaq once again takes a dig at India pacer</a>

After the match, Dhoni stated, "I feel quite a few things are missing. We have to pull our socks up. We have not played to our potential. This game is a crucial eye opener for us. We are on the winning side, but we could have lost this."

Sridhar revealed that Dhoni didn't mince his words when he joined his teammates in the dressing room and gave them an earful along with an ultimatum. "In the dressing room, he ripped the team to shreds and gave them an ultimatum, making it clear that if they didn't meet certain standards in fielding and fitness, they would not make the World Cup cut, no matter what name they answer to. That showed me the kind of fielding culture he was looking to establish in white-ball cricket," Sridhar added.

Under Dhoni, India focused on remaining calm under pressure, becoming a better fielding unit, and&nbsp;played with several bowling options along with a good batting depth. At present, Dhoni is preparing for IPL 2023 in India, which is likely to get underway in April.

MS Dhoni served Indian cricket with distinction. During his illustrious career, he amassed 17,266 international runs, slammed 16 tons, accounted for 634 catches and 195 stumpings, and smashed 359 sixes but became a darling of the nation during his captaincy tenure, leading India to all three major ICC titles.

MS Dhoni served Indian cricket with distinction. During his illustrious career, he amassed 17,266 international runs, slammed 16 tons, accounted for 634 catches and 195 stumpings, and smashed 359 sixes but became a darling of the nation during his captaincy tenure, leading India to all three major ICC titles. While Dhoni was known for his calm demeanour as a leader, there were several occasions when he lost his cool on his teammates. During the West Indies tour of India in late 2014, Dhoni blasted the Indian players for their shoddy fielding efforts during an ODI at the previously named Ferozshah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi. While India won the game by 48 runs, in defence of 263 for 7, but then skipper Dhoni wasn't pleased with his troops. R Sridhar, India's former fielding coach, recalled the whole incident in his book 'Coaching Beyond'. "Getting back to my early days with the Indian team... following MS' inputs, we began to get out fielding house in order with the World Cup in mind. We were playing West Indies at the Feroz Shah Kotla in October 2014 - a match we won comfortably but where we were absolutely shoddy on the field. MS was furious at what he perceived to be lack of effort and dipping fitness standards," Sridhar, who became the fielding coach in 2014, said. Also read: Shaheen is very good, Jasprit Bumrah nowhere near him: Razzaq once again takes a dig at India pacer After the match, Dhoni stated, "I feel quite a few things are missing. We have to pull our socks up. We have not played to our potential. This game is a crucial eye opener for us. We are on the winning side, but we could have lost this." Sridhar revealed that Dhoni didn't mince his words when he joined his teammates in the dressing room and gave them an earful along with an ultimatum. "In the dressing room, he ripped the team to shreds and gave them an ultimatum, making it clear that if they didn't meet certain standards in fielding and fitness, they would not make the World Cup cut, no matter what name they answer to. That showed me the kind of fielding culture he was looking to establish in white-ball cricket," Sridhar added. Under Dhoni, India focused on remaining calm under pressure, becoming a better fielding unit, and played with several bowling options along with a good batting depth. At present, Dhoni is preparing for IPL 2023 in India, which is likely to get underway in April.

'He ripped the team to shreds and....': R Sridhar narrates unheard tale of MS Dhoni losing his cool

India are gearing up for the third and final T20I versus New Zealand, to be held at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday (February 01). Ahead of the series finale, with the scoreline being 1-1, former Indian spinner and captain Anil Kumble lavished praise on some young Indian players and mentioned two&nbsp;future superstars.

Having worked closely with pacer Arshdeep Singh, during his sting as Punjab Kings' (PBKS) coach, Kumble lauded the left-arm seamer and reckoned he has a bright future. In his limited international appearances, Arshdeep has taken 39 T20I wickets in 25 matches and was part of Rohit Sharma-led India's Asia Cup and T20 World Cup campaigns.

"Having worked closely with someone like Arshdeep, it’s wonderful to see him grow into what he’s done for India. I would look at Arshdeep as the next superstar bowler coming through," said Kumble on JioCinema.

Among the young batters, India have abundance of talents in the form of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi and the likes. Kumble, however, picked ODI double centurion Ishan as a superstar in the making.&nbsp;"From a batting perspective, Ishan Kishan is someone who’s been wonderful in the opportunities he’s got. He got a double hundred and he’s someone who I think will be a superstar," Kumble asserted.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-2023-shreyas-iyer-ruled-out-of-nagpur-test-due-to-back-injury-557794">IND vs AUS 2023: Shreyas Iyer ruled out of Nagpur Test due to back injury</a>

Meanwhile, former Indian stumper Parthiv Patel mentioned two different names. "He's (Umran) quick and bowling well and already played for India. He’s someone who can be a superstar. Batting-wise, having seen Tilak Varma in the last couple of years, I had the opportunity to scout him and see the cricketer he has become. We’ve seen his batting ability, and he has the ability to go on and lead the side. He’s someone who comes across as a leader."

At present, Hardik-led Indian T20I team will be eager to win the three-match series versus the Kiwis before the action moves to the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and visitors Australia, starting on February 09.

India are gearing up for the third and final T20I versus New Zealand, to be held at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday (February 01). Ahead of the series finale, with the scoreline being 1-1, former Indian spinner and captain Anil Kumble lavished praise on some young Indian players and mentioned two future superstars.

India are gearing up for the third and final T20I versus New Zealand, to be held at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday (February 01). Ahead of the series finale, with the scoreline being 1-1, former Indian spinner and captain Anil Kumble lavished praise on some young Indian players and mentioned two future superstars. Having worked closely with pacer Arshdeep Singh, during his sting as Punjab Kings' (PBKS) coach, Kumble lauded the left-arm seamer and reckoned he has a bright future. In his limited international appearances, Arshdeep has taken 39 T20I wickets in 25 matches and was part of Rohit Sharma-led India's Asia Cup and T20 World Cup campaigns. "Having worked closely with someone like Arshdeep, it’s wonderful to see him grow into what he’s done for India. I would look at Arshdeep as the next superstar bowler coming through," said Kumble on JioCinema. Among the young batters, India have abundance of talents in the form of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Rahul Tripathi and the likes. Kumble, however, picked ODI double centurion Ishan as a superstar in the making. "From a batting perspective, Ishan Kishan is someone who’s been wonderful in the opportunities he’s got. He got a double hundred and he’s someone who I think will be a superstar," Kumble asserted. Also read: IND vs AUS 2023: Shreyas Iyer ruled out of Nagpur Test due to back injury Meanwhile, former Indian stumper Parthiv Patel mentioned two different names. "He's (Umran) quick and bowling well and already played for India. He’s someone who can be a superstar. Batting-wise, having seen Tilak Varma in the last couple of years, I had the opportunity to scout him and see the cricketer he has become. We’ve seen his batting ability, and he has the ability to go on and lead the side. He’s someone who comes across as a leader." At present, Hardik-led Indian T20I team will be eager to win the three-match series versus the Kiwis before the action moves to the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and visitors Australia, starting on February 09.

IND vs NZ: Arshdeep, Gill, Shaw or Ishan? Anil Kumble names two future superstars of Team India

On Thursday (January 12), Rohit Sharma-led India defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in pursuit of 216 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to earn an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. After winning the series opener by 67 runs, in Guwahati, India dismissed the Lankans for 215 in 39.4 overs before attaining the target in 43.2&nbsp;overs with four wickets in hand.&nbsp;

While Md Siraj (3 for 30) and Kuldeep Yadav (3 for 51) were the star performers with the ball, India managed to get past the finish line in the run-chase, after tottering at 86 for 4, courtesy of KL Rahul's gritty 64&nbsp;not out and vital contributions from Rohit, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Kuldeep (10 not out). Meanwhile, Virat Kohli -- who scored his second successive&nbsp;ton during&nbsp;Guwahati ODI -- perished for a nine-ball 4; being cleaned up by Lahiru Kumara.

After Kohli's dismissal, many on social media platforms criticised his ability to bat under pressure. However, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir backed Kohli and said on Star Sports, "Virat Kohli is there because he is Virat Kohli. He has scored tough runs for India whenever needed."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-better-player-than-ponting-as-aussie-legend-has-s-record-in-the-subcontinent-gautam-gambhir-551890">Rohit Sharma better player than Ricky Ponting as Australian has s*** record in subcontinent: Gautam Gambhir</a>

At times, Kohli's critics do question his ability to perform under pressure, especially in ICC knockouts, however, he still has done well in many such games (for instance, during the&nbsp;Champions Trophy 2013 and final, 2017 CT semi-final, T20 World Cup 2014 semi-final and final,&nbsp;semis of 2016 and 2022 editions) but failed to get going in CT'17 finale, 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup knockouts and 2021 WTC summit clash. On the other hand, there is no doubting his abilities to score tough runs in bilaterals across formats and bail the team out in crisis. He has done that on innumerable occasions throughout his career.

Kohli will definitely aim for a big score in the third and final ODI, in&nbsp;Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday (January 15).&nbsp;

On Thursday (January 12), Rohit Sharma-led India defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in pursuit of 216 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to earn an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

On Thursday (January 12), Rohit Sharma-led India defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets in pursuit of 216 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata to earn an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. After winning the series opener by 67 runs, in Guwahati, India dismissed the Lankans for 215 in 39.4 overs before attaining the target in 43.2 overs with four wickets in hand. While Md Siraj (3 for 30) and Kuldeep Yadav (3 for 51) were the star performers with the ball, India managed to get past the finish line in the run-chase, after tottering at 86 for 4, courtesy of KL Rahul's gritty 64 not out and vital contributions from Rohit, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Kuldeep (10 not out). Meanwhile, Virat Kohli -- who scored his second successive ton during Guwahati ODI -- perished for a nine-ball 4; being cleaned up by Lahiru Kumara. After Kohli's dismissal, many on social media platforms criticised his ability to bat under pressure. However, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir backed Kohli and said on Star Sports, "Virat Kohli is there because he is Virat Kohli. He has scored tough runs for India whenever needed." Also read: Rohit Sharma better player than Ricky Ponting as Australian has s*** record in subcontinent: Gautam Gambhir At times, Kohli's critics do question his ability to perform under pressure, especially in ICC knockouts, however, he still has done well in many such games (for instance, during the Champions Trophy 2013 and final, 2017 CT semi-final, T20 World Cup 2014 semi-final and final, semis of 2016 and 2022 editions) but failed to get going in CT'17 finale, 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup knockouts and 2021 WTC summit clash. On the other hand, there is no doubting his abilities to score tough runs in bilaterals across formats and bail the team out in crisis. He has done that on innumerable occasions throughout his career. Kohli will definitely aim for a big score in the third and final ODI, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Sunday (January 15).

'He has scored tough runs whenever needed': Gambhir backs Kohli after poor outing in IND-SL 2nd ODI

On January 11 (Wednesday), Rahul Dravid celebrated his 50th birthday ahead of India's second and penultimate ODI versus Sri Lanka. After winning the series opener by 67 runs, in Guwahati, Indian players reached Kolkata -- venue for the second ODI -- and celebrated head coach Dravid's birthday in the team hotel. On Thursday (January 12), Rohit Sharma-led India gave a perfect gift to Dravid by beating the Lankans by four wickets, in pursuit of 216, but there is sad news from the Indian camp.&nbsp;

As per reports,&nbsp;coach&nbsp;Dravid is reportedly unwell and hasn't travelled with the team to Thiruvananthapuram for the third and final ODI. According to India.com, he left for his hometown&nbsp;Bengaluru after he felt uneasy in the hotel&nbsp;as his BP shot up. While the former Indian captain stayed through the match at Kolkata, after having medicines, it isn't clear if he will join the Indian team in time for the inconsequential ODI.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-rishabh-i-dont-want-to-r-sridhar-narrates-unheard-story-about-ms-dhonis-retirement-552274">'No, Rishabh, I don't want to...': R Sridhar narrates unheard story about MS Dhoni's retirement</a>

No official update regarding Dravid's health has been shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Indian fans will hope that the 50-year-old recovers in time and joins the team ahead of their upcoming home assignments, against New Zealand and Australia.

Talking about the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka &amp; Co. opted to bat first but only managed 215 in 39.4 overs after being well-placed at 102 for 1. In reply, India was tottering at 86 for 4 before KL Rahul's 64 not out propelled them to a four-wicket win, with 40 balls to spare.

At the post-match presentation, Rohit was asked if India will tinker with their winning combination and give a chance to the benched players. To this, he said, "We haven't thought about it yet, once we get there we'll have a look at the pitch and have a look at some of our guys. There are 3 ODIs coming up against New Zealand as well, so we need to keep the guys fresh. We've got a long season now and we need to keep everything in mind. If needed, we'll make some changes."

On January 11 (Wednesday), Rahul Dravid celebrated his 50th birthday ahead of India's second and penultimate ODI versus Sri Lanka. After winning the series opener by 67 runs, in Guwahati, Indian players reached Kolkata -- venue for the second ODI -- and celebrated head coach Dravid's birthday in the team hotel.

On January 11 (Wednesday), Rahul Dravid celebrated his 50th birthday ahead of India's second and penultimate ODI versus Sri Lanka. After winning the series opener by 67 runs, in Guwahati, Indian players reached Kolkata -- venue for the second ODI -- and celebrated head coach Dravid's birthday in the team hotel. On Thursday (January 12), Rohit Sharma-led India gave a perfect gift to Dravid by beating the Lankans by four wickets, in pursuit of 216, but there is sad news from the Indian camp. As per reports, coach Dravid is reportedly unwell and hasn't travelled with the team to Thiruvananthapuram for the third and final ODI. According to India.com, he left for his hometown Bengaluru after he felt uneasy in the hotel as his BP shot up. While the former Indian captain stayed through the match at Kolkata, after having medicines, it isn't clear if he will join the Indian team in time for the inconsequential ODI. Also read: 'No, Rishabh, I don't want to...': R Sridhar narrates unheard story about MS Dhoni's retirement No official update regarding Dravid's health has been shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Indian fans will hope that the 50-year-old recovers in time and joins the team ahead of their upcoming home assignments, against New Zealand and Australia. Talking about the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka & Co. opted to bat first but only managed 215 in 39.4 overs after being well-placed at 102 for 1. In reply, India was tottering at 86 for 4 before KL Rahul's 64 not out propelled them to a four-wicket win, with 40 balls to spare. At the post-match presentation, Rohit was asked if India will tinker with their winning combination and give a chance to the benched players. To this, he said, "We haven't thought about it yet, once we get there we'll have a look at the pitch and have a look at some of our guys. There are 3 ODIs coming up against New Zealand as well, so we need to keep the guys fresh. We've got a long season now and we need to keep everything in mind. If needed, we'll make some changes."

IND vs SL: Rahul Dravid unwell, head coach likely to miss 3rd ODI due to health issues

India defeated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first ODI, in Guwahati, to go 1-0 up in the three-match series on Tuesday (January 10). Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin has slammed KL Rahul for not being consistent and finding different ways to get out.

In the ODI series opener, India rode on skipper Rohit Sharma's 83, Shubman Gill's 70 and Virat Kohli's 113 not out to post 373/7. Later, India defended the total by restricting Sri Lanka to 306 for 8, to win by 67 runs. Talking about Rahul, he donned the wicketkeeping gloves and made a 29-ball 39. Just when he was looking set, he departed after being cleaned up by pacer&nbsp;Kasun Rajitha.

Thus, Azhar told PTI, "I think Rahul is getting out in a lot of manners. Primarily, it is not the good balls that are getting him out. It is poor shot selection first up that is causing problems," said Azhar, who further added that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper should work with the coaches to rectify his batting flaws.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-afghanistan-odi-series-called-off-by-ca-following-talibans-stance-on-women-551763">Australia-Afghanistan ODI series called off by CA following Taliban's stance on women</a>

"I think consistency is the problem in KL Rahul's case. But I think there are coaches who should rectify his flaws. In my opinion, he is a good player but consistency is missing in his game," Azharuddin was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Rahul, the former vice-captain, will need to pull up his socks given Ishan Kishan -- who scored a double ton in his last ODI -- is waiting in the wings. The stylish right-hander will be hungry for some big knocks in the remaining SL ODIs.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first ODI, in Guwahati, to go 1-0 up in the three-match series on Tuesday (January 10). Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin has slammed KL Rahul for not being consistent and finding different ways to get out.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the first ODI, in Guwahati, to go 1-0 up in the three-match series on Tuesday (January 10). Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin has slammed KL Rahul for not being consistent and finding different ways to get out. In the ODI series opener, India rode on skipper Rohit Sharma's 83, Shubman Gill's 70 and Virat Kohli's 113 not out to post 373/7. Later, India defended the total by restricting Sri Lanka to 306 for 8, to win by 67 runs. Talking about Rahul, he donned the wicketkeeping gloves and made a 29-ball 39. Just when he was looking set, he departed after being cleaned up by pacer Kasun Rajitha. Thus, Azhar told PTI, "I think Rahul is getting out in a lot of manners. Primarily, it is not the good balls that are getting him out. It is poor shot selection first up that is causing problems," said Azhar, who further added that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper should work with the coaches to rectify his batting flaws. Also read: Australia-Afghanistan ODI series called off by CA following Taliban's stance on women "I think consistency is the problem in KL Rahul's case. But I think there are coaches who should rectify his flaws. In my opinion, he is a good player but consistency is missing in his game," Azharuddin was quoted as saying by the news agency. Rahul, the former vice-captain, will need to pull up his socks given Ishan Kishan -- who scored a double ton in his last ODI -- is waiting in the wings. The stylish right-hander will be hungry for some big knocks in the remaining SL ODIs.

'Poor shot selection is causing problems': Azhar slams India batter for 'getting out in a lot of manners'

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements. Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday (January 12), Gambhir claimed that 'Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting'.

Speaking to Star Sports, in the pre-match panel discussion, Gambhir made the glaring remark when the host reminded him that Rohit is just one hundred away from equalling Ponting's tally in the format (30 tons). Just then, Gambhir summed up the discussion by saying, "Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting because Ricky Ponting has a shit record in the subcontinent."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-rohit-sharma-41-runs-away-to-surpass-ab-de-villiers-in-elite-list-in-2nd-odi-551862">IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma 41 runs away to surpass AB de Villiers in elite list in 2nd ODI</a>

Speaking about Ponting and Rohit's numbers, Punter was Australia's Mr. Dependable across formats -- though T20Is came very late during his career. He did struggle in Asian conditions, with only one solitary hundred in India in Tests but still ended with 11 centuries overall in the subcontinent. He ended with&nbsp;13,378 and&nbsp;13,704 runs in Tests and ODIs, respectively.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Rohit is a white-ball legend and has come to his own in Tests since late 2019. He still doesn't have great numbers in ODIs in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Africa whereas he&nbsp;recently slammed his first overseas ton in whites during India's tour of England in 2021.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements. Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday (January 12), Gambhir claimed that 'Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting'. Speaking to Star Sports, in the pre-match panel discussion, Gambhir made the glaring remark when the host reminded him that Rohit is just one hundred away from equalling Ponting's tally in the format (30 tons). Just then, Gambhir summed up the discussion by saying, "Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting because Ricky Ponting has a shit record in the subcontinent." Also read: IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma 41 runs away to surpass AB de Villiers in elite list in 2nd ODI Speaking about Ponting and Rohit's numbers, Punter was Australia's Mr. Dependable across formats -- though T20Is came very late during his career. He did struggle in Asian conditions, with only one solitary hundred in India in Tests but still ended with 11 centuries overall in the subcontinent. He ended with 13,378 and 13,704 runs in Tests and ODIs, respectively. Meanwhile, Rohit is a white-ball legend and has come to his own in Tests since late 2019. He still doesn't have great numbers in ODIs in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Africa whereas he recently slammed his first overseas ton in whites during India's tour of England in 2021.

Rohit Sharma better player than Ricky Ponting as Australian has s*** record in subcontinent: Gautam Gambhir

Rohit Sharma-led India have locked horns with Sri Lanka in the second and penultimate ODI on Thursday (January 12), at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. At the coin toss, Dasun Shanaka once again called it right as the Islanders have opted to bat first in a bid to level the series after losing the opener by 67 runs in Guwahati.&nbsp;

As India will hope to restrict the Lankans for a low total, captain Rohit will also aim to surpass AB de Villiers in an elite list. Rohit needs 41 runs to surpass De Villiers in the list of most runs in men's ODIs. At present, Hitman has&nbsp;9,537 runs in 236 matches, including three double tons. He averages 48.90 with a strike rate of 89.64.

<section>
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/poor-shot-selection-is-causing-problems-azhar-slams-india-batter-for-getting-out-in-a-lot-of-manners-551802">'Poor shot selection is causing problems': Azhar slams India batter for 'getting out in a lot of manners'</a>

De Villiers, who announced a shocking international&nbsp;retirement&nbsp;in May 2018, ended his stellar run in ODIs with 9,577 runs at 53.50 and a strike rate of&nbsp;101.09. Not only de Villiers, Rohit can also overtake&nbsp;Adam Gilchrist in this list. He needs 83 runs to move past the former keeper-batter's run-tally (9,619). Given Rohit loves batting at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, expect&nbsp;him to come out all guns blazing in the second innings.

After losing the toss, Rohit said, "I was in two minds. Wanted to bat first because of how we played last time, but looking at this ground, I wanted to field. Overall, improvements are as a team, nothing in particular. What we've done in the past is in the past, we need to look ahead and keep doing better. I love playing here, the crowd is also energetic and that motivates me always. But it is in the past, I need to start fresh. One enforced change for us, Chahal in the last game put in a dive and hasn't recovered well today, so Kuldeep Yadav comes in."

Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj

<p ng-bind-html="comm[ts].comm" ng-class="get_comm_class(comm[ts]) " ng-hide="comm[ts].geo != null &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.length &gt; 0 &amp;&amp; comm[ts].geo.indexOf($root.$GEO.country) == -1" ng-if="comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:news' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:video' &amp;&amp; comm[ts].evt != 'Plugin:comments'">Sri Lanka: Nuwanidu Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha
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Rohit Sharma-led India have locked horns with Sri Lanka in the second and penultimate ODI on Thursday (January 12), at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. At the coin toss, Dasun Shanaka once again called it right as the Islanders have opted to bat first in a bid to level the series after losing the opener by 67 runs in Guwahati.

Rohit Sharma-led India have locked horns with Sri Lanka in the second and penultimate ODI on Thursday (January 12), at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. At the coin toss, Dasun Shanaka once again called it right as the Islanders have opted to bat first in a bid to level the series after losing the opener by 67 runs in Guwahati. As India will hope to restrict the Lankans for a low total, captain Rohit will also aim to surpass AB de Villiers in an elite list. Rohit needs 41 runs to surpass De Villiers in the list of most runs in men's ODIs. At present, Hitman has 9,537 runs in 236 matches, including three double tons. He averages 48.90 with a strike rate of 89.64. Also read: 'Poor shot selection is causing problems': Azhar slams India batter for 'getting out in a lot of manners' De Villiers, who announced a shocking international retirement in May 2018, ended his stellar run in ODIs with 9,577 runs at 53.50 and a strike rate of 101.09. Not only de Villiers, Rohit can also overtake Adam Gilchrist in this list. He needs 83 runs to move past the former keeper-batter's run-tally (9,619). Given Rohit loves batting at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, expect him to come out all guns blazing in the second innings. After losing the toss, Rohit said, "I was in two minds. Wanted to bat first because of how we played last time, but looking at this ground, I wanted to field. Overall, improvements are as a team, nothing in particular. What we've done in the past is in the past, we need to look ahead and keep doing better. I love playing here, the crowd is also energetic and that motivates me always. But it is in the past, I need to start fresh. One enforced change for us, Chahal in the last game put in a dive and hasn't recovered well today, so Kuldeep Yadav comes in." Playing XIs India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj Sri Lanka: Nuwanidu Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma 41 runs away to surpass AB de Villiers in elite list in 2nd ODI

India is set to host the 2023 ODI World Cup in October-November. It will be the first time that India will solely host the showpiece event and the ardent Indian cricket fans have their hopes pinned on Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. During the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka, in Guwahati on Tuesday (January 10), former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir -- an integral part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team when they lifted the ODI World Cup in 2011 (co-hosted by India, SL and Bangladesh) -- narrated an unheard story&nbsp;from the ODI WC final, held 12 years back in Mumbai.

India met Sri Lanka in the title clash in the 2011 edition&nbsp;at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The Islanders rode on Mahela Jayawardene's sublime ton to post a challenging 274 for 6 in 50 overs. In reply, India were 31 for 2 before being 114 for 3 with Gambhir and Dhoni getting together for the fourth wicket. The duo stitched a memorable 109-run stand and took India past the finish line, with six wickets in hand, courtesy of Gambhir's 97 and then captain Dhoni's 91 not out. While Dhoni finished it off in style, with a six in the penultimate over, Gambhir weathered the early storm and set it up for India. He, however, missed out on becoming the first Indian to slam a hundred in the WC final; falling short by three runs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohli-stares-at-hardik-pandya-after-he-turns-down-second-run-in-1st-odi-vs-sri-lanka-551488">WATCH: Virat Kohli stares at Hardik Pandya after he turns down second run in 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka</a>

Speaking to Star Sports during the 1st ODI match between India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday, Gambhir recalled how supportive Dhoni was during his memorable&nbsp;knock and pushed him to get to his century.

“MS Dhoni was very supportive because he wanted me to get a 100. He always wanted me to get a hundred. He told me between overs as well that 'get your hundred, take your time and don't rush into it. I can accelerate if there is any need to',” Gambhir revealed.

Despite Dhoni's encouragement, Gambhir fell short of reaching the triple-figure mark. Nonetheless, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh (21 not out) took India home as they lifted the mega title after 28 years. Will Rohit &amp; Co. replicate the same feat later this year? Only time will tell... 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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India is set to host the 2023 ODI World Cup in October-November. It will be the first time that India will solely host the showpiece event and the ardent Indian cricket fans have their hopes pinned on Rohit Sharma & Co.

India is set to host the 2023 ODI World Cup in October-November. It will be the first time that India will solely host the showpiece event and the ardent Indian cricket fans have their hopes pinned on Rohit Sharma & Co. During the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka, in Guwahati on Tuesday (January 10), former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir -- an integral part of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team when they lifted the ODI World Cup in 2011 (co-hosted by India, SL and Bangladesh) -- narrated an unheard story from the ODI WC final, held 12 years back in Mumbai. India met Sri Lanka in the title clash in the 2011 edition at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The Islanders rode on Mahela Jayawardene's sublime ton to post a challenging 274 for 6 in 50 overs. In reply, India were 31 for 2 before being 114 for 3 with Gambhir and Dhoni getting together for the fourth wicket. The duo stitched a memorable 109-run stand and took India past the finish line, with six wickets in hand, courtesy of Gambhir's 97 and then captain Dhoni's 91 not out. While Dhoni finished it off in style, with a six in the penultimate over, Gambhir weathered the early storm and set it up for India. He, however, missed out on becoming the first Indian to slam a hundred in the WC final; falling short by three runs. Also read: WATCH: Virat Kohli stares at Hardik Pandya after he turns down second run in 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka Speaking to Star Sports during the 1st ODI match between India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday, Gambhir recalled how supportive Dhoni was during his memorable knock and pushed him to get to his century. “MS Dhoni was very supportive because he wanted me to get a 100. He always wanted me to get a hundred. He told me between overs as well that 'get your hundred, take your time and don't rush into it. I can accelerate if there is any need to',” Gambhir revealed. Despite Dhoni's encouragement, Gambhir fell short of reaching the triple-figure mark. Nonetheless, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh (21 not out) took India home as they lifted the mega title after 28 years. Will Rohit & Co. replicate the same feat later this year? Only time will tell... WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Don't rush into your 100, I can accelerate if needed': Gambhir recalls Dhoni's words during 2011 ODI WC final

Prithvi Shaw, on Wednesday (January 11), broke a plethora of records as he slammed a magnificent 379 in Mumbai versus Assam clash in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 edition. After dominating Day 1, Shaw continued in his aggressive manner and reached his first triple-ton in domestic cricket in just 326 balls and accelerated further to end his inning at 379, off 383 balls. His knock was studded with 49 fours and four sixes at 98.96. Courtesy of his marathon knock, the 23-year-old slammed various records.&nbsp;

It is to be noted that Shaw&nbsp;became only the ninth batter to surpass the 350-run mark in a Ranji inning, and overtook some big names such as Swapnil Gugale (351*), Cheteshwar Pujara (352), VVS Laxman (353), Samit Gohel (359*), MV Sridhar (366) and Sanjay Manjrekar (377). When he was just 21 runs away from touching the magical 400-run mark, Riyan Parag dismissed him lbw before the lunch break.&nbsp;

Here are some records achieved by Shaw following his daddy hundred:

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Highest score in Ranji Trophy: 
 
443* - BB Nimbalkar (Maharashtra) v Kathiawar, 1948 
379 - Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai) v Assam, 2023 
377 - Sanjay Manjrekar (Mumbai) v Hyderabad, 1991 
366 - MV Sridhar (Hyderabad) v Andhra, 1994
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaustats/status/1613052269095981058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Players with "100+ runs before lunch" twice in the same first-class match: 
 
Gilbert Jessop (Gloucestershire) v Yorkshire, 1900 
Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai) v Assam, 2023 
 
Shaw did it in the same innings while Jessop did it in different innings. 
(h/t: <a href="https://twitter.com/Aby_Siby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Aby_Siby</a>)<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RanjiTrophy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RanjiTrophy</a>
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaustats/status/1613057664334057473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Prithvi Shaw today: 
 
•Highest individual score for Mumbai. 
•2nd highest individual score in Ranji. 
•326 balls triple hundred in Ranji. 
•His first triple hundred in FC. 
•He smashed 49 fours &amp; 4 Sixes. 
•3rd Indian player to score 300 in FC, 200 in List A, 100 in T20 Cricket. <a href="https://t.co/FhPBYhXIjF">pic.twitter.com/FhPBYhXIjF</a>
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImTanujSingh/status/1613052168004861952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-rohit-sharma-forces-shami-to-withdraw-appeal-after-running-out-sri-lankan-batter-551245">WATCH: Rohit Sharma forces Shami to withdraw appeal after running out Sri Lankan batter</a>

In an interview with Sportstar after end of Day 1's play, Shaw spoke at length about the challenges of managing expectations and handling criticism. He said, "I have realised that whenever you score runs, you are on top of the world. But when you don't score then people will come after you. Expectations kaafi rehte hai [there are quite a lot of expectations] when you score regularly, so when you suddenly get out early in three or four innings, people start thinking 'yaar, yeh hai woh hai [people start questioning you].' Only you know whether you are following the process, or whether you are being disciplined more than before, are you sleeping on time, eating well before a game. All those things matter. I am just trying to follow those things and I am trying to spend time alone as much as possible. I cut out the outside noise - be it on social media or in other platforms."

Shaw further asserted, "I try to avoid those things or at times, just ask my manager to handle social-media activities. I have brand commitments, and that's why it is not possible to stay away from social media, and thus, you eventually end up seeing what's being written or spoken about. But I am still trying to cut out the noise as much as possible. People are talking about you and then will continue doing the same even after 10 years, so you should not think too much about it, because if you start reading too much between the lines, you will be affecting yourself."

With some a record-breaking knock, Shaw has raised his stocks and will certainly be under the radar of the BCCI selectors when they meet to announce the white-ball squads for the upcoming home series versus New Zealand. Despite his heroics in the domestic circuit, he has been overlooked for national duties. Shaw has only played four Tests, six ODIs and a solitary T20I since his international debut in late 2018.

Prithvi Shaw, on Wednesday (January 11), broke a plethora of records as he slammed a magnificent 379 in Mumbai versus Assam clash in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 edition.

Prithvi Shaw, on Wednesday (January 11), broke a plethora of records as he slammed a magnificent 379 in Mumbai versus Assam clash in the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 edition. After dominating Day 1, Shaw continued in his aggressive manner and reached his first triple-ton in domestic cricket in just 326 balls and accelerated further to end his inning at 379, off 383 balls. His knock was studded with 49 fours and four sixes at 98.96. Courtesy of his marathon knock, the 23-year-old slammed various records. It is to be noted that Shaw became only the ninth batter to surpass the 350-run mark in a Ranji inning, and overtook some big names such as Swapnil Gugale (351*), Cheteshwar Pujara (352), VVS Laxman (353), Samit Gohel (359*), MV Sridhar (366) and Sanjay Manjrekar (377). When he was just 21 runs away from touching the magical 400-run mark, Riyan Parag dismissed him lbw before the lunch break. Here are some records achieved by Shaw following his daddy hundred: Highest score in Ranji Trophy: 443* - BB Nimbalkar (Maharashtra) v Kathiawar, 1948 379 - Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai) v Assam, 2023 377 - Sanjay Manjrekar (Mumbai) v Hyderabad, 1991 366 - MV Sridhar (Hyderabad) v Andhra, 1994 — Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 11, 2023 × Players with "100+ runs before lunch" twice in the same first-class match: Gilbert Jessop (Gloucestershire) v Yorkshire, 1900 Prithvi Shaw (Mumbai) v Assam, 2023 Shaw did it in the same innings while Jessop did it in different innings. (h/t: @Aby_Siby)#RanjiTrophy — Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 11, 2023 × Prithvi Shaw today: •Highest individual score for Mumbai. •2nd highest individual score in Ranji. •326 balls triple hundred in Ranji. •His first triple hundred in FC. •He smashed 49 fours & 4 Sixes. •3rd Indian player to score 300 in FC, 200 in List A, 100 in T20 Cricket. pic.twitter.com/FhPBYhXIjF — CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) January 11, 2023 × Also read: WATCH: Rohit Sharma forces Shami to withdraw appeal after running out Sri Lankan batter In an interview with Sportstar after end of Day 1's play, Shaw spoke at length about the challenges of managing expectations and handling criticism. He said, "I have realised that whenever you score runs, you are on top of the world. But when you don't score then people will come after you. Expectations kaafi rehte hai [there are quite a lot of expectations] when you score regularly, so when you suddenly get out early in three or four innings, people start thinking 'yaar, yeh hai woh hai [people start questioning you].' Only you know whether you are following the process, or whether you are being disciplined more than before, are you sleeping on time, eating well before a game. All those things matter. I am just trying to follow those things and I am trying to spend time alone as much as possible. I cut out the outside noise - be it on social media or in other platforms." Shaw further asserted, "I try to avoid those things or at times, just ask my manager to handle social-media activities. I have brand commitments, and that's why it is not possible to stay away from social media, and thus, you eventually end up seeing what's being written or spoken about. But I am still trying to cut out the noise as much as possible. People are talking about you and then will continue doing the same even after 10 years, so you should not think too much about it, because if you start reading too much between the lines, you will be affecting yourself." With some a record-breaking knock, Shaw has raised his stocks and will certainly be under the radar of the BCCI selectors when they meet to announce the white-ball squads for the upcoming home series versus New Zealand. Despite his heroics in the domestic circuit, he has been overlooked for national duties. Shaw has only played four Tests, six ODIs and a solitary T20I since his international debut in late 2018.

Prithvi Shaw breaks plethora of records as he slams second-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy history

Since India's ten-wicket loss at the hands of eventual winners England in the T20 World Cup semi-finals last year, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul haven't played&nbsp;the shortest format. In the limited matches that India have played following the T20 WC debacle, Hardik Pandya has led the young side as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen on rebuilding the side with new faces. Ahead of the India-Sri Lanka ODIs, in Guwahati on Tuesday (January 10), captain Rohit stated that he has not given up on the format just yet.&nbsp;

As Kohli and Rohit have expressed their avaliability for T20Is, it has been reported that the BCCI&nbsp;might ask them to reconsider their future in the format. As reported by the Indian Express, the matter is set to be discussed by the selection panel in the next few days when the committee meets to announce the squads for the New Zealand white-ball series at home.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-rohit-sharma-opens-up-about-his-t20i-future-jasprit-bumrahs-injury-ahead-of-guwahati-odi-550816">IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma opens up about his T20I future, Jasprit Bumrah's injury ahead of Guwahati ODI</a>

With 2023 being looked upon as an important year for the senior men's team, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final and ODI World Cup to be held later this year, the Indian senior players have been told to focus on the longer formats. With the need of the hour to assemble a young squad and adopt a more fearless approach in T20Is, the board is keen to rebuild the team under Hardik Pandya and give him enough time before the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hence, a clarity will be needed about the future of Rohit and Kohli in the format.&nbsp;

Ahead of the India-SL first ODI, in Guwahati, skipper Rohit addressed the pre-match press conference and spoke at length about his T20I future. "At the moment I think it was made clear in the past that it's a 50-over World Cup year for us. And for some of the guys, it's not possible to play all formats. If you look at the schedule, there were back-to-back matches, so we decided to just look at some players' workload that we wanted to make sure that they get enough break time and manage them. I definitely fall in that as well. We have three T20Is against New Zealand. We will see what happens after IPL. I have not decided to give up the format," Rohit said ahead of the ODI series opener.

Since India's ten-wicket loss at the hands of eventual winners England in the T20 World Cup semi-finals last year, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul haven't played the shortest format.

Since India's ten-wicket loss at the hands of eventual winners England in the T20 World Cup semi-finals last year, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul haven't played the shortest format. In the limited matches that India have played following the T20 WC debacle, Hardik Pandya has led the young side as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen on rebuilding the side with new faces. Ahead of the India-Sri Lanka ODIs, in Guwahati on Tuesday (January 10), captain Rohit stated that he has not given up on the format just yet. As Kohli and Rohit have expressed their avaliability for T20Is, it has been reported that the BCCI might ask them to reconsider their future in the format. As reported by the Indian Express, the matter is set to be discussed by the selection panel in the next few days when the committee meets to announce the squads for the New Zealand white-ball series at home. Also read: IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma opens up about his T20I future, Jasprit Bumrah's injury ahead of Guwahati ODI With 2023 being looked upon as an important year for the senior men's team, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final and ODI World Cup to be held later this year, the Indian senior players have been told to focus on the longer formats. With the need of the hour to assemble a young squad and adopt a more fearless approach in T20Is, the board is keen to rebuild the team under Hardik Pandya and give him enough time before the 2024 T20 World Cup. Hence, a clarity will be needed about the future of Rohit and Kohli in the format. Ahead of the India-SL first ODI, in Guwahati, skipper Rohit addressed the pre-match press conference and spoke at length about his T20I future. "At the moment I think it was made clear in the past that it's a 50-over World Cup year for us. And for some of the guys, it's not possible to play all formats. If you look at the schedule, there were back-to-back matches, so we decided to just look at some players' workload that we wanted to make sure that they get enough break time and manage them. I definitely fall in that as well. We have three T20Is against New Zealand. We will see what happens after IPL. I have not decided to give up the format," Rohit said ahead of the ODI series opener.

End of the road? BCCI to ask Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to rethink their T20I future - Report

After Virat Kohli's 45th ODI ton propelled India to a mammoth 373 for 7 in the first ODI versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Umran Malik made heads turn with his raw pace during SL's run-chase. Coming onto bowl after Md Siraj's early blows dented the Islanders, Malik recorded the fastest delivery bowled by an Indian in international cricket as he clocked 156 kph. Since his memorable run in IPL 2022, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) speedster has been grabbing eyeballs with some serious pace and once again made heads turn during the ODI series opener, in Guwahati.

Umran's feat was confirmed by SRH's Twitter handle.&nbsp;

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156 KMPH 💥 
 
UMRAN MALIK 🫡🧡
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) <a href="https://twitter.com/SunRisers/status/1612804546727940105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Fastest ball by an Indian in ODIs: 156 Kmph by Umran Malik.

Fastest ball by an Indian in T20I cricket: 155 kmph by Umran Malik.

Fastest ball by an Indian in IPL: 157 kmph by Umran Malik.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-virat-kohli-moves-past-sachin-tendulkar-breaks-plethora-of-records-during-his-73rd-ton-in-1st-odi-551104">IND vs SL: Virat Kohli moves past Sachin Tendulkar, breaks plethora of records during his 73rd ton in 1st ODI</a>

In Jasprit Bumrah's absence, Umran will be wary of not only making a statement with his rapid pace but also churning out regular wickets as Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have commenced their ODI World Cup preparations with the home series versus the 1996 champions. Umran had clocked 155kph during the Sri Lanka T20Is and ended as the highest wicket-taker as well (with seven scalps overall). Another good run in the ODIs will raise his stocks as India are in search of a third seamer.&nbsp;

Earlier in the match, Rohit &amp; Co. were asked to bat first and rode on captain's 83, Shubman Gill's 70 and Kohli's sublime 87-ball 113 to post a mammoth 373 for 7. Sri Lanka are 137 for 4 at the halfway mark of their run-chase with&nbsp;a herculean task to register a win.

After Virat Kohli's 45th ODI ton propelled India to a mammoth 373 for 7 in the first ODI versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Umran Malik made heads turn with his raw pace during SL's run-chase.

After Virat Kohli's 45th ODI ton propelled India to a mammoth 373 for 7 in the first ODI versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Umran Malik made heads turn with his raw pace during SL's run-chase. Coming onto bowl after Md Siraj's early blows dented the Islanders, Malik recorded the fastest delivery bowled by an Indian in international cricket as he clocked 156 kph. Since his memorable run in IPL 2022, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) speedster has been grabbing eyeballs with some serious pace and once again made heads turn during the ODI series opener, in Guwahati. Umran's feat was confirmed by SRH's Twitter handle. 156 KMPH 💥 UMRAN MALIK 🫡🧡 — SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) January 10, 2023 × Fastest ball by an Indian in ODIs: 156 Kmph by Umran Malik. Fastest ball by an Indian in T20I cricket: 155 kmph by Umran Malik. Fastest ball by an Indian in IPL: 157 kmph by Umran Malik. Also read: IND vs SL: Virat Kohli moves past Sachin Tendulkar, breaks plethora of records during his 73rd ton in 1st ODI In Jasprit Bumrah's absence, Umran will be wary of not only making a statement with his rapid pace but also churning out regular wickets as Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue have commenced their ODI World Cup preparations with the home series versus the 1996 champions. Umran had clocked 155kph during the Sri Lanka T20Is and ended as the highest wicket-taker as well (with seven scalps overall). Another good run in the ODIs will raise his stocks as India are in search of a third seamer. Earlier in the match, Rohit & Co. were asked to bat first and rode on captain's 83, Shubman Gill's 70 and Kohli's sublime 87-ball 113 to post a mammoth 373 for 7. Sri Lanka are 137 for 4 at the halfway mark of their run-chase with a herculean task to register a win.

SERIOUS PACE! Umran Malik breaks own record, bowls fastest ball by an Indian during IND-SL 1st ODI

Virat Kohli commenced 2023 in style. With India being asked to bat first in the three-match ODI series opener versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Kohli banked on a great start provided by Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to score a magnificent 87-ball 113 and take the home side to a mammoth 373 for 7 in 50 overs. With his 73rd international ton, 45th in the ODI format, Kohli broke a plethora of records and has begun the new calendar year in style as Rohit &amp; Co. have commenced their ODI World Cup preparations.&nbsp;

Ahead of the ODI series opener, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar pinned his hopes on Kohli to return to his 'original heights' in the World Cup year. Speaking to Star Sports, Manjrekar pointed out that Kohli will&nbsp;get back to his best and play to his strengths, by knocking the ball around and rotating the strike, in the 50-over format.

"It's 2023, it's a 50-overs World Cup year. The 50-overs format is brilliant for people who want to get into form. Guys who are short on confidence. It's going to be great for Rohit Sharma. 50-overs cricket is right down his lane, he is already an all-time great. The 50-overs format suits him the most," Manjrekar said. He further asserted, "In 50 overs format, 65 percent of the runs that are scored are in ones and twos, and Virat Kohli loves getting his runs through ones and twos. This will take the pressure off. T20Is, he feels the pressure of going after the bowling. This might just be a brilliant year for Virat Kohli to come back to his original heights."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-way-you-former-indian-speedster-blasts-rahul-dravid-rohit-sharma-for-dropping-ishan-kishan-551059">'No way you...': Former Indian speedster blasts Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma for dropping Ishan Kishan</a>

Manjrekar mentioned that it is not fair to say Kohli underwent a lean patch in ODIs, although he slammed his first ton in the format after 2019 during the third and final tie in Bangladesh, in early December.&nbsp;The former cricketer stated that&nbsp;the former skipper contributed with useful knocks and will be more consistent as the year progresses. "See, he has got those innings. Let's be fair. Even when the hundreds haven't come, he has scored runs, he has been in form. We have said multiple times in the last two years that he has been in form. But, the form doesn't carry on. After a hundred, the next two-three innings are not big scores. That's what we are waiting for. This format will allow him. It will give time for Virat Kohli to be the consistent player that he was known as," he added.

Kohli has surely lived upto Manjrekar's expectations with an impressive knock in the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday. Being asked to bat first, India ended on 373 for 7 and will aim for a big win over the Islanders to go 1-0 up in the series.

Virat Kohli commenced 2023 in style. With India being asked to bat first in the three-match ODI series opener versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Kohli banked on a great start provided by Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to score a magnificent 87-ball 113 and take the home side to a mammoth 373 for 7 in 50 overs.

Virat Kohli commenced 2023 in style. With India being asked to bat first in the three-match ODI series opener versus Sri Lanka, on Tuesday (January 10), Kohli banked on a great start provided by Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill (70) to score a magnificent 87-ball 113 and take the home side to a mammoth 373 for 7 in 50 overs. With his 73rd international ton, 45th in the ODI format, Kohli broke a plethora of records and has begun the new calendar year in style as Rohit & Co. have commenced their ODI World Cup preparations. Ahead of the ODI series opener, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar pinned his hopes on Kohli to return to his 'original heights' in the World Cup year. Speaking to Star Sports, Manjrekar pointed out that Kohli will get back to his best and play to his strengths, by knocking the ball around and rotating the strike, in the 50-over format. "It's 2023, it's a 50-overs World Cup year. The 50-overs format is brilliant for people who want to get into form. Guys who are short on confidence. It's going to be great for Rohit Sharma. 50-overs cricket is right down his lane, he is already an all-time great. The 50-overs format suits him the most," Manjrekar said. He further asserted, "In 50 overs format, 65 percent of the runs that are scored are in ones and twos, and Virat Kohli loves getting his runs through ones and twos. This will take the pressure off. T20Is, he feels the pressure of going after the bowling. This might just be a brilliant year for Virat Kohli to come back to his original heights." Also read: 'No way you...': Former Indian speedster blasts Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma for dropping Ishan Kishan Manjrekar mentioned that it is not fair to say Kohli underwent a lean patch in ODIs, although he slammed his first ton in the format after 2019 during the third and final tie in Bangladesh, in early December. The former cricketer stated that the former skipper contributed with useful knocks and will be more consistent as the year progresses. "See, he has got those innings. Let's be fair. Even when the hundreds haven't come, he has scored runs, he has been in form. We have said multiple times in the last two years that he has been in form. But, the form doesn't carry on. After a hundred, the next two-three innings are not big scores. That's what we are waiting for. This format will allow him. It will give time for Virat Kohli to be the consistent player that he was known as," he added. Kohli has surely lived upto Manjrekar's expectations with an impressive knock in the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday. Being asked to bat first, India ended on 373 for 7 and will aim for a big win over the Islanders to go 1-0 up in the series.

Virat Kohli might return to his original heights in World Cup year: Sanjay Manjrekar pins hopes on ODI great

Virat Kohli scored his first ODI ton during the third and final match versus Bangladesh, in early December, after&nbsp;August 2019. He has now started 2023 with a brilliant ton as India have locked horns with Sri Lanka, one of Kohli's favourite opponents, in the three-match ODI series opener on Tuesday (January 10) in Guwahati. With his 73rd international ton, 45th in the format, he has moved past Sachin Tendulkar to have the most tons in India-SL ODIs (nine), equalled with the Master Blaster with an equal number of centuries at home (20) and also became the fastest to 12,500 international runs (242nd innings).

MOST ODI HUNDREDS AT HOME

Virat Kohli - 20 in 102 ODIs

Sachin Tendulkar - 20 in 164 ODIs

Hashim Amla - 14 in 69 ODIs

Ricky Ponting - 13 in 153 ODIs

Ross Taylor - 12 in 110 ODIs

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-way-you-former-indian-speedster-blasts-rahul-dravid-rohit-sharma-for-dropping-ishan-kishan-551059">'No way you...': Former Indian speedster blasts Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma for dropping Ishan Kishan</a>

Most ODI hundreds against Sri Lanka:

9 - Virat Kohli&nbsp; 
8 - Sachin Tendulkar 
7 - Saeed Anwar 
6 - Gautam Gambhir 
6 - Rohit Sharma 
6 - Adam Gilchrist

Most international hundreds as a non-opener:

72 - Virat Kohli&nbsp; 
71 - Ricky Ponting 
62 - Jacques Kallis 
59 - Kumar Sangakkara 
55 - Sachin Tendulkar

Coming out to bat with India off to a great start, courtesy of captain Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill's (70) 143-run opening stand, Kohli looked in his elements from the word go. He was dropped twice but the former skipper rotated strike and also found the boundaries at regular intervals to end with an 87-ball 113, studded with 12 fours and a six at a strike rate of 129.89. He stitched valuable stands with Shreyas Iyer (40-run stand) and KL Rahul (adding 90 runs for the fourth-wicket) to lead India's charge. Eventually, India managed a mammoth 373 for 7 in 50 overs and will aim to wrap up the proceedings with a big win.&nbsp;

Kohli has, thus, started the ODI World Cup year with a big ton. He will aim to continue with the momentum in the upcoming white-ball assignments for India, at home, before IPL 2023.

Virat Kohli scored his first ODI ton during the third and final match versus Bangladesh, in early December, after August 2019. He has now started 2023 with a brilliant ton as India have locked horns with Sri Lanka, one of Kohli's favourite opponents, in the three-match ODI series opener on Tuesday (January 10) in Guwahati.

Virat Kohli scored his first ODI ton during the third and final match versus Bangladesh, in early December, after August 2019. He has now started 2023 with a brilliant ton as India have locked horns with Sri Lanka, one of Kohli's favourite opponents, in the three-match ODI series opener on Tuesday (January 10) in Guwahati. With his 73rd international ton, 45th in the format, he has moved past Sachin Tendulkar to have the most tons in India-SL ODIs (nine), equalled with the Master Blaster with an equal number of centuries at home (20) and also became the fastest to 12,500 international runs (242nd innings). MOST ODI HUNDREDS AT HOME Virat Kohli - 20 in 102 ODIs Sachin Tendulkar - 20 in 164 ODIs Hashim Amla - 14 in 69 ODIs Ricky Ponting - 13 in 153 ODIs Ross Taylor - 12 in 110 ODIs Also read: 'No way you...': Former Indian speedster blasts Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma for dropping Ishan Kishan Most ODI hundreds against Sri Lanka: 9 - Virat Kohli 8 - Sachin Tendulkar 7 - Saeed Anwar 6 - Gautam Gambhir 6 - Rohit Sharma 6 - Adam Gilchrist Most international hundreds as a non-opener: 72 - Virat Kohli 71 - Ricky Ponting 62 - Jacques Kallis 59 - Kumar Sangakkara 55 - Sachin Tendulkar Coming out to bat with India off to a great start, courtesy of captain Rohit Sharma (83) and Shubman Gill's (70) 143-run opening stand, Kohli looked in his elements from the word go. He was dropped twice but the former skipper rotated strike and also found the boundaries at regular intervals to end with an 87-ball 113, studded with 12 fours and a six at a strike rate of 129.89. He stitched valuable stands with Shreyas Iyer (40-run stand) and KL Rahul (adding 90 runs for the fourth-wicket) to lead India's charge. Eventually, India managed a mammoth 373 for 7 in 50 overs and will aim to wrap up the proceedings with a big win. Kohli has, thus, started the ODI World Cup year with a big ton. He will aim to continue with the momentum in the upcoming white-ball assignments for India, at home, before IPL 2023.

IND vs SL: Virat Kohli moves past Sachin Tendulkar, breaks plethora of records during his 73rd ton in 1st ODI

Ahead of the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening (January 10), captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Shubman Gill will continue to be persisted as his opening partner, with no room for Ishan Kishan. Kishan had replaced an injured Rohit in the third and inconsequential ODI versus Bangladesh, in early December, and made the most of his opportunity to score a double ton. Many believed that Kishan had done enough to cement his spot as an opener, with Shikhar Dhawan dropped, but the Indian team management want to persist with Shubman.&nbsp;

Speaking on his opening partner, Rohit said in the pre-match presser on Monday (January 09),&nbsp;"Both openers (Gill and Kishan) have done really well. But looking at how both have gone through, I think it is fair that we give Gill a chance to have a fair run because in the last games Gill got a lot of runs as well. I am not going to take anything from Ishan. He has been&nbsp;wonderful for us. He got a double hundred and I know what it takes to get a double hundred, it is a great achievement. But just to be honest and be fair to the guys who have done really well before that we need to give those guys enough chances as well."

Rohit added on Kishan, "It is unfortunate that we won't be able to play Ishan but looking at how things have panned out for us in the last 8-9 months, looking at how the ODIs have gone through for us, it is fair to give Gill that run and he has done extremely well in that position. We will definitely try out and keep Ishan in the mix and see how things pan out for us as we play lot of games ahead." In Gill's defence, he has been&nbsp;among runs in the West Indies, Zimbabwe and New Zealand tour but wasn't part of the Indian squad for the Bangladesh series, with the return of the key players. Hence, when Kishan was in the squad and scored a double ton when he got a chance in the playing XI, many believed he would pip Gill to open versus SL.

Thus, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad reacted to Kishan's omission. He tweeted, replying to a cricket portal's post, and wrote, "Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India’s last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series. Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton."

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Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India’s last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series. 
Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton. <a href="https://t.co/LbzKKH8ynw">https://t.co/LbzKKH8ynw</a>
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1612451607114911745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-young-fan-in-tears-after-seeing-rohit-sharma-team-india-captains-reaction-goes-viral-watch-550975">IND vs SL: Young fan in tears after seeing Rohit Sharma, Team India captain's reaction goes viral - WATCH</a>

In the ongoing first ODI between India and SL, Rohit &amp; Co. lost the toss and were opted to bat first. Rohit and Gill stitched an impressive 143-run first-wicket stand with the youngster returning with a sublime 60-ball 73, studded with 11 fours. For him to cement his place as the second opener, Gill has been consistent but will hope to score some daddy hundreds.&nbsp;

For Kishan, he will surely feel unlucky&nbsp;to have missed out despite scoring the fourth double ton by an Indian in ODIs. However, India have a lot of white-ball cricket to play en route the IPL 2023 edition. Hence, he will aim to once again make the most of his opportunities.

Ahead of the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening (January 10), captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Shubman Gill will continue to be persisted as his opening partner, with no room for Ishan Kishan.

Ahead of the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening (January 10), captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Shubman Gill will continue to be persisted as his opening partner, with no room for Ishan Kishan. Kishan had replaced an injured Rohit in the third and inconsequential ODI versus Bangladesh, in early December, and made the most of his opportunity to score a double ton. Many believed that Kishan had done enough to cement his spot as an opener, with Shikhar Dhawan dropped, but the Indian team management want to persist with Shubman. Speaking on his opening partner, Rohit said in the pre-match presser on Monday (January 09), "Both openers (Gill and Kishan) have done really well. But looking at how both have gone through, I think it is fair that we give Gill a chance to have a fair run because in the last games Gill got a lot of runs as well. I am not going to take anything from Ishan. He has been wonderful for us. He got a double hundred and I know what it takes to get a double hundred, it is a great achievement. But just to be honest and be fair to the guys who have done really well before that we need to give those guys enough chances as well." Rohit added on Kishan, "It is unfortunate that we won't be able to play Ishan but looking at how things have panned out for us in the last 8-9 months, looking at how the ODIs have gone through for us, it is fair to give Gill that run and he has done extremely well in that position. We will definitely try out and keep Ishan in the mix and see how things pan out for us as we play lot of games ahead." In Gill's defence, he has been among runs in the West Indies, Zimbabwe and New Zealand tour but wasn't part of the Indian squad for the Bangladesh series, with the return of the key players. Hence, when Kishan was in the squad and scored a double ton when he got a chance in the playing XI, many believed he would pip Gill to open versus SL. Thus, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad reacted to Kishan's omission. He tweeted, replying to a cricket portal's post, and wrote, "Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India’s last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series. Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton." Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India’s last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series. Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton. https://t.co/LbzKKH8ynw — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 9, 2023 × Also read: IND vs SL: Young fan in tears after seeing Rohit Sharma, Team India captain's reaction goes viral - WATCH In the ongoing first ODI between India and SL, Rohit & Co. lost the toss and were opted to bat first. Rohit and Gill stitched an impressive 143-run first-wicket stand with the youngster returning with a sublime 60-ball 73, studded with 11 fours. For him to cement his place as the second opener, Gill has been consistent but will hope to score some daddy hundreds. For Kishan, he will surely feel unlucky to have missed out despite scoring the fourth double ton by an Indian in ODIs. However, India have a lot of white-ball cricket to play en route the IPL 2023 edition. Hence, he will aim to once again make the most of his opportunities.

'No way you...': Former Indian speedster blasts Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma for dropping Ishan Kishan

India are facing Sri Lanka on Tuesday (January 10) in the series opener of the three ODIs. Ahead of the match, fans had assembled in large numbers to see a glimpse of the Indian cricketers at the&nbsp;Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati and a young Assamese fan was in tears seeing his idol Rohit Sharma. Seeing his young fan crying, captain Rohit met him and his adorable gesture for the young kid has now gone viral.&nbsp;

After attending the pre-match presser, Rohit stepped out to meet his fans and spotted a young boy in tears after seeing him. Rohit straightaway went to him and interacted with the boy who was emotional seeing Hitman. “Rone ka kya baat hai, chota bacha hai tu (Why are you crying, you are just a little boy)," said Rohit. He then&nbsp;pulled the cheeks of the young kid and said, "Itne mote mote gaal hai tere (You have such fat cheeks)." Here's the video of the interaction:

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Cricketer Rohit Sharma interacting with an young cricket fan from Assam in Guwahati. 
 
Adorable Moments!<a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nyzc4D9fHg">pic.twitter.com/Nyzc4D9fHg</a>
— Pramod Boro (@PramodBoroBTR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PramodBoroBTR/status/1612452149878980608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/end-of-the-road-bcci-to-ask-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-to-rethink-their-t20i-future-report-550938">End of the road? BCCI to ask Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to rethink their T20I future - Report</a>

Speaking in the press conference prior to the SL ODIs, Rohit made it clear that he isn't giving up on any format just yet and doesn't want to retire from T20Is. "Firstly, it is not possible to play back-to-back matches. You need to give them (all format players) enough break. I definitely fall in that as well. We have three T20Is against New Zealand. We will see what happens after IPL. I have not decided to give up the format," Rohit said.

India have kicked off their preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup, on home soil, with their first 50-over assignment versus Sri Lanka on Tuesday. At the coin toss, Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lanka opted to bowl first.&nbsp;

Playing XIs for first ODI:

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

India are facing Sri Lanka on Tuesday (January 10) in the series opener of the three ODIs. Ahead of the match, fans had assembled in large numbers to see a glimpse of the Indian cricketers at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati and a young Assamese fan was in tears seeing his idol Rohit Sharma.

India are facing Sri Lanka on Tuesday (January 10) in the series opener of the three ODIs. Ahead of the match, fans had assembled in large numbers to see a glimpse of the Indian cricketers at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati and a young Assamese fan was in tears seeing his idol Rohit Sharma. Seeing his young fan crying, captain Rohit met him and his adorable gesture for the young kid has now gone viral. After attending the pre-match presser, Rohit stepped out to meet his fans and spotted a young boy in tears after seeing him. Rohit straightaway went to him and interacted with the boy who was emotional seeing Hitman. “Rone ka kya baat hai, chota bacha hai tu (Why are you crying, you are just a little boy)," said Rohit. He then pulled the cheeks of the young kid and said, "Itne mote mote gaal hai tere (You have such fat cheeks)." Here's the video of the interaction: Cricketer Rohit Sharma interacting with an young cricket fan from Assam in Guwahati. Adorable Moments!@ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/Nyzc4D9fHg — Pramod Boro (@PramodBoroBTR) January 9, 2023 × Also read: End of the road? BCCI to ask Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to rethink their T20I future - Report Speaking in the press conference prior to the SL ODIs, Rohit made it clear that he isn't giving up on any format just yet and doesn't want to retire from T20Is. "Firstly, it is not possible to play back-to-back matches. You need to give them (all format players) enough break. I definitely fall in that as well. We have three T20Is against New Zealand. We will see what happens after IPL. I have not decided to give up the format," Rohit said. India have kicked off their preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup, on home soil, with their first 50-over assignment versus Sri Lanka on Tuesday. At the coin toss, Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lanka opted to bowl first. Playing XIs for first ODI: Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

IND vs SL: Young fan in tears after seeing Rohit Sharma, Team India captain's reaction goes viral  - WATCH

Team India is now gearing up for the three-match ODI series versus Sri Lanka, which gets underway on Tuesday (January 10). It is an important year for the senior men's cricket team with the ODI World Cup set to be held later this year, in India. The last time India hosted the mega event, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, they went on to lift the coveted trophy in 2011. This time around, they will solely host the tournament -- for the first time ever -- and look to break their ten-year-long ICC-title-drought.&nbsp;

Ahead of India's first 50-over assignment in 2023, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir -- who was part of MS Dhoni-led India's 2011 ODI WC triumph -- has a stern message for World Cup-bound players. With India missing key players in last few World Cups due to injuries, as a result of playing frequently, many missed games in the run-up to an ICC event. Thus, Gambhir feels the key players have to play 50-over format and prioritise it this year with the WC just few months away. In addition, he suggested that Indian players can skip IPL matches, if need be, to remain fit.

“If the franchise (IPL) has to suffer then they have to suffer. Indian cricket is the main stakeholder. Not the IPL. IPL is the byproduct. So, if India goes on to win the World Cup then this is the big occasion. So if an important player does miss the IPL, so be it. IPL happens every year, World Cup happens every four years,” the two-time World Cup winner Gambhir said while speaking on Star Sports’ show Road to Glory.

<section>
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-babar-azam-gives-blunt-response-when-asked-if-regretted-not-playing-sarfaraz-ahmed-for-four-years-550598">WATCH: Babar Azam gives blunt response when asked if regretted not playing Sarfaraz Ahmed for four years</a>

“If people who are playing all three formats want to take a break, then they can take a break from T20Is. But surely not from the ODI format," Gambhir mentioned.

Gambhir further asserted that players who feature in all three formats can take a break from T20Is but should be available for ODIs with a lot at stake in the format this year. “If people who are playing all three formats want to take a break, then they can take a break from T20Is. But surely not from the ODI format," he added.

It will be interesting to see if key Indian players miss games in IPL 2023 to remain fresh for the forthcoming ICC event.&nbsp;
</section>

Team India is now gearing up for the three-match ODI series versus Sri Lanka, which gets underway on Tuesday (January 10). It is an important year for the senior men's cricket team with the ODI World Cup set to be held later this year, in India.

Team India is now gearing up for the three-match ODI series versus Sri Lanka, which gets underway on Tuesday (January 10). It is an important year for the senior men's cricket team with the ODI World Cup set to be held later this year, in India. The last time India hosted the mega event, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, they went on to lift the coveted trophy in 2011. This time around, they will solely host the tournament -- for the first time ever -- and look to break their ten-year-long ICC-title-drought. Ahead of India's first 50-over assignment in 2023, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir -- who was part of MS Dhoni-led India's 2011 ODI WC triumph -- has a stern message for World Cup-bound players. With India missing key players in last few World Cups due to injuries, as a result of playing frequently, many missed games in the run-up to an ICC event. Thus, Gambhir feels the key players have to play 50-over format and prioritise it this year with the WC just few months away. In addition, he suggested that Indian players can skip IPL matches, if need be, to remain fit. “If the franchise (IPL) has to suffer then they have to suffer. Indian cricket is the main stakeholder. Not the IPL. IPL is the byproduct. So, if India goes on to win the World Cup then this is the big occasion. So if an important player does miss the IPL, so be it. IPL happens every year, World Cup happens every four years,” the two-time World Cup winner Gambhir said while speaking on Star Sports’ show Road to Glory. Also read: WATCH: Babar Azam gives blunt response when asked if regretted not playing Sarfaraz Ahmed for four years “If people who are playing all three formats want to take a break, then they can take a break from T20Is. But surely not from the ODI format," Gambhir mentioned. Gambhir further asserted that players who feature in all three formats can take a break from T20Is but should be available for ODIs with a lot at stake in the format this year. “If people who are playing all three formats want to take a break, then they can take a break from T20Is. But surely not from the ODI format," he added. It will be interesting to see if key Indian players miss games in IPL 2023 to remain fresh for the forthcoming ICC event.

'Indian cricket is main stakeholder, IPL is just...': Gambhir's message as Team India prepare for ODI WC

On Saturday (January 07), Hardik Pandya-led India thrashed Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the third and final T20I at the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium, Rajkot. Opting to bat first, with the series tied at 1-1, India rode on yet another brilliant innings from Suryakumar Yadav, who slammed his third ton in the format in less than six months, to post 228 for 5. In reply, India dismissed the Lankans for a paltry 137 to lose by 91 runs.

Surya came out to bat at No. 4 and laced 7 fours and 9 sixes at a whopping strike rate of&nbsp;219.61. After the knock, he is being hailed by many former cricketers for the sheer consistency he has shown in the shortest format of the game. Since his debut, the right-hander has dominated the format and already has scored three tons, in less than six months, and remains the No. 1 ranked batter as well. Thus, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria heaped praise on SKY and termed him as the 'new Universe Boss'; a term referred for Chris Gayle.

In a video posted on his Youtube channel, Kaneria said, “The new Universe Boss is Suryakumar Yadav-the beast. Now what can I tell about this lad, even before I have said that a player like Suryakumar comes once in a lifetime. The innings which he played today, scoring 112 off 51, no one can replicate that. You can speak about ABD, Chris Gayle but even these two look pale in front of Surya. He has already eclipsed them and has taken T20 cricket to a whole new level."

"If this bloke is on song, there is no bowler in world cricket to stop him. Chris Gayle was there, AB de Villiers was there but they are past now. No one even comes close to Suryakumar," the former Pakistan spinner added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-he-was-in-pakistan-he-wouldve-former-pakistan-captains-bold-remark-on-suryakumar-yadav-550682">'If he was in Pakistan, he would've...' - Former Pakistan captain's BOLD remark on Suryakumar Yadav</a>

After taking India to a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka, Surya was adjudged the Player-of-the-Series. At the post-match presentation, SKY said, "It's really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for a game. If you do that in practice, it gets a little easier while playing the game. There is a lot of hard work involved but it's about doing quality practice sessions. You should know what your game is and prepare accordingly. Boundaries behind are like 50-60 meters, so I was targeting them. There are some shots that are pre-determined but you need to have other shots too so that if the bowler changes his plan, you can have an answer. He (Dravid) just lets me enjoy myself. He tells me to just enjoy and express myself."

On Saturday (January 07), Hardik Pandya-led India thrashed Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the third and final T20I at the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium, Rajkot.

On Saturday (January 07), Hardik Pandya-led India thrashed Dasun Shanaka's Sri Lanka by 91 runs in the third and final T20I at the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium, Rajkot. Opting to bat first, with the series tied at 1-1, India rode on yet another brilliant innings from Suryakumar Yadav, who slammed his third ton in the format in less than six months, to post 228 for 5. In reply, India dismissed the Lankans for a paltry 137 to lose by 91 runs. Surya came out to bat at No. 4 and laced 7 fours and 9 sixes at a whopping strike rate of 219.61. After the knock, he is being hailed by many former cricketers for the sheer consistency he has shown in the shortest format of the game. Since his debut, the right-hander has dominated the format and already has scored three tons, in less than six months, and remains the No. 1 ranked batter as well. Thus, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria heaped praise on SKY and termed him as the 'new Universe Boss'; a term referred for Chris Gayle. In a video posted on his Youtube channel, Kaneria said, “The new Universe Boss is Suryakumar Yadav-the beast. Now what can I tell about this lad, even before I have said that a player like Suryakumar comes once in a lifetime. The innings which he played today, scoring 112 off 51, no one can replicate that. You can speak about ABD, Chris Gayle but even these two look pale in front of Surya. He has already eclipsed them and has taken T20 cricket to a whole new level." "If this bloke is on song, there is no bowler in world cricket to stop him. Chris Gayle was there, AB de Villiers was there but they are past now. No one even comes close to Suryakumar," the former Pakistan spinner added. Also read: 'If he was in Pakistan, he would've...' - Former Pakistan captain's BOLD remark on Suryakumar Yadav After taking India to a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka, Surya was adjudged the Player-of-the-Series. At the post-match presentation, SKY said, "It's really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for a game. If you do that in practice, it gets a little easier while playing the game. There is a lot of hard work involved but it's about doing quality practice sessions. You should know what your game is and prepare accordingly. Boundaries behind are like 50-60 meters, so I was targeting them. There are some shots that are pre-determined but you need to have other shots too so that if the bowler changes his plan, you can have an answer. He (Dravid) just lets me enjoy myself. He tells me to just enjoy and express myself."

The new Universe Boss is Suryakumar Yadav: Former Pakistan spinner hails Indian star batter after SL T20Is

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