With World Cup 2023 set to begin in around three months, the absence of star players continues to haunt Team India. Shreyas Iyer’s back pain is said to be troubling him again as the middle-order batter is unlikely to get fit in time for the Asia Cup 2023, scheduled from August 31 to September 17.

Having last played a competitive game back in March during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar series in Ahmedabad, Iyer missed all the action since, including the ODI series against Australia, the IPL 2023 for Kolkata Knight Riders and the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval.

Although Ajinkya Rahane filled his shoes in the one-off Test, scoring 89 and 46 in two innings, Iyer’s absence was felt as India failed to win the Test title for the second straight time.

Meanwhile, Iyer underwent back surgery in London and continues to undergo physiotherapy at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. As per the source close to the information, Iyer is still dealing with back pain, while his chances of getting fit in time for the multi-team tournament, co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka this time, look bleak.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-not-getting-ignored-because-of-cricketing-reasons-bcci-officials-on-sarfarazs-absence-from-wi-tour-608593">'He is not getting ignored because of cricketing reasons..': BCCI official on Sarfaraz Khan's non-selection</a>

“Iyer recently took an injection for his back pain at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy. His back is still giving him trouble,” a source told the Times of India (TOI).

<h2>Road ahead looks rough for Iyer</h2>

After a brilliant 2022 with the bat in ODIs, wherein he scored 724 runs from 15 innings, Iyer shined in the away two-match Test series against Bangladesh later last year; but again missed the home New Zealand series due to a reoccurrence of pain in his back. Though he missed the first Test against Australia in Nagpur for the same reason, Iyer returned for the remaining three Tests. &nbsp;

Even for forthcoming India’s tour of the West Indies, which begins with the first of the two Tests on July 12 in Dominica, Ajinkya Rahane has retained his place, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are picked as backups.&nbsp;

As selectors continue to ignore Sarfaraz Khan for the middle-order spot in Tests despite his gigantic numbers in the past three years in Ranji Trophy, it looks like a blessing in disguise for Iyer – on whom the selection committee is banking.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in the white-ball circuit, India tried Suryakumar Yadav during the Aussies, but he failed miserably, getting out on a first-ball duck in three straight matches. With Iyer not in the scheme of things for now, India will either continue with SKY in the middle overs or rope in a new face, someone like Sanju Samson, ahead of the home World Cup in October-November.

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With World Cup 2023 set to begin in around three months, the absence of star players continues to haunt Team India. Shreyas Iyer’s back pain is said to be troubling him again as the middle-order batter is unlikely to get fit in time for the Asia Cup 2023, scheduled from August 31 to September 17.

With World Cup 2023 set to begin in around three months, the absence of star players continues to haunt Team India. Shreyas Iyer’s back pain is said to be troubling him again as the middle-order batter is unlikely to get fit in time for the Asia Cup 2023, scheduled from August 31 to September 17. Having last played a competitive game back in March during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar series in Ahmedabad, Iyer missed all the action since, including the ODI series against Australia, the IPL 2023 for Kolkata Knight Riders and the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval. Although Ajinkya Rahane filled his shoes in the one-off Test, scoring 89 and 46 in two innings, Iyer’s absence was felt as India failed to win the Test title for the second straight time. Meanwhile, Iyer underwent back surgery in London and continues to undergo physiotherapy at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. As per the source close to the information, Iyer is still dealing with back pain, while his chances of getting fit in time for the multi-team tournament, co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka this time, look bleak. ALSO READ: 'He is not getting ignored because of cricketing reasons..': BCCI official on Sarfaraz Khan's non-selection “Iyer recently took an injection for his back pain at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy. His back is still giving him trouble,” a source told the Times of India (TOI). Road ahead looks rough for Iyer After a brilliant 2022 with the bat in ODIs, wherein he scored 724 runs from 15 innings, Iyer shined in the away two-match Test series against Bangladesh later last year; but again missed the home New Zealand series due to a reoccurrence of pain in his back. Though he missed the first Test against Australia in Nagpur for the same reason, Iyer returned for the remaining three Tests. Even for forthcoming India’s tour of the West Indies, which begins with the first of the two Tests on July 12 in Dominica, Ajinkya Rahane has retained his place, while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are picked as backups. As selectors continue to ignore Sarfaraz Khan for the middle-order spot in Tests despite his gigantic numbers in the past three years in Ranji Trophy, it looks like a blessing in disguise for Iyer – on whom the selection committee is banking. Meanwhile, in the white-ball circuit, India tried Suryakumar Yadav during the Aussies, but he failed miserably, getting out on a first-ball duck in three straight matches. With Iyer not in the scheme of things for now, India will either continue with SKY in the middle overs or rope in a new face, someone like Sanju Samson, ahead of the home World Cup in October-November. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Shreyas Iyer remains doubtful for Asia Cup 2023 as back pain continues to trouble him

Sanju Samson has finally made his return to the Indian ODI squad after he was recalled for the upcoming West Indies tour on Friday, June 23. Samson who had a fruitful Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 was not considered for the World Test Championship (WTC) final despite Team India struggling to put a proven wicketkeeper option. The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also showed faith in Ishan Kishan while long-term absentees include Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul.

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India’s ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shardul Thakur, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh… <a href="https://t.co/PGRexBAGFZ">pic.twitter.com/PGRexBAGFZ</a>
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<h2>Samson, Mukesh Kumar In</h2>

In the squad announced on Friday, Samson along with Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Mohammed Siraj were called for the ODI squad as the selectors keep a close eye on the upcoming ODI World Cup in India. The selectors have clearly gone with the plan to have fresh blood in the veins as there was no place for veteran star Ravichandran Ashwin. The burden of the spin department falls on the shoulders of Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.

On the flip side, despite pressure from some corners, Rohit Sharma has retained the captaincy duties while few sources have confirmed that he will remain captain until the ODI World Cup at least. Hardik Pandya will act as the deputy to Rohit, who yet again was successful in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Gujarat Titans (GT) as he led them to the final before losing to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-indian-opener-virender-sehwag-reacts-to-rumours-of-being-approached-for-chief-selectors-post-607724">Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post</a>

<h2>Playing XI headache</h2>

On the flip side, Samson will face competition from Ishan Kishan who had a productive 2022 and scored a double hundred against Bangladesh. He will also remain India’s wicketkeeper option ahead of Samson, while both can still play in the Playing XI. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill remain untouchable options in the Playing XI.

The three-match ODI series against West Indies will start on July 27 to August 1.

<h2>India’s ODI squad:</h2>

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.

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Sanju Samson has finally made his return to the Indian ODI squad after he was recalled for the upcoming West Indies tour on Friday, June 23. Samson who had a fruitful Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 was not considered for the World Test Championship (WTC) final despite Team India struggling to put a proven wicketkeeper option.

Sanju Samson has finally made his return to the Indian ODI squad after he was recalled for the upcoming West Indies tour on Friday, June 23. Samson who had a fruitful Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 was not considered for the World Test Championship (WTC) final despite Team India struggling to put a proven wicketkeeper option. The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also showed faith in Ishan Kishan while long-term absentees include Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul. India’s ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shardul Thakur, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh… pic.twitter.com/PGRexBAGFZ — BCCI (@BCCI) June 23, 2023 × Samson, Mukesh Kumar In In the squad announced on Friday, Samson along with Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, and Mohammed Siraj were called for the ODI squad as the selectors keep a close eye on the upcoming ODI World Cup in India. The selectors have clearly gone with the plan to have fresh blood in the veins as there was no place for veteran star Ravichandran Ashwin. The burden of the spin department falls on the shoulders of Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. On the flip side, despite pressure from some corners, Rohit Sharma has retained the captaincy duties while few sources have confirmed that he will remain captain until the ODI World Cup at least. Hardik Pandya will act as the deputy to Rohit, who yet again was successful in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Gujarat Titans (GT) as he led them to the final before losing to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). ALSO READ | Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag reacts to rumours of being approached for chief selector’s post Playing XI headache On the flip side, Samson will face competition from Ishan Kishan who had a productive 2022 and scored a double hundred against Bangladesh. He will also remain India’s wicketkeeper option ahead of Samson, while both can still play in the Playing XI. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill remain untouchable options in the Playing XI. The three-match ODI series against West Indies will start on July 27 to August 1. India’s ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IND vs WI ODI Series: Sanju Samson recalled as KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer continue to miss out with injuries

Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023: Rinku Singh stands tall in Kolkata's average campaign

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 15-man squad for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, which will be held next month at The Oval, London. In the 15-member squad, Ajinkya Rahane made a comeback into the national side on the back of a decent run in the Ranji Trophy 2022/23 edition and his recent success in the ongoing IPL 2023 edition for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Rahane's comeback was mainly possible after Shreyas Iyer got injured, due to his persistent back issues, and Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will bank on him in the English conditions given his overall experience. Many former cricketers and experts have shared their take on Rahane's return. MSK Prasad, former Indian chief selector, also joined the bandwagon and gave a thumbs up to the former Indian Test vice-captain's return.&nbsp;

Speaking to IndiaToday, Prasad said, "It’s a fair team, it’s the right call. Ajinkya&nbsp;with so much of uncertainty in the middle-order, I think they (selectors) were absolutely right. I am very, very happy for him. He has always been a wonderful performer for India in the away series. And I think he fits the bill perfectly. Full credit to the selectors for bringing him back."

<iframe aria-label="Advertisement" data-google-container-id="2" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="1" id="google_ads_iframe_/1007232/IT_Teads_1x1_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/1007232/IT_Teads_1x1_0" role="region" scrolling="no" tabindex="0" title="3rd party ad content" width="1"></iframe>"Basically, his attitude is like a monk's. He is never disturbed when he is not selected. He is not over-excited when he is selected. He is that kind of a guy. His mood doesn't swing up and down, just like that. He is a very mature person. Unfortunately, because of a dip in his form, he had to sit out," he added.

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🚨 NEWS 🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> squad for ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final announced. 
 
Details 🔽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC23</a> <a href="https://t.co/sz7F5ByfiU">https://t.co/sz7F5ByfiU</a> <a href="https://t.co/KIcH530rOL">pic.twitter.com/KIcH530rOL</a>
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Rahane was part of India's playing XI when they faced eventual winners New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final, at Southampton, in 2021. He returned with scores of 49 and 15 and will hope to contribute with a big knock this time around and lead India to a memorable win.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-unseen-ms-dhoni-loses-cool-screams-and-gives-death-stare-to-his-csk-teammate-watch-586028">IPL 2023: UNSEEN! MS Dhoni loses cool, screams and gives DEATH STARE to his CSK teammate - Watch</a>

INDIA SQUAD FOR WTC FINAL

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, K L Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 15-man squad for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, which will be held next month at The Oval, London.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's 15-man squad for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, which will be held next month at The Oval, London. In the 15-member squad, Ajinkya Rahane made a comeback into the national side on the back of a decent run in the Ranji Trophy 2022/23 edition and his recent success in the ongoing IPL 2023 edition for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Rahane's comeback was mainly possible after Shreyas Iyer got injured, due to his persistent back issues, and Rohit Sharma & Co. will bank on him in the English conditions given his overall experience. Many former cricketers and experts have shared their take on Rahane's return. MSK Prasad, former Indian chief selector, also joined the bandwagon and gave a thumbs up to the former Indian Test vice-captain's return. Speaking to IndiaToday, Prasad said, "It’s a fair team, it’s the right call. Ajinkya with so much of uncertainty in the middle-order, I think they (selectors) were absolutely right. I am very, very happy for him. He has always been a wonderful performer for India in the away series. And I think he fits the bill perfectly. Full credit to the selectors for bringing him back." "Basically, his attitude is like a monk's. He is never disturbed when he is not selected. He is not over-excited when he is selected. He is that kind of a guy. His mood doesn't swing up and down, just like that. He is a very mature person. Unfortunately, because of a dip in his form, he had to sit out," he added. 🚨 NEWS 🚨#TeamIndia squad for ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final announced. Details 🔽 #WTC23 https://t.co/sz7F5ByfiU pic.twitter.com/KIcH530rOL — BCCI (@BCCI) April 25, 2023 × Rahane was part of India's playing XI when they faced eventual winners New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final, at Southampton, in 2021. He returned with scores of 49 and 15 and will hope to contribute with a big knock this time around and lead India to a memorable win. Also Read: IPL 2023: UNSEEN! MS Dhoni loses cool, screams and gives DEATH STARE to his CSK teammate - Watch INDIA SQUAD FOR WTC FINAL Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, K L Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.

Ajinkya Rahane has monk-like attitude, good call to pick him for WTC final: Former India chief selector

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Saturday, provided the latest medical update on the injured pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer. As per the statement released by the board’s secretary Jay Shah, Bumrah had recently undergone back surgery in New Zealand and following prescribed rest for six weeks, the seamer has resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on Friday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Saturday, provided the latest medical update on the injured pair of Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer. As per the statement released by the board’s secretary Jay Shah, Bumrah had recently undergone back surgery in New Zealand and following prescribed rest for six weeks, the seamer has resumed training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on Friday. On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer is also scheduled to have surgery on his lower back next week, and after remaining under the surgeon’s care for approx. two weeks later, he will also reach the NCA and begin his rehab. BCCI’s statement read, Medical Update: Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer “Mr Jasprit Bumrah underwent surgery in New Zealand on his lower back, which was successful, and he remains pain-free. The fast bowler was advised by the specialist to start his rehab six weeks after the surgery and accordingly, Mr Bumrah has commenced his rehab management at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru from Friday. Mr Shreyas Iyer is scheduled to undergo surgery for his lower back issue next week. He will remain under the surgeon’s care for two weeks and will return to the NCA after that for rehabilitation.” ALSO READ: IPL 2023: Went out there with 'I don't care' mentality - Harry Brook opens up on stunning hundred for SRH Meanwhile, pace spearhead Bumrah has been out of action since September last year due to a back issue and has missed all major tournaments, including the 2022 Asia Cup, the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and the Border-Gavaskar series. While he returned in contention for selection for the home series against Sri Lanka early this year, the reoccurrence of back pain held back his comeback. He also got ruled out of the ongoing IPL 2023 and the 2023 WTC final that follows; moreover, he is unlikely to return to competitive cricket until the 50-over World Cup, scheduled to start in October. Elsewhere, the right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer also missed the home series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and though he returned to the side for two Tests against Australia, he didn’t play any cricket since. As things stand, he is also ruled out of the IPL 2023 and the 2023 WTC final, while his return will depend on his rehab goes.

Jasprit Bumrah resumes rehab in NCA following back surgery, BCCI also provide update on Shreyas Iyer

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is churning out nail-biting contests with each passing day. The ongoing season has already become a hit and is on course for more success before its conclusion on May 28. Soon after the end of IPL 2023, Rohit Sharma-led Team India will reassemble and leave for the United Kingdom to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final for the 2021-23 cycle.

After missing out on winning the inaugural WTC cycle, and losing to New Zealand in 2021, India will hope to make the most of this opportunity and&nbsp;end their 10-year-long ICC-title drought. While Indian players have been asked to manage their workload efficiently in IPL 2023, there have already been some injury concerns ahead of the WTC summit clash, on June 07 at The Oval, London. While Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant have already been ruled out, Shreyas Iyer is also out of contention.

With Iyer's back injury resurfacing during India-Australia home Tests, he is out of IPL 2023 and will also miss the high-voltage WTC clash. Thus, India have some tough calls to&nbsp;smartly pack their middle order for the marquee clash, keeping the English conditions in mind.

Many experts have chipped in the idea of KL Rahul to open with Rohit as the duo was a successful pair during India's four Tests in England in the 2021 English summer. However, Rahul's low returns -- in Australia Tests and IPL 2023 so far -- aren't unknown. If&nbsp;the team management still persists&nbsp;with Rahul-Rohit as their openers, this could drop in-form batter Shubman Gill at No. 5 (an alien spot for him);&nbsp;filling in for Iyer. Nonetheless, Ajinkya Rahane's two good outings for his new franchise, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing IPL season have led to many ardent Indian cricket fans and former cricketers suggesting his inclusion.

Rahane for WTC final?

It is to be noted that Rahane has made scores of 61 (27) and 31 (19), striking at over 200 (225.92) and 150 (163.15) respectively, so far in his two innings for CSK. While many can say that IPL isn't an ideal platform for any batter's&nbsp;return in Tests, that too after two-long years, Rahane has had a good domestic run as well.

Rahane scored 634 runs (with a best of 204)&nbsp;in seven matches, at an average of&nbsp;57.63, with a hundred and two fifties for Mumbai in the 2022/23 Ranji Trophy season. While he could have gone for a County stint (like Cheteshwar Pujara), rather than plying his trade in the IPL, a dearth of middle-order batters with Iyer and Pant's injury has brightened the chances for Rahane.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-it-comes-to-carrying-water-or-helping-out-someone-hes-such-a-team-man-ravi-shastri-hails-csk-batter-581710">'If it comes to carrying water or helping out someone, he's such a team man': Ravi Shastri hails CSK batter</a>

What are the numbers for Rahane?

Now, let's focus on Rahane's numbers in Tests, particularly in England. The right-hander has scored 4,931 Test runs in 82 Tests, with 12 hundreds and 25 half-centuries. In England, he has amassed 729 runs in 15 Tests, at a woeful average of 26.03, with a solitary hundred and five fifties. He has two memorable knocks in English conditions; 103 (Lord's Test, 2014) and 81 (Trent Bridge, 2018).

Meanwhile, Rahane has a total of 1,090 runs versus Australia at an average of 37.58 with two centuries and five half-centuries (only one at home). In addition, he has scored&nbsp;884 of those in Australia, which includes both his tons.

Above all, it is Rahane's experience that the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will bank up on if he earns a recall. A stage as big as a WTC final and an opposition as formidable as Pat Cummins-led Australia (against whom he scored his last ton -- a memorable 112)&nbsp;can perfectly motivate a senior pro like Rahane.

Given, Rahane has already tasted failure with the Virat Kohli-led Indian side in the inaugural WTC final, where he scored 49 and 15, the 34-year-old will be highly charged in possibly his last ICC final. In the twilight of his career, it goes without saying that the Mumbaikar will be desperate to make the most of any chance presented to him.

Fire to perform is still burning strong!

After his spirited 27-ball 61 in CSK debut, versus Mumbai Indians (MI), at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai,&nbsp;a determined Rahane subtly reminded the critics that it is still early to write him off. At the post-match presentation, he said, "I was just told to focus on my strengths and focus on preparation. I love playing at the Wankhede, I know the ground well. Have not played a Test here, yet." He even smiled when on-air commentators praised his usage of 'yet'.&nbsp;

Later, at the post-match presser, he stated, "Still, a long way to go [WTC final]. Today, I was not sure about my place in the eleven, (and) got to know just before the toss. For me, it is about playing one game at a time and staying in the moment. "Anything can happen. I will never give up. For me it is about playing with enjoyment and passion," Rahane added.

For now, Rahane needs to continue to tick the basics and add runs for CSK. If he continues in the same manner, the batting maestro -- and also a highly acclaimed slip fielder --&nbsp;might be in India's scheme of things&nbsp;to star in the playing XI for the WTC final. 
 
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The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is churning out nail-biting contests with each passing day. The ongoing season has already become a hit and is on course for more success before its conclusion on May 28.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is churning out nail-biting contests with each passing day. The ongoing season has already become a hit and is on course for more success before its conclusion on May 28. Soon after the end of IPL 2023, Rohit Sharma-led Team India will reassemble and leave for the United Kingdom to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final for the 2021-23 cycle. After missing out on winning the inaugural WTC cycle, and losing to New Zealand in 2021, India will hope to make the most of this opportunity and end their 10-year-long ICC-title drought. While Indian players have been asked to manage their workload efficiently in IPL 2023, there have already been some injury concerns ahead of the WTC summit clash, on June 07 at The Oval, London. While Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant have already been ruled out, Shreyas Iyer is also out of contention. With Iyer's back injury resurfacing during India-Australia home Tests, he is out of IPL 2023 and will also miss the high-voltage WTC clash. Thus, India have some tough calls to smartly pack their middle order for the marquee clash, keeping the English conditions in mind. Many experts have chipped in the idea of KL Rahul to open with Rohit as the duo was a successful pair during India's four Tests in England in the 2021 English summer. However, Rahul's low returns -- in Australia Tests and IPL 2023 so far -- aren't unknown. If the team management still persists with Rahul-Rohit as their openers, this could drop in-form batter Shubman Gill at No. 5 (an alien spot for him); filling in for Iyer. Nonetheless, Ajinkya Rahane's two good outings for his new franchise, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing IPL season have led to many ardent Indian cricket fans and former cricketers suggesting his inclusion. Rahane for WTC final? It is to be noted that Rahane has made scores of 61 (27) and 31 (19), striking at over 200 (225.92) and 150 (163.15) respectively, so far in his two innings for CSK. While many can say that IPL isn't an ideal platform for any batter's return in Tests, that too after two-long years, Rahane has had a good domestic run as well. Rahane scored 634 runs (with a best of 204) in seven matches, at an average of 57.63, with a hundred and two fifties for Mumbai in the 2022/23 Ranji Trophy season. While he could have gone for a County stint (like Cheteshwar Pujara), rather than plying his trade in the IPL, a dearth of middle-order batters with Iyer and Pant's injury has brightened the chances for Rahane. Also Read: 'If it comes to carrying water or helping out someone, he's such a team man': Ravi Shastri hails CSK batter What are the numbers for Rahane? Now, let's focus on Rahane's numbers in Tests, particularly in England. The right-hander has scored 4,931 Test runs in 82 Tests, with 12 hundreds and 25 half-centuries. In England, he has amassed 729 runs in 15 Tests, at a woeful average of 26.03, with a solitary hundred and five fifties. He has two memorable knocks in English conditions; 103 (Lord's Test, 2014) and 81 (Trent Bridge, 2018). Meanwhile, Rahane has a total of 1,090 runs versus Australia at an average of 37.58 with two centuries and five half-centuries (only one at home). In addition, he has scored 884 of those in Australia, which includes both his tons. Above all, it is Rahane's experience that the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team will bank up on if he earns a recall. A stage as big as a WTC final and an opposition as formidable as Pat Cummins-led Australia (against whom he scored his last ton -- a memorable 112) can perfectly motivate a senior pro like Rahane. Given, Rahane has already tasted failure with the Virat Kohli-led Indian side in the inaugural WTC final, where he scored 49 and 15, the 34-year-old will be highly charged in possibly his last ICC final. In the twilight of his career, it goes without saying that the Mumbaikar will be desperate to make the most of any chance presented to him. Fire to perform is still burning strong! After his spirited 27-ball 61 in CSK debut, versus Mumbai Indians (MI), at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, a determined Rahane subtly reminded the critics that it is still early to write him off. At the post-match presentation, he said, "I was just told to focus on my strengths and focus on preparation. I love playing at the Wankhede, I know the ground well. Have not played a Test here, yet." He even smiled when on-air commentators praised his usage of 'yet'. Later, at the post-match presser, he stated, "Still, a long way to go [WTC final]. Today, I was not sure about my place in the eleven, (and) got to know just before the toss. For me, it is about playing one game at a time and staying in the moment. "Anything can happen. I will never give up. For me it is about playing with enjoyment and passion," Rahane added. For now, Rahane needs to continue to tick the basics and add runs for CSK. If he continues in the same manner, the batting maestro -- and also a highly acclaimed slip fielder -- might be in India's scheme of things to star in the playing XI for the WTC final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained: Why Team India may turn back to Ajinkya Rahane for WTC final

India's star middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who got off to a losing start in the ongoing edition, were dealt with a huge blow when Shakib Al Hasan withdraw from the current season and now more miseries have been added with their regular captain Iyer being ruled out. In addition, Iyer will miss the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia, at The Oval, London, in early June as he will undergo a back surgery.

As per ESPNcricinfo, Iyer will be travelling overseas for the surgery and, thus, will be out of cricketing action for at least three months before he resumes training. The 28-year-old has been dealing with back issues for a long time. He had missed the first Test of the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 edition before his back complaints resurfaced during the final Test, in Ahmedabad. As a result, he missed the three-match ODI series versus Australia. Before the India-Australia Tests, he&nbsp;had experienced problems due to the same injury in December after the end of India's tour of Bangladesh.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-ms-dhoni-hits-two-mammoth-sixes-during-csks-chepauk-return-as-crowd-goes-bonkers-watch-579031">&nbsp;IPL 2023: MS Dhoni hits two mammoth sixes during CSK's Chepauk return as crowd goes bonkers - Watch</a>

In Iyer's absence, Nitish Rana was made KKR's interim captain and will now lead the side in the remainder of the IPL 2023 edition. Moreover, Rohit Sharma-led India will have to find a suitable replacement for Iyer before they square off versus Australia in the WTC finale, to be held in the United Kingdom soon after the conclusion of the ongoing IPL season.

Meanwhile, Iyer is expected to remain out of action till June end but it will all depend on how his surgery goes abroad. The batter will be aiming to return to the Indian team before Asia Cup 2023, which will be followed by the ICC ODI World Cup -- to be held in India in October-November.

India's star middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who got off to a losing start in the ongoing edition, were dealt with a huge blow when Shakib Al Hasan withdraw from the current season and now more miseries have been added with their regular captain Iyer being ruled out.

India's star middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. The two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who got off to a losing start in the ongoing edition, were dealt with a huge blow when Shakib Al Hasan withdraw from the current season and now more miseries have been added with their regular captain Iyer being ruled out. In addition, Iyer will miss the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia, at The Oval, London, in early June as he will undergo a back surgery. As per ESPNcricinfo, Iyer will be travelling overseas for the surgery and, thus, will be out of cricketing action for at least three months before he resumes training. The 28-year-old has been dealing with back issues for a long time. He had missed the first Test of the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 edition before his back complaints resurfaced during the final Test, in Ahmedabad. As a result, he missed the three-match ODI series versus Australia. Before the India-Australia Tests, he had experienced problems due to the same injury in December after the end of India's tour of Bangladesh. Also Read: IPL 2023: MS Dhoni hits two mammoth sixes during CSK's Chepauk return as crowd goes bonkers - Watch In Iyer's absence, Nitish Rana was made KKR's interim captain and will now lead the side in the remainder of the IPL 2023 edition. Moreover, Rohit Sharma-led India will have to find a suitable replacement for Iyer before they square off versus Australia in the WTC finale, to be held in the United Kingdom soon after the conclusion of the ongoing IPL season. Meanwhile, Iyer is expected to remain out of action till June end but it will all depend on how his surgery goes abroad. The batter will be aiming to return to the Indian team before Asia Cup 2023, which will be followed by the ICC ODI World Cup -- to be held in India in October-November.

Shreyas Iyer Injury update - KKR skipper ruled out of IPL 2023, to also miss WTC Final

It hasn't been a good start for the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. After losing regular captain Shreyas Iyer due to a back injury, they lost their first game in a rain-hit encounter versus Punjab Kings (PBKS). Now, more miseries follow suit as Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is now out of the season for KKR.

Shakib, Bangladesh's Test and T20I captain, has not joined the KKR squad and&nbsp;formally informed the Kolkata franchise of his unavailability for the entire season. International commitments and personal issues are being reported&nbsp;to be the main&nbsp;reason for his absence. However, Shakib's teammate Liton Das is expected to join the KKR unit&nbsp;later this week.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-unbelievable-jason-holder-pulls-off-a-stunner-in-srh-vs-rr-clash-watch-video-578548">IPL 2023: UNBELIEVABLE! Jason Holder pulls off a stunner in SRH vs RR clash - Watch video</a>

As per Cricbuzz,&nbsp;Shakib (36), bought by the franchise for his base price of INR 1.5 crore (INR&nbsp;15 million), is understood to have called the KKR management and asked&nbsp;to be excused for the ongoing season. It is to be noted that&nbsp;once a player has been bought in the auction, he cannot be released by a franchise.&nbsp;It can only be done only after an edition.

KKR is believed to decide on the replacement player soon. However, Shakib's experience will be felt by the franchise in IPL 2023. He has played 71 matches, scoring 1,839 and claiming 63&nbsp;wickets. He was part of KKR's 2012 and 2014 triumphs.

It hasn't been a good start for the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. After losing regular captain Shreyas Iyer due to a back injury, they lost their first game in a rain-hit encounter versus Punjab Kings (PBKS).

It hasn't been a good start for the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition. After losing regular captain Shreyas Iyer due to a back injury, they lost their first game in a rain-hit encounter versus Punjab Kings (PBKS). Now, more miseries follow suit as Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is now out of the season for KKR. Shakib, Bangladesh's Test and T20I captain, has not joined the KKR squad and formally informed the Kolkata franchise of his unavailability for the entire season. International commitments and personal issues are being reported to be the main reason for his absence. However, Shakib's teammate Liton Das is expected to join the KKR unit later this week. Also Read: IPL 2023: UNBELIEVABLE! Jason Holder pulls off a stunner in SRH vs RR clash - Watch video As per Cricbuzz, Shakib (36), bought by the franchise for his base price of INR 1.5 crore (INR 15 million), is understood to have called the KKR management and asked to be excused for the ongoing season. It is to be noted that once a player has been bought in the auction, he cannot be released by a franchise. It can only be done only after an edition. KKR is believed to decide on the replacement player soon. However, Shakib's experience will be felt by the franchise in IPL 2023. He has played 71 matches, scoring 1,839 and claiming 63 wickets. He was part of KKR's 2012 and 2014 triumphs.

IPL 2023: More miseries for KKR! Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan out of season

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is&nbsp;set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The competition is once again expected to set the stage on fire as ardent cricket fans across the globe will be glued to their tv screens to watch the proceedings.

The upcoming season will see the addition of the Impact Player Rule, teams naming their playing XIs after the toss and mark the return of the traditional home-and-away format during the league stage. The group stage will comprise as many as 70 games which will be followed by the playoffs and the final.&nbsp;

After the IPL 2022 auction and in the run-up to the tournament, a lot has changed in terms of squad composition for all ten teams. For some franchises, new captains have also been named; due to unforseen circumstances for a few teams. Hence, here's an updated list of squads for all ten teams and their respective captains:

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-from-mumbai-indians-1408-to-gujarat-titans-79-most-sixes-hit-by-existing-teams-in-mega-event-577567">IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event</a>

Chennai Super Kings&nbsp;

MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary (injured, replaced by Akash Singh) Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma

Captain: MS Dhoni 
He remains CSK's only permanent captain 
Has led them to four IPL titles

Delhi Capitals&nbsp;

David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Abhishek Porel (likely replacement for Rishabh Pant)

Captain: David Warner 
He has led SRH to the IPL championship in 2016 
He has replaced Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a road accident

Gujarat Titans&nbsp;

Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma

Captain: Hardik Pandya 
He led the last year's debutant to the championship and has won the IPL five times as well with the MI franchise.

Kolkata Knight Riders&nbsp;

Shreyas Iyer (expected to return in second-half), Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, N Jadadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan

Captain: Nitish Rana 
Rana has led Delhi in the domestic circuit and has been named as the interim captain with regular skipper Shreyas Iyer expected to return in the latter half of the tournament.

Lucknow Super Giants&nbsp;

KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak

Captain: KL Rahul 
Rahul led the Lucknow franchise to the playoffs last season; their debut edition. He has also served as India's stand-in captain across formats in the recent past.

Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal, Mohit Rathee

Captain: Rohit Sharma 
Rohit is IPL's most successful captain with as many as five titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020)

Punjab Kings

Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow (injured, replaced by Matt Short), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh

Captain: Shikhar Dhawan 
Dhawan has led the SRH franchise in their debut season, in 2013. He took them to the playoffs and will hope to replicate the same this time around with the Punjab franshise.

Rajasthan Royals

Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donavon Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, M Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root

Captain: Sanju Samson 
Samson led RR to their first-ever final, since 2008, in the 2022 edition. He will hope to take them to the title this time around.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks (injured, replaced by Michael Bracewell), Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, R Sonu Yadav

Captain: Faf du Plessis 
Plessis led RCB to the playoffs in his first season for the Bengaluru camp. He has also led the South African team to considerable success during his captaincy tenure.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram (c), Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anmolpreet Singh, Akeal Hosein

Captain: Aiden Markam 
Markram will hope to lead SRH to their first title since 2016. He led Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- also belonging to the Hyderabad franchise owners -- to the championship in the SA20 inaugural edition early this year. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead in his absence as he is on national duty during the first week of the IPL 2023 season.

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad.

After much hullabaloo, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 edition is set to kick off on Friday evening (March 31). The opening game will see last year's winners Gujarat Titans (GT) take on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The competition is once again expected to set the stage on fire as ardent cricket fans across the globe will be glued to their tv screens to watch the proceedings. The upcoming season will see the addition of the Impact Player Rule, teams naming their playing XIs after the toss and mark the return of the traditional home-and-away format during the league stage. The group stage will comprise as many as 70 games which will be followed by the playoffs and the final. After the IPL 2022 auction and in the run-up to the tournament, a lot has changed in terms of squad composition for all ten teams. For some franchises, new captains have also been named; due to unforseen circumstances for a few teams. Hence, here's an updated list of squads for all ten teams and their respective captains: Also Read: IPL 2023: From Mumbai Indians' 1,408 to Gujarat Titans' 79 - Most sixes hit by existing teams in mega event Chennai Super Kings MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary (injured, replaced by Akash Singh) Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma Captain: MS Dhoni He remains CSK's only permanent captain Has led them to four IPL titles Delhi Capitals David Warner (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ripal Patel, Rovman Powell, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Axar Patel, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Khaleel Ahmed, Lungi Ngidi, Mustafizur Rahman, Aman Khan, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Vicky Ostwal, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw, Abhishek Porel (likely replacement for Rishabh Pant) Captain: David Warner He has led SRH to the IPL championship in 2016 He has replaced Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a road accident Gujarat Titans Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Kane Williamson, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Josh Little, Mohit Sharma Captain: Hardik Pandya He led the last year's debutant to the championship and has won the IPL five times as well with the MI franchise. Kolkata Knight Riders Shreyas Iyer (expected to return in second-half), Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, N Jadadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Wiese, Kulwant Khejroliya, Litton Das, Mandeep Singh, Shakib Al Hasan Captain: Nitish Rana Rana has led Delhi in the domestic circuit and has been named as the interim captain with regular skipper Shreyas Iyer expected to return in the latter half of the tournament. Lucknow Super Giants KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Nicholas Pooran, Jaydev Unadkat, Yash Thakur, Romario Shepherd, Daniel Sams, Amit Mishra, Prerak Mankad, Swapnil Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yudhvir Charak Captain: KL Rahul Rahul led the Lucknow franchise to the playoffs last season; their debut edition. He has also served as India's stand-in captain across formats in the recent past. Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma (c), Tim David, Ramandeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Jofra Archer, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshad Khan, Kumar Kartikeya, Hrithik Shokeen, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal, Cameron Green, Jhye Richardson, Piyush Chawla, Duan Jansen, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Raghav Goyal, Mohit Rathee Captain: Rohit Sharma Rohit is IPL's most successful captain with as many as five titles (in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020) Punjab Kings Shikhar Dhawan (c), Shahrukh Khan, Jonny Bairstow (injured, replaced by Matt Short), Prabhsimran Singh, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jitesh Sharma, Raj Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh Captain: Shikhar Dhawan Dhawan has led the SRH franchise in their debut season, in 2013. He took them to the playoffs and will hope to replicate the same this time around with the Punjab franshise. Rajasthan Royals Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donavon Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, M Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root Captain: Sanju Samson Samson led RR to their first-ever final, since 2008, in the 2022 edition. He will hope to take them to the title this time around. Royal Challengers Bangalore Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks (injured, replaced by Michael Bracewell), Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, R Sonu Yadav Captain: Faf du Plessis Plessis led RCB to the playoffs in his first season for the Bengaluru camp. He has also led the South African team to considerable success during his captaincy tenure. Sunrisers Hyderabad Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram (c), Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Abhishek Sharma, Marco Jansen, Washington Sundar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kartik Tyagi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Harry Brook, Mayank Agarwal, Heinrich Klaasen, Adil Rashid, Mayank Markande, Vivrant Sharma, Samarth Vyas, Sanvir Singh, Upendra Yadav, Mayank Dagar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anmolpreet Singh, Akeal Hosein Captain: Aiden Markam Markram will hope to lead SRH to their first title since 2016. He led Sunrisers Eastern Cape -- also belonging to the Hyderabad franchise owners -- to the championship in the SA20 inaugural edition early this year. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead in his absence as he is on national duty during the first week of the IPL 2023 season.

IPL 2023: Updated squads of all 10 teams and their captains

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional&nbsp;batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023. On Monday (March 27), the two-time winners KKR named Nitish Rana as their captain for the forthcoming season while they remain hopeful of Iyer's return in the latter stage of the tournament.

The IPL 2023 edition kicks off on March 31 with the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad. KKR, on the other hand, will open its campaign against the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the&nbsp;Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on April 01. Thus, Rana will have a herculean task to fill up Iyer's place as the new skipper amid the presence of star players such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, etc.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-did-my-hiv-test-team-indias-shikhar-dhawan-shares-hilarious-episode-of-when-he-got-his-first-tattoo-576219">I did my HIV Test: Team India's Shikhar Dhawan shares hilarious episode of when he got his first tattoo</a>

Many thought KKR would appoint Narine, Shardul, or Russell as their new skipper for IPL 2023. However, Kolkata have gone ahead with Rana who is a veteran in the IPL. The left-hander has been a part of the IPL since the 2016 edition and represented the Mumbai Indians (MI) and KKR (joining them in 2018).

In IPL 2022, Rana amassed&nbsp;361 runs at a strike rate of&nbsp;143.82 with two half-centuries. He has scored over 300 runs in every season for the KKR franchise. He has led the Delhi team in the Indian domestic circuit. The 29-year-old&nbsp;has also represented India in two T20Is and an ODI.&nbsp;

'While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover but we feel fortunate that Nitish will do a great job'

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A release from the franchise said, "While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover and participate at some stage in the IPL 2023 edition, we feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job."
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"We are also confident that under Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit and the support staff, he will get all the support needed off the field, and the highly experienced leaders in the squad will provide all support that Nitish may need on the field. We wish him the best in his new role and Shreyas a full and speedy recovery," it added.
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Complete KKR squad for IPL 2023

Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan.&nbsp;

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023.

After Shreyas Iyer's back injury during the India-Australia Tests, his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 became doubtful. Amid such uncertainty, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were left with a huge concern; to get an additional batter and a new skipper for IPL 2023. On Monday (March 27), the two-time winners KKR named Nitish Rana as their captain for the forthcoming season while they remain hopeful of Iyer's return in the latter stage of the tournament. The IPL 2023 edition kicks off on March 31 with the defending champions Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad. KKR, on the other hand, will open its campaign against the Shikhar Dhawan-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on April 01. Thus, Rana will have a herculean task to fill up Iyer's place as the new skipper amid the presence of star players such as Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Shardul Thakur, Tim Southee, etc. Also Read: I did my HIV Test: Team India's Shikhar Dhawan shares hilarious episode of when he got his first tattoo Many thought KKR would appoint Narine, Shardul, or Russell as their new skipper for IPL 2023. However, Kolkata have gone ahead with Rana who is a veteran in the IPL. The left-hander has been a part of the IPL since the 2016 edition and represented the Mumbai Indians (MI) and KKR (joining them in 2018). In IPL 2022, Rana amassed 361 runs at a strike rate of 143.82 with two half-centuries. He has scored over 300 runs in every season for the KKR franchise. He has led the Delhi team in the Indian domestic circuit. The 29-year-old has also represented India in two T20Is and an ODI. 'While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover but we feel fortunate that Nitish will do a great job' A release from the franchise said, "While we are hopeful that Shreyas will recover and participate at some stage in the IPL 2023 edition, we feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job." "We are also confident that under Head Coach Chandrakant Pandit and the support staff, he will get all the support needed off the field, and the highly experienced leaders in the squad will provide all support that Nitish may need on the field. We wish him the best in his new role and Shreyas a full and speedy recovery," it added. Complete KKR squad for IPL 2023 Nitish Rana (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Narayan Jagadeesan, Vaibhav Arora, Suyash Sharma, David Weise, Kulwant Khejrolia, Mandeep Singh, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan.

IPL 2023: Not Narine, Shardul or Russell! Nitish Rana named KKR captain after Shreyas Iyer's injury

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury. New Zealander will also not appear in the first&nbsp;ODI against Sri Lanka, which starts on March 25th in Auckland.

Following news of Shreyas Iyer remaining doubtful for the complete season due to his persisting back injury, Lockie’s hamstring&nbsp;further dents KKR’s motivation ahead of IPL 2023. Moreover, the overseas duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das will also miss a few games in the beginning as Bangladesh is scheduled to face Ireland in three T20Is and a one-off Test that ends on April 8th.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2023-premier-tournament-to-stay-in-pakistan-but-india-likely-to-play-at-this-neutral-venue-575090">Asia Cup 2023: Premier tournament to stay in Pakistan, but India likely to play at THIS neutral venue</a>

As reported earlier, three IPL-bound New Zealand players – Ferguson, Glenn Philips, and Finn Allen were supposed to land in India on March 26th; however, with an untimely injury to Lockie, it remains unclear by when he will be deemed fit and available for KKR in IPL 2023, which starts on March 31st.

Regarded as one of the fastest bowlers around Ferguson, alongside Afghanistan keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, got traded from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal ahead of December’s auction. For GT, Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches and helped the newly-added franchise lift the trophy in their maiden season.

The right-hand seamer was part of the KKR setup from 2019 to 2021, having played just 18 matches across three seasons, picking 21 wickets. Later, during the 2022 mega auction, Gujarat spent INR 10 crores on him and bagged his service only to trade him in the next season.

As things stand, if Ferguson remains unavailable for the initial few games for KKR, his compatriot Tim Southee could be a sure-starter in the XI alongside Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, for KKR, the bigger question here remains who lead them in this season? The answers to this shall be out soon as the 16th edition of the cash-rich commences in one week's time.

Kolkata Knight Riders will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Punjab Kings on April 1st.

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury.

IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are jolted with yet another blow as ace Kiwi seamer Lockie Ferguson is likely to miss a few early games in the upcoming season due to a hamstring injury. New Zealander will also not appear in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, which starts on March 25th in Auckland. Following news of Shreyas Iyer remaining doubtful for the complete season due to his persisting back injury, Lockie’s hamstring further dents KKR’s motivation ahead of IPL 2023. Moreover, the overseas duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das will also miss a few games in the beginning as Bangladesh is scheduled to face Ireland in three T20Is and a one-off Test that ends on April 8th. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: Premier tournament to stay in Pakistan, but India likely to play at THIS neutral venue As reported earlier, three IPL-bound New Zealand players – Ferguson, Glenn Philips, and Finn Allen were supposed to land in India on March 26th; however, with an untimely injury to Lockie, it remains unclear by when he will be deemed fit and available for KKR in IPL 2023, which starts on March 31st. Regarded as one of the fastest bowlers around Ferguson, alongside Afghanistan keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, got traded from Gujarat Titans (GT) in an all-cash deal ahead of December’s auction. For GT, Ferguson picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches and helped the newly-added franchise lift the trophy in their maiden season. The right-hand seamer was part of the KKR setup from 2019 to 2021, having played just 18 matches across three seasons, picking 21 wickets. Later, during the 2022 mega auction, Gujarat spent INR 10 crores on him and bagged his service only to trade him in the next season. As things stand, if Ferguson remains unavailable for the initial few games for KKR, his compatriot Tim Southee could be a sure-starter in the XI alongside Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, for KKR, the bigger question here remains who lead them in this season? The answers to this shall be out soon as the 16th edition of the cash-rich commences in one week's time. Kolkata Knight Riders will open their IPL 2023 campaign against Punjab Kings on April 1st.

IPL 2023: Worries mount for KKR as ace seamer doubtful for opening few games due to hamstring injury

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery. Shreyas, who missed the last two days of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia has been frequently struggling with a lower-back issue and was recommended to have surgery by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). However, as of now the player is yet to decide on the surgery and could yet feature in the IPL and the World Test Championship (WTC).

<h3>Shreyas yet to decide on surgery</h3>

As of Thursday, March 23 according to Cricbuzz, Shreyas will not have surgery on his lower back and will instead focus on his rehabilitation. The idea behind the rehabilitation is to play in the later stage of the IPL 2023 season. Initially, the right-hand batter was ruled out of the IPL as well as the WTC final in June. But the latest report suggests, Shreyas could feature for both KKR and in the WTC final in June while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also kept in the loop for any further decision.

Cricbuzz had reported on March 17 that he was asked to rest for 10 days by Mumbai-based spine specialist Abhay Nene. He is at home in Mumbai currently, following the expert's advice.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-ipl-teammates-virat-kohli-and-marcus-stoinis-collide-during-india-australia-chennai-odi-watch-574907">Former IPL teammates Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis collide during India-Australia Chennai ODI - WATCH</a></h3>

<h3>World Cup in sight</h3>

While the WTC final will surely come early for Shreyas, he will likely miss the ODI World Cup later in the year. A back surgery will see him get ruled out for at least six or seven months and will therefore have to be optimistic about his chances to play in the ODI World Cup. Shreyas is one of the lead candidates in the middle order for India and will be a big miss if he does not make the showpiece tournament later in the year.

Shreyas missed the three-match ODI series against New Zealand earlier in January while also he was warming the bench in the Nagpur Test. He was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav in the first Test with Shreyas staying away from the action. The Indian team also was unable to call a replacement for Shreyas in Ahmedabad as it was not a concussion issue.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Shreyas Iyer could feature in the later stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with him yet to decide on a lower-back surgery. Shreyas, who missed the last two days of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia has been frequently struggling with a lower-back issue and was recommended to have surgery by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). However, as of now the player is yet to decide on the surgery and could yet feature in the IPL and the World Test Championship (WTC). Shreyas yet to decide on surgery As of Thursday, March 23 according to Cricbuzz, Shreyas will not have surgery on his lower back and will instead focus on his rehabilitation. The idea behind the rehabilitation is to play in the later stage of the IPL 2023 season. Initially, the right-hand batter was ruled out of the IPL as well as the WTC final in June. But the latest report suggests, Shreyas could feature for both KKR and in the WTC final in June while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also kept in the loop for any further decision. Cricbuzz had reported on March 17 that he was asked to rest for 10 days by Mumbai-based spine specialist Abhay Nene. He is at home in Mumbai currently, following the expert's advice. ALSO READ | Former IPL teammates Virat Kohli and Marcus Stoinis collide during India-Australia Chennai ODI - WATCH World Cup in sight While the WTC final will surely come early for Shreyas, he will likely miss the ODI World Cup later in the year. A back surgery will see him get ruled out for at least six or seven months and will therefore have to be optimistic about his chances to play in the ODI World Cup. Shreyas is one of the lead candidates in the middle order for India and will be a big miss if he does not make the showpiece tournament later in the year. Shreyas missed the three-match ODI series against New Zealand earlier in January while also he was warming the bench in the Nagpur Test. He was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav in the first Test with Shreyas staying away from the action. The Indian team also was unable to call a replacement for Shreyas in Ahmedabad as it was not a concussion issue. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Shreyas Iyer yet to decide on surgery, could feature in later stage for Kolkata Knight Riders

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup.

As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter&nbsp;is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition,&nbsp;WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-king-virat-kohli-to-ms-dhonis-protege-rishabh-pant-most-runs-in-an-ipl-season-574365">From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season</a>

The 28-year-old Iyer&nbsp;will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent.

Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be&nbsp;unfortunate for the youngster.

Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023&nbsp;kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident.

Team India has dealt with several injury concerns of late. While Jasprit Bumrah remains out of action since last September, Rishabh Pant is recovering from his horrific car accident. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer complained of back issues during the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, in Ahmedabad, and is now likely to miss IPL 2023, ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, and ODI World Cup. As per a report in India Today, sources have confirmed that Iyer has been advised of surgery in his third meeting with a Mumbai-based doctor. Thus, the middle-order batter is expected to remain out of action for at least five months; ruling him out of IPL 2023 edition, WTC finale in early June, and possibly skipping the ODI WC at home as well. Also Read: From KING Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni's protégé, Rishabh Pant: Most runs in an IPL season The 28-year-old Iyer will be touch and go for the 2023 ODI WC. However, it will be highly unlikely that the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team management might consider the talented batter without playing him in the run-up to the showpiece event in the subcontinent. Iyer was out of action due to injury concerns in the run-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup and even though he was included as a reserve, he didn't get a game. He didn't feature in a single game for Team India in the 2022 edition as well. Hence, if he is likely to miss the WTC final and the forthcoming 50-over WC, it will really be unfortunate for the youngster. Moreover, the KKR franchise will also have to search for a new captain and batter as a replacement for Iyer. IPL 2023 kicks off in less than ten days; on March 31 in Ahmedabad.

Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC

India's star T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav is under immense pressure after failing to score in two consecutive matches in the ongoing ODI series against Australia. Suryakumar Yadav, however, has impressed everybody with is batting in T20Is and has gotten a place in the ODI side with regular number four batter Shreyas Iyer out of the side with an injury.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, has backed the under-pressure batter to come good and assured him of a long-rope. Speaking on Yadav's struggles, former India selector Saba Karim, while talking to media outlet India News, said, "The team management sees Suryakumar Yadav as an option for Shreyas Iyer. I am sure that Iyer will return and be India's No. 4 at the World Cup because he has done really well in that position. Suryakumar is a mystery at the moment. He is at the top in T20Is, how can he not score runs in ODIs? This is why I feel Rohit Sharma wants to give him a few more chances."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ab-de-villiers-the-fastest-runner-between-wickets-followed-by-ms-dhoni-rcb-star-virat-kohli-574311">AB de Villiers the fastest runner between wickets followed by MS Dhoni: RCB star Virat Kohli</a>

Suryakumar Yadav&nbsp;has registered two first-ball ducks in the first two ODIs against Australia. He was sent back by Mitchell Starc both times and that too by getting trapped in front of the wicket on in-swinging deliveries in both ODIs. Notably, Surya last scored a fifty plus score in ODI in February 2022.

Talking about other players who can play at number four if not Surya, Karim added, "What other options do we have for the No.4 spot? Sarfaraz Ahmed and Rajat Patidar come to mind, but they are both injured at the moment. We can consider Sanju Samson as an option. It is very important to have a few options ready. But we don't know if he is fit or not."

Nonetheless, Surya seems to be a surety in the XI against Australia in the third ODI of the series as well. The ODI, with the three-match series level at 1-1, is scheduled to be played at Chennai on March 22.

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India's star T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav is under immense pressure after failing to score in two consecutive matches in the ongoing ODI series against Australia.

India's star T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav is under immense pressure after failing to score in two consecutive matches in the ongoing ODI series against Australia. Suryakumar Yadav, however, has impressed everybody with is batting in T20Is and has gotten a place in the ODI side with regular number four batter Shreyas Iyer out of the side with an injury. Skipper Rohit Sharma, however, has backed the under-pressure batter to come good and assured him of a long-rope. Speaking on Yadav's struggles, former India selector Saba Karim, while talking to media outlet India News, said, "The team management sees Suryakumar Yadav as an option for Shreyas Iyer. I am sure that Iyer will return and be India's No. 4 at the World Cup because he has done really well in that position. Suryakumar is a mystery at the moment. He is at the top in T20Is, how can he not score runs in ODIs? This is why I feel Rohit Sharma wants to give him a few more chances." Also Read: AB de Villiers the fastest runner between wickets followed by MS Dhoni: RCB star Virat Kohli Suryakumar Yadav has registered two first-ball ducks in the first two ODIs against Australia. He was sent back by Mitchell Starc both times and that too by getting trapped in front of the wicket on in-swinging deliveries in both ODIs. Notably, Surya last scored a fifty plus score in ODI in February 2022. Talking about other players who can play at number four if not Surya, Karim added, "What other options do we have for the No.4 spot? Sarfaraz Ahmed and Rajat Patidar come to mind, but they are both injured at the moment. We can consider Sanju Samson as an option. It is very important to have a few options ready. But we don't know if he is fit or not." Nonetheless, Surya seems to be a surety in the XI against Australia in the third ODI of the series as well. The ODI, with the three-match series level at 1-1, is scheduled to be played at Chennai on March 22. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Iyer will return...': Ex-India selector Saba Karim on Suryakumar Yadav's ODI form

India’s stand-in captain for the first ODI against Australia Hardik Pandya admits Shreyas Iyer’s absence will impact the team as the&nbsp;team management needs to find solutions if the star batter remains out for long. Being in the same position some time back, Hardik knows how worrisome can this back pain be and revealed there is no timeline as to when Shreyas could be deemed fit for a return to the One-Day setup.

"Obviously, there is no timeline, but we have to hope for the best. I have been in that situation where the back could be a problem,” said Hardik Pandya as quoted by PTI.

Iyer had a blast batting at the number four position in ODIs last year, scoring 721 runs in 14 matches at an astonishing average of 60.08. Iyer was in good form heading into the World Cup; however, an untimely reoccurrence of the back issue derailed his run.

The star batter is now likely to remain on sidelines for some time and could even miss a few games for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2023 that starts on March 31st.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistans-aleem-dar-steps-down-from-iccs-elite-panel-brings-end-to-19-year-top-level-officiating-career-572710">Pakistan's Aleem Dar steps down from ICC's elite panel; brings end to 19-year top level officiating career</a>

"It is going to impact, obviously we are going to miss him but we will have to slowly start finding solutions if he is not around (for a long time). If he is around he is more than welcome, but if he is not, then there is a lot of time to think about it and see how we can go forward," said Pandya.

As India prepare to take on Australia in the three-match ODIs after beating them for the fourth straight time in the Border-Gavaskar series, the team will be without the regular captain Rohit Sharma (just for the 1st One-Dayer), Jasprit Bumrah (who is out due to back injury) and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant (recovering from injuries he suffered in a road accident).

The first ODI begins at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday.

India’s stand-in captain for the first ODI against Australia Hardik Pandya admits Shreyas Iyer’s absence will impact the team as the team management needs to find solutions if the star batter remains out for long.

India’s stand-in captain for the first ODI against Australia Hardik Pandya admits Shreyas Iyer’s absence will impact the team as the team management needs to find solutions if the star batter remains out for long. Being in the same position some time back, Hardik knows how worrisome can this back pain be and revealed there is no timeline as to when Shreyas could be deemed fit for a return to the One-Day setup. "Obviously, there is no timeline, but we have to hope for the best. I have been in that situation where the back could be a problem,” said Hardik Pandya as quoted by PTI. Iyer had a blast batting at the number four position in ODIs last year, scoring 721 runs in 14 matches at an astonishing average of 60.08. Iyer was in good form heading into the World Cup; however, an untimely reoccurrence of the back issue derailed his run. The star batter is now likely to remain on sidelines for some time and could even miss a few games for his franchise Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2023 that starts on March 31st. ALSO READ: Pakistan's Aleem Dar steps down from ICC's elite panel; brings end to 19-year top level officiating career "It is going to impact, obviously we are going to miss him but we will have to slowly start finding solutions if he is not around (for a long time). If he is around he is more than welcome, but if he is not, then there is a lot of time to think about it and see how we can go forward," said Pandya. As India prepare to take on Australia in the three-match ODIs after beating them for the fourth straight time in the Border-Gavaskar series, the team will be without the regular captain Rohit Sharma (just for the 1st One-Dayer), Jasprit Bumrah (who is out due to back injury) and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant (recovering from injuries he suffered in a road accident). The first ODI begins at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday.

IND vs AUS: Shreyas Iyer's absence will impact us, says stand-in captain Hardik Pandya ahead of 1st ODI

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the three-game ODI series against Australia. Iyer missed a major portion of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Ahmedabad after a recurrence of his back injury. The Mumbai batter is now all set to miss the ODI series against Australia. The injury forced Iyer to sit out of the first innings of the final Test, where India posted a solid 571 on the back of tons from Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. 
The news of Iyer's unavailability for the limited overs series was confirmed by India's fielding coach, T. Dilip at the pre-series Press conference.

<h3>Fielding coach confirms Shreyas' absence</h3>

"Injuries are a part and parcel of the game. We have the best medical facilities and they are well-equipped, and our medical team and NCA medical team are in coordination. Regarding Shreyas, he's been ruled out of this series. And further updates, we'll let you know as and when we know it," said Dilip in a press conference.

<h3>Not for the first time</h3>

Earlier this year, the 28-year-old complained of a similar injury after the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Subsequently, he was ruled out of India's ODI series against New Zealand. He was then sent to the BCCI's National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore as a precaution, before being cleared for the team's preparatory camp for the current Test series. The India-Australia ODI series starts on March 17 in Mumbai. The hosts will also be without their regular captain Rohit Sharma for the first game but he is set to return for the last two games. In his absence, Hardik Pandya will lead the side in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium.

<h3>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2023-explained-how-smriti-mandhanas-rcb-can-still-qualify-for-playoffs-after-five-successive-defeats-572271">WPL 2023: EXPLAINED! How Smriti Mandhana's RCB can still qualify for playoffs after five successive defeats</a></h3>

Australia will eye revenge on hosts having lost the Test series 2-1 and will have to do without their regular skipper Pat Cummins. The veteran star is in Australia having lost his mother last week with Steve Smith taking charge of the side in his absence. It is worth noting that India have not won an ODI match at the Wankhede Stadium since October 2011 and will have the golden opportunity to end that drought.&nbsp;

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the three-game ODI series against Australia. Iyer missed a major portion of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Ahmedabad after a recurrence of his back injury.

India middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the three-game ODI series against Australia. Iyer missed a major portion of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Ahmedabad after a recurrence of his back injury. The Mumbai batter is now all set to miss the ODI series against Australia. The injury forced Iyer to sit out of the first innings of the final Test, where India posted a solid 571 on the back of tons from Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli. The news of Iyer's unavailability for the limited overs series was confirmed by India's fielding coach, T. Dilip at the pre-series Press conference. Fielding coach confirms Shreyas' absence "Injuries are a part and parcel of the game. We have the best medical facilities and they are well-equipped, and our medical team and NCA medical team are in coordination. Regarding Shreyas, he's been ruled out of this series. And further updates, we'll let you know as and when we know it," said Dilip in a press conference. Not for the first time Earlier this year, the 28-year-old complained of a similar injury after the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Subsequently, he was ruled out of India's ODI series against New Zealand. He was then sent to the BCCI's National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore as a precaution, before being cleared for the team's preparatory camp for the current Test series. The India-Australia ODI series starts on March 17 in Mumbai. The hosts will also be without their regular captain Rohit Sharma for the first game but he is set to return for the last two games. In his absence, Hardik Pandya will lead the side in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium. ALSO READ | WPL 2023: EXPLAINED! How Smriti Mandhana's RCB can still qualify for playoffs after five successive defeats Australia will eye revenge on hosts having lost the Test series 2-1 and will have to do without their regular skipper Pat Cummins. The veteran star is in Australia having lost his mother last week with Steve Smith taking charge of the side in his absence. It is worth noting that India have not won an ODI match at the Wankhede Stadium since October 2011 and will have the golden opportunity to end that drought.

IND vs AUS ODI Series: Shreyas Iyer officially ruled out of 50-over format, confirms fielding coach T Dilip

The Border-Gavaskar series is over with India winning it 2-1 after the last Test in Ahmedabad ended in a draw. Australia was in strong position on a batting paradise, amassing 480 runs in the first innings. India too replied in the same manner as they scored 571/9 with right-hand batsman Shreyas Iyer not coming out to bat.

Iyer was taken to hospital on day four of the final Test for scans after complaining of back issues. The batsman had missed the first Test in Nagpur due to back injury as well before coming back in the side for the second Test in Delhi.&nbsp;

Skipper Rohit Sharma, at the post-match presentation of Ahmedabad Test, spoke about Iyer's injury.&nbsp;

"Poor guy. It just was such an unfortunate incident. He had to wait all day to bat and then when the day got over, the issue he had with his back, recurred. He was sent to the hospital to take scans. I don't know the exact report of the scans, but he does not seem to be doing that well," said the skipper.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ex-india-opener-sunil-gavaskar-picks-this-star-player-to-replace-rohit-as-odi-captain-after-2023-world-cup-572154">Ex-India opener Sunil Gavaskar picks THIS star player to replace Rohit as ODI captain after 2023 World Cup</a>

Rohit further said that he doesn't know how long the batsman will take to recover.

"Obviously, that’s why he's not present here, so we don't know the exact status of how long he will take to recover or when he will be back. When it happened, it did not look that great. I hope he recovers quickly and comes back and plays again," he added.

Due to the injury, Iyer has been sidelined from the upcoming ODI series against Australia as well. The three-match ODI series is set to begin from March 17 in Mumbai with next two matches scheduled in Vishakhapatnam and Chennai on March 19 and 22, respectively.

Iyer is also likely to be unavailable for the first few matches for his IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders as report by media outlet PTI says that he is set to be out for a prolonged period of time.

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The Border-Gavaskar series is over with India winning it 2-1 after the last Test in Ahmedabad ended in a draw. Australia was in strong position on a batting paradise, amassing 480 runs in the first innings.

The Border-Gavaskar series is over with India winning it 2-1 after the last Test in Ahmedabad ended in a draw. Australia was in strong position on a batting paradise, amassing 480 runs in the first innings. India too replied in the same manner as they scored 571/9 with right-hand batsman Shreyas Iyer not coming out to bat. Iyer was taken to hospital on day four of the final Test for scans after complaining of back issues. The batsman had missed the first Test in Nagpur due to back injury as well before coming back in the side for the second Test in Delhi. Skipper Rohit Sharma, at the post-match presentation of Ahmedabad Test, spoke about Iyer's injury. "Poor guy. It just was such an unfortunate incident. He had to wait all day to bat and then when the day got over, the issue he had with his back, recurred. He was sent to the hospital to take scans. I don't know the exact report of the scans, but he does not seem to be doing that well," said the skipper. Also Read: Ex-India opener Sunil Gavaskar picks THIS star player to replace Rohit as ODI captain after 2023 World Cup Rohit further said that he doesn't know how long the batsman will take to recover. "Obviously, that’s why he's not present here, so we don't know the exact status of how long he will take to recover or when he will be back. When it happened, it did not look that great. I hope he recovers quickly and comes back and plays again," he added. Due to the injury, Iyer has been sidelined from the upcoming ODI series against Australia as well. The three-match ODI series is set to begin from March 17 in Mumbai with next two matches scheduled in Vishakhapatnam and Chennai on March 19 and 22, respectively. Iyer is also likely to be unavailable for the first few matches for his IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders as report by media outlet PTI says that he is set to be out for a prolonged period of time. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India captain Rohit Sharma opens up on Shreyas Iyer's back injury

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has complained of pain in his lower back and has been sent for scans, BCCI said in a statement. Iyer returned from a back injury during the second Test in Delhi having missed the first game in Nagpur alongside missing the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier.&nbsp;

As he didn’t come out to bat in his regular number five position on Saturday with Jadeja being sent ahead of him, doubts started getting created on what has happened to Iyer – is he injured or is that a tactical move by India?

The BCCI, however, cleared the air with the following statement, "Shreyas Iyer complained of pain in his lower back following the third day's play. He has gone for scans and the BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him."

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-hits-first-test-hundred-since-november-2019-kisses-locket-and-receives-applauds-watch-571088">Virat Kohli hits first Test hundred since November 2019, kisses locket and receives applauds - WATCH</a>

Going by the statement, it remains unclear if Iyer&nbsp;would return anytime soon to bat in the first innings on day four of the final Ahmedabad Test. Now given that India hasn’t qualified for the WTC final yet, and for them to punch their ticket directly for the finals, they need to win this Test else they’ll have to rely on New Zealand to do the job for them.

While India is looking to cross Australia’s first-inning tally with century-maker Virat Kohli and the man-in-form with bat Axar Patel at the crease as things stand, Iyer’s absence could hamper their flow going forward. For India to pace up the innings and take any good lead on this wicket against Australia considering only one day is left for the result to come out, Iyer’s attacking approach would have made a difference. 
 
Meanwhile, coming back to the ongoing Test, former India captain Virat Kohli completed his 28th Test hundred – first in over three years, and his 75th overall in international cricket.

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has complained of pain in his lower back and has been sent for scans, BCCI said in a statement. Iyer returned from a back injury during the second Test in Delhi having missed the first game in Nagpur alongside missing the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier.

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has complained of pain in his lower back and has been sent for scans, BCCI said in a statement. Iyer returned from a back injury during the second Test in Delhi having missed the first game in Nagpur alongside missing the white-ball series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier. As he didn’t come out to bat in his regular number five position on Saturday with Jadeja being sent ahead of him, doubts started getting created on what has happened to Iyer – is he injured or is that a tactical move by India? The BCCI, however, cleared the air with the following statement, "Shreyas Iyer complained of pain in his lower back following the third day's play. He has gone for scans and the BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him." ALSO READ: Virat Kohli hits first Test hundred since November 2019, kisses locket and receives applauds - WATCH Going by the statement, it remains unclear if Iyer would return anytime soon to bat in the first innings on day four of the final Ahmedabad Test. Now given that India hasn’t qualified for the WTC final yet, and for them to punch their ticket directly for the finals, they need to win this Test else they’ll have to rely on New Zealand to do the job for them. While India is looking to cross Australia’s first-inning tally with century-maker Virat Kohli and the man-in-form with bat Axar Patel at the crease as things stand, Iyer’s absence could hamper their flow going forward. For India to pace up the innings and take any good lead on this wicket against Australia considering only one day is left for the result to come out, Iyer’s attacking approach would have made a difference. Meanwhile, coming back to the ongoing Test, former India captain Virat Kohli completed his 28th Test hundred – first in over three years, and his 75th overall in international cricket.

IND vs AUS: Shreyas Iyer complains of lower-back pain, unclear if he will bat in Ahmedabad Test or not

India have been on the back foot in the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in Indore. They only managed 109 and 163 in the two innings and conceded a vital 88-run lead with Australia making 197 in their first essay. On Day 3, Australia need to chase down a paltry 76-run target to make the four-match Test series scoreline 2-1 with one match to go.

During the entire Test match, a lot has been said and written about India's poor tactics. Former cricketers and experts have questioned Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led think tank for not using R Ashwin early on during Day 2's morning session whereas in-form Axar Patel batted below the former in the second essay; running out of partners. In addition, Ravindra Jadeja batted above Shreyas Iyer, at No. 5, which wasn't well received by Sanjay Manjrekar.

Speaking to&nbsp;Star Sports&nbsp;at the end of Day 2, the cricketer-turned-commentator Manjrekar&nbsp;said, "It has just disappointed me in the last and this innings as well that Jadeja came ahead of Shreyas Iyer. You can't be doing that for left-right combination. You've got a proper batter...even if he is a right hander. And Jadeja coming in as a left-hander...I can understand when you have 2-3 left-arm spinners like Bangladesh used to have in the past. Here you have two quality off-spinners bowling. It did not make any sense to me. Iyer has a great feel for spinners so you want him ahead in the line-up. And he has shown his class."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-way-a-spin-bowler-should-come-on-in-sixth-over-matthew-hayden-slams-indore-test-pitch-567978">'No way a spin bowler should come on in sixth over': Matthew Hayden slams Indore Test pitch</a>

The ploy to promote Jadeja fell flat as the No. 1 Test all-rounder 4 and 7 in both the innings. Meanwhile, Iyer ended the Test with scores of 0 and 26. Day 3 started with India defending only a mere 76 and removed in-form Usman Khawaja in a flash. However, Travis Head-Marnus Labuschagne have steadied the ship for the Aussies and taken the side closer to a memorable win in Indore.

India have been on the back foot in the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in Indore. They only managed 109 and 163 in the two innings and conceded a vital 88-run lead with Australia making 197 in their first essay.

India have been on the back foot in the third and penultimate Test versus Australia in Indore. They only managed 109 and 163 in the two innings and conceded a vital 88-run lead with Australia making 197 in their first essay. On Day 3, Australia need to chase down a paltry 76-run target to make the four-match Test series scoreline 2-1 with one match to go. During the entire Test match, a lot has been said and written about India's poor tactics. Former cricketers and experts have questioned Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led think tank for not using R Ashwin early on during Day 2's morning session whereas in-form Axar Patel batted below the former in the second essay; running out of partners. In addition, Ravindra Jadeja batted above Shreyas Iyer, at No. 5, which wasn't well received by Sanjay Manjrekar. Speaking to Star Sports at the end of Day 2, the cricketer-turned-commentator Manjrekar said, "It has just disappointed me in the last and this innings as well that Jadeja came ahead of Shreyas Iyer. You can't be doing that for left-right combination. You've got a proper batter...even if he is a right hander. And Jadeja coming in as a left-hander...I can understand when you have 2-3 left-arm spinners like Bangladesh used to have in the past. Here you have two quality off-spinners bowling. It did not make any sense to me. Iyer has a great feel for spinners so you want him ahead in the line-up. And he has shown his class." Also Read: 'No way a spin bowler should come on in sixth over': Matthew Hayden slams Indore Test pitch The ploy to promote Jadeja fell flat as the No. 1 Test all-rounder 4 and 7 in both the innings. Meanwhile, Iyer ended the Test with scores of 0 and 26. Day 3 started with India defending only a mere 76 and removed in-form Usman Khawaja in a flash. However, Travis Head-Marnus Labuschagne have steadied the ship for the Aussies and taken the side closer to a memorable win in Indore.

'It did not make any sense': Sanjay Manjrekar slams Rohit Sharma's tactics in Indore Test

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut. He has amassed&nbsp;7,052 runs in his glorious career and has been one of the key players in India's stupendous rise in Tests, especially during the Virat Kohli captaincy era.&nbsp;

At 35, Pujara is in the last phase of his international career. Whenever he will announce his retirement, he will leave a huge void in the batting line-up. Ahead of the third and penultimate Test between India and Australia, which kicked off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore, former Indian opener&nbsp;Wasim Jaffer shared his pick on who can succeed Pujara at No. 3 after he hangs up his boots.&nbsp;

"I think Shreyas Iyer is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3. He has batted at No.3 for Mumbai and he is an attacking batter. If someone can come in at No.3 and score intently, putting the bowlers on the backfoot will do India a lot of good. Pujara has been brilliant at No.3," said Jaffer on his Youtube channel.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Who can be Pujara's successor? 
Full video: <a href="https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH">https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BGT2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BGT2023</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItsAJaffa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItsAJaffa</a> <a href="https://t.co/96StGjLOdK">pic.twitter.com/96StGjLOdK</a>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1630575129267965953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-indore-test-explained-how-rohit-sharma-co-can-confirm-a-slot-in-wtc-final-567025">IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final</a>

Iyer made his Test debut in late 2021, announcing his arrival with a ton and fifty in his maiden game. He ended as the second-highest run-getter for India in whites in 2022, amassing 422 runs in 5 Tests including four fifties. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has not been in good form after missing the series opener. So far, he has managed scores of 4,12 and 0. He will be eager to get a big score in India's second essay after Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. were bundled out for a paltry 109 (opting to bat first) on Day 1 of the Indore Test.&nbsp;

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut.

In the second Test between India and Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th game in the red-ball format. India's No. 3 has been one of the most dependable batters in the batting line-up since his international debut. He has amassed 7,052 runs in his glorious career and has been one of the key players in India's stupendous rise in Tests, especially during the Virat Kohli captaincy era. At 35, Pujara is in the last phase of his international career. Whenever he will announce his retirement, he will leave a huge void in the batting line-up. Ahead of the third and penultimate Test between India and Australia, which kicked off on Wednesday (March 01) in Indore, former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer shared his pick on who can succeed Pujara at No. 3 after he hangs up his boots. "I think Shreyas Iyer is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No.3. He has batted at No.3 for Mumbai and he is an attacking batter. If someone can come in at No.3 and score intently, putting the bowlers on the backfoot will do India a lot of good. Pujara has been brilliant at No.3," said Jaffer on his Youtube channel. Who can be Pujara's successor? Full video: https://t.co/OrGoCXiKOH #INDvAUS #BGT2023 #ItsAJaffa pic.twitter.com/96StGjLOdK — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) February 28, 2023 × Also Read: IND vs AUS, Indore Test: EXPLAINED! How Rohit Sharma & Co. can confirm a slot in WTC final Iyer made his Test debut in late 2021, announcing his arrival with a ton and fifty in his maiden game. He ended as the second-highest run-getter for India in whites in 2022, amassing 422 runs in 5 Tests including four fifties. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he has not been in good form after missing the series opener. So far, he has managed scores of 4,12 and 0. He will be eager to get a big score in India's second essay after Rohit Sharma & Co. were bundled out for a paltry 109 (opting to bat first) on Day 1 of the Indore Test.

He is the best option to succeed Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3: Wasim Jaffer pins hopes on India's star batter

India’s Test regular Shreyas Iyer is doubtful for the second Test against Australia scheduled for February 17th in Delhi. Having missed the opening Test in Nagpur due to the back injury, Iyer, who was earlier reported to be joining the Indian camp for the remaining Tests, is now not likely to be considered for selection, a source close to the team said as reported by Times of India (TOI). Upon picking up the back injury that saw him miss the New Zealand home series also, Iyer reported to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehab. According to the source, Iyer will be there in Delhi but because he hasn't really recovered yet, he might not be in contention for selection.

"While he will travel with the side to Delhi, it's unlikely that he will be available for the second Test," said a source as reported by TOI.

This means Suryakumar Yadav, who made his Test debut in Nagpur will get another chance to showcase his talent in the red-ball format. Coming off a great white-ball season, SKY - as his fans often call him, was tipped to make his highly-anticipated entrance into Tests&nbsp;against Australia in the marquee Border-Gavaskar series. He, however, didn’t have a great outing as he got out to Nathan Lyon clean bowled on eight in India’s only innings. Now, come the second Test, Suryakumar will like to leave an impact with a better performance.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-only-border-gavaskar-trophy-jasprit-bumrah-likely-to-miss-australia-odis-report-561758">Not only Border-Gavaskar Trophy! Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss Australia ODIs – Report</a>

Other than him, India will also miss the services of left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who was earlier released to play the Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra against Bengal, slated for February 16th in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, India is unlikely to make a change to their winning XI for the second Test. While there was backlash on the internet over KL Rahul’s selection ahead of in-form Shubman Gill, the team management is expected to hand him with another chance to prove his mettle.

Whereas, Australia are expected to come up with sea of changes to their XI after suffering a humiliating loss by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur. As per latest reports, ace seamer Mitchell Starc will be roped into the XI while their head coach Andrew McDonald sounded confident with the inclusion of left-arm orthodox Matthew Kuhnemann into the side too.

India’s Test regular Shreyas Iyer is doubtful for the second Test against Australia scheduled for February 17th in Delhi. Having missed the opening Test in Nagpur due to the back injury, Iyer, who was earlier reported to be joining the Indian camp for the remaining Tests, is now not likely to be considered for selection, a source close to the team said as reported by Times of India (TOI).

India’s Test regular Shreyas Iyer is doubtful for the second Test against Australia scheduled for February 17th in Delhi. Having missed the opening Test in Nagpur due to the back injury, Iyer, who was earlier reported to be joining the Indian camp for the remaining Tests, is now not likely to be considered for selection, a source close to the team said as reported by Times of India (TOI). Upon picking up the back injury that saw him miss the New Zealand home series also, Iyer reported to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehab. According to the source, Iyer will be there in Delhi but because he hasn't really recovered yet, he might not be in contention for selection. "While he will travel with the side to Delhi, it's unlikely that he will be available for the second Test," said a source as reported by TOI. This means Suryakumar Yadav, who made his Test debut in Nagpur will get another chance to showcase his talent in the red-ball format. Coming off a great white-ball season, SKY - as his fans often call him, was tipped to make his highly-anticipated entrance into Tests against Australia in the marquee Border-Gavaskar series. He, however, didn’t have a great outing as he got out to Nathan Lyon clean bowled on eight in India’s only innings. Now, come the second Test, Suryakumar will like to leave an impact with a better performance. ALSO READ: Not only Border-Gavaskar Trophy! Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss Australia ODIs – Report Other than him, India will also miss the services of left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who was earlier released to play the Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra against Bengal, slated for February 16th in Kolkata. Meanwhile, India is unlikely to make a change to their winning XI for the second Test. While there was backlash on the internet over KL Rahul’s selection ahead of in-form Shubman Gill, the team management is expected to hand him with another chance to prove his mettle. Whereas, Australia are expected to come up with sea of changes to their XI after suffering a humiliating loss by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur. As per latest reports, ace seamer Mitchell Starc will be roped into the XI while their head coach Andrew McDonald sounded confident with the inclusion of left-arm orthodox Matthew Kuhnemann into the side too.

IND vs AUS: Shreyas Iyer unlikely to be available for selection for Delhi Test - Reports

In what could be a huge blow to the Indian team, star in-form batter Shreyas Iyer is ruled out of the first Test against Australia starting February 9th in Nagpur. Iyer, who missed the ongoing white-ball series against New Zealand owing to the back injury was asked to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehab. As per the latest reports, Iyer has not recovered from the back pain despite taking injections, and has been advised to take rest for two weeks. As a result, he will not join the Indian team for the pre-series camp on February 2nd, and will instead return in reckoning for the second Test subject to his fitness.

“His injury hasn’t healed as expected and he will take two weeks at least to play cricket again. He will certainly not be available for the first Test and his availability for the second Test will be subject to his fitness report,” a BCCI source was quoted saying in the Indian Express.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thinking-about-last-editions-final-still-gives-me-goosebumps-says-harmanpreet-kaur-557587">Thinking about last edition's final still gives me goosebumps, says Harmanpreet Kaur</a>

The absence of Iyer could mean a likely Test debut for Suryakumar Yadav, who alongside Ishan Kishan was picked for the first two Tests. However, with both Iyer and Rishabh Pant not being there now, India could field a relatively newer side than the one that played against Bangladesh in December.

What’s the silver lining here is that the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is now deemed fit and will join the Indian team after a gap of nearly five months. The 34-year-old Jadeja suffered a knee injury during the Asia Cup in Dubai in August-September last year that ruled him out for an extended period.&nbsp;Playing his first competitive match during the Ranji Trophy group game for Saurashtra last month, Jadeja fared well with the ball, picking up eight wickets against Tamil Nadu, including seven in the second innings.

On the other hand, newly-married KL Rahul has even resumed training and will also join the camp on Thursday.

The first Test begins in eight days in Nagpur while Delhi (17-21 Feb), Dharamsala (1-5 Mar) and Ahmedabad (9-13 Mar) will host the remaining Tests.

Here’s India's 16-man squad for the first two Tests –

Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

In what could be a huge blow to the Indian team, star in-form batter Shreyas Iyer is ruled out of the first Test against Australia starting February 9th in Nagpur.

In what could be a huge blow to the Indian team, star in-form batter Shreyas Iyer is ruled out of the first Test against Australia starting February 9th in Nagpur. Iyer, who missed the ongoing white-ball series against New Zealand owing to the back injury was asked to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehab. As per the latest reports, Iyer has not recovered from the back pain despite taking injections, and has been advised to take rest for two weeks. As a result, he will not join the Indian team for the pre-series camp on February 2nd, and will instead return in reckoning for the second Test subject to his fitness. “His injury hasn’t healed as expected and he will take two weeks at least to play cricket again. He will certainly not be available for the first Test and his availability for the second Test will be subject to his fitness report,” a BCCI source was quoted saying in the Indian Express. ALSO READ: Thinking about last edition's final still gives me goosebumps, says Harmanpreet Kaur The absence of Iyer could mean a likely Test debut for Suryakumar Yadav, who alongside Ishan Kishan was picked for the first two Tests. However, with both Iyer and Rishabh Pant not being there now, India could field a relatively newer side than the one that played against Bangladesh in December. What’s the silver lining here is that the star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is now deemed fit and will join the Indian team after a gap of nearly five months. The 34-year-old Jadeja suffered a knee injury during the Asia Cup in Dubai in August-September last year that ruled him out for an extended period. Playing his first competitive match during the Ranji Trophy group game for Saurashtra last month, Jadeja fared well with the ball, picking up eight wickets against Tamil Nadu, including seven in the second innings. On the other hand, newly-married KL Rahul has even resumed training and will also join the camp on Thursday. The first Test begins in eight days in Nagpur while Delhi (17-21 Feb), Dharamsala (1-5 Mar) and Ahmedabad (9-13 Mar) will host the remaining Tests. Here’s India's 16-man squad for the first two Tests – Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.

IND vs AUS 2023: Shreyas Iyer ruled out of Nagpur Test due to back injury

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand due to a back injury, informed BCCI on Tuesday. The Indian batting mainstay will be enrolling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for further tests.

Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand due to a back injury, informed BCCI on Tuesday. The Indian batting mainstay will be enrolling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for further tests. He has been replaced by Madhya Pradesh and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Rajat Patidar. "Team India batter Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match ODI series against New Zealand due to a back injury. He will be heading to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for further assessment and management," read the official statement by BCCI. The first ODI is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The right-hander's absence is expected to be felt as he has been one of the most consistent performers in the format and has carried the team single-handedly on occasions. Last year, Iyer scored 724 runs in 15 innings with one century and six fifties to his name. His average stood at 55.69 with a strike rate above 90. Read more: IND vs NZ 1st ODI preview: India vs New Zealand 1st ODI match time, venue, playing XI & live streaming details It remains uncertain when Iyer will be making a comeback. He has been selected for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy and was all set to occupy a position in the middle order. Some reports have suggested that Iyer may join the preparatory camp in Nagpur ahead of the first Test match on February 9. Read more: India announce squad for Border-Gavaskar trophy; SKY makes the cut in Test cricket Iyer's replacement Patidar will have the golden opportunity to prove his mettle if he gets a place in the starting XI. The RCB batter has scored 1646 runs in 51 List A games with a strike rate of 97.45 and an average of 34.33. India's updated ODI squad against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Shreyas Iyer ruled out of the New Zealand series due to back injury

Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) and R Ashwin (unbeaten 42) helped India win the second and final Test versus Bangladesh on December 25 (Sunday). Resuming Day 4 of the series finale, India were in need of 100 more runs, being 45 for 4, on a tough batting surface. At one stage, India were 74 for 7 before Ashwin-Iyer stitched a valuable eighth-wicket stand and took the visitors past the finish line in Dhaka.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the end of the series, Iyer signed off 2022 on a high. He has been on a roll in every format and ended with 422, 724 and 463 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively. He averaged 55.69 in ODIs, 60.28 in Tests and ended with a strike rate of 141.16 in the shortest format. He looked most comfortable while batting on Day 4 versus the Bangladeshi spinners and smacked a few boundaries to bring down the equation before Ashwin took charge and led India home in the Dhaka run-chase.

Now, former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has lavished huge praise on Iyer, calling him an all-format player. Kaif feels he is a complete batter and is even improving himself in tackling the short balls. "He is not scoring hundreds but scoring continuously in every match. If I was the coach, I will say that I can bet on him for at least 60 runs. He didn't look troubled at all, even if you talk about the ODIs," Kaif told Sony Sports.

"He can play all three formats. He has confirmed his spot in ODIs and Tests. You will play T20Is against Sri Lanka and New Zealand before the Test matches, so you should try him out. He is a player who hits sixes and also knows how to defend," Kaif opined.

Kaif, the 2002 Natwest Trophy hero,&nbsp;further asserted, "He is a proper batter, it is not that he has any weakness. Yes, people talk about the short ball but he will get better while playing."He didn't score too many runs in this knock but the time at which he came to bat, when the bowlers were dominating, the ball was turning, he removed the pitch from his mind and just watched the ball."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-is-not-acceptable-dinesh-karthik-issues-warning-to-kl-rahul-amid-shubman-gills-rising-test-stocks-546679">'That is not acceptable...': Dinesh Karthik issues warning for KL Rahul amid Shubman Gill's rising Test stocks</a>

"It is very difficult to play for India. There is a lot of pressure because four players are waiting behind whoever is playing. If Shreyas Iyer gets out, someone or the other is waiting. He is scoring continuously, which shows he is extremely fit mentally," he added.

With India's&nbsp;squad likely to be announced tomorrow (December 27) for the upcoming three T20Is versus Sri Lanka, at home, Iyer is likely to find a place as the team management will like to make the most of his dream run.

Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) and R Ashwin (unbeaten 42) helped India win the second and final Test versus Bangladesh on December 25 (Sunday). Resuming Day 4 of the series finale, India were in need of 100 more runs, being 45 for 4, on a tough batting surface.

Shreyas Iyer (29 not out) and R Ashwin (unbeaten 42) helped India win the second and final Test versus Bangladesh on December 25 (Sunday). Resuming Day 4 of the series finale, India were in need of 100 more runs, being 45 for 4, on a tough batting surface. At one stage, India were 74 for 7 before Ashwin-Iyer stitched a valuable eighth-wicket stand and took the visitors past the finish line in Dhaka. After the end of the series, Iyer signed off 2022 on a high. He has been on a roll in every format and ended with 422, 724 and 463 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is, respectively. He averaged 55.69 in ODIs, 60.28 in Tests and ended with a strike rate of 141.16 in the shortest format. He looked most comfortable while batting on Day 4 versus the Bangladeshi spinners and smacked a few boundaries to bring down the equation before Ashwin took charge and led India home in the Dhaka run-chase. Now, former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has lavished huge praise on Iyer, calling him an all-format player. Kaif feels he is a complete batter and is even improving himself in tackling the short balls. "He is not scoring hundreds but scoring continuously in every match. If I was the coach, I will say that I can bet on him for at least 60 runs. He didn't look troubled at all, even if you talk about the ODIs," Kaif told Sony Sports. "He can play all three formats. He has confirmed his spot in ODIs and Tests. You will play T20Is against Sri Lanka and New Zealand before the Test matches, so you should try him out. He is a player who hits sixes and also knows how to defend," Kaif opined. Kaif, the 2002 Natwest Trophy hero, further asserted, "He is a proper batter, it is not that he has any weakness. Yes, people talk about the short ball but he will get better while playing."He didn't score too many runs in this knock but the time at which he came to bat, when the bowlers were dominating, the ball was turning, he removed the pitch from his mind and just watched the ball." Also read: 'That is not acceptable...': Dinesh Karthik issues warning for KL Rahul amid Shubman Gill's rising Test stocks "It is very difficult to play for India. There is a lot of pressure because four players are waiting behind whoever is playing. If Shreyas Iyer gets out, someone or the other is waiting. He is scoring continuously, which shows he is extremely fit mentally," he added. With India's squad likely to be announced tomorrow (December 27) for the upcoming three T20Is versus Sri Lanka, at home, Iyer is likely to find a place as the team management will like to make the most of his dream run.

He can play all three formats: Md Kaif lavishes huge praise on Shreyas Iyer after Bangladesh Tests

India had a tough time chasing 145 in the fourth innings of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Having lost four wickets for 50 runs at stumps the previous day, India didn’t look like completing the task with any ease. Losing three quick wickets inside the first hour on Sunday morning further mounted pressure on them. Down and out Indian team were staring straight in the eyes of a historic defeat.

However, the last recognized batting pair of Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Ashwin then began the rescue act and made sure India doesn’t face any more jitters. Although Ashwin deployed a more attacking approach, first-inning hero Shreyas Iyer played his natural game and&nbsp;remained composed in the chase.&nbsp;The confidence in his body-language was oozing out as he and Ashwin kept India in the game and eventually helped them win the match.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-vs-ind-2022-india-beat-bangladesh-by-3-wickets-in-dhaka-test-clinch-series-2-0-546430">BAN vs IND 2022: India beat Bangladesh by 3 wickets in Dhaka Test, clinch series 2-0</a>

Talking about the match and this partnership in particular, India’s stand-in captain KL Rahul said it was the tough game and that everyone in the camp is happy with the win.

"Tough game. Happy that we got the job done. We were in a bit of trouble and there was a bit of pressure and nervousness in the dressing room. Really happy that Ashwin and Shreyas got that partnership that got us the victory. Conditions were tough and that is what makes Test cricket fun," Rahul said.

Rahul didn’t shy away from applauding Iyer for showing such a stomach for the fight saying Shreyas has been around for some time now and to see him (Iyer) grabbing his chances like this makes him (KL) happy.

"When someone is performing consistently for you, it is very heartening. He [Shreyas Iyer] has been around for a long time and has had to wait for his opportunities and really happy to see that when has had those opportunities, he has grabbed them with both hands, Rahul added.

Where the whole team was struggling to put runs on board on this track in the fourth innings, Shreyas Iyer not only scored runs, he did that with relative ease. Across four innings on this tour, Shreyas scored 202 runs at an average of 101. Even in this Test in particular, Iyer first scored a superb 87 in the first innings followed by an unbeaten 29 in the second.

"He is doing the job for the team and the way he played today was phenomenal. He made it look really easy. There was pressure and there was a bit of panic in the dressing room. But it didn't look like there was any panic when we were watching Shreyas bat," Rahul said.

"With Ashwin, he had a really good partnership. He has played really well in the last 15 months to two years. He has done really well for us and then he had the injury and went away for a bit. He had to really wait for his turn again and has been really patient. His journey hasn't been easy. The way he is batting is phenomenal," Rahul concluded.

India had a tough time chasing 145 in the fourth innings of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Having lost four wickets for 50 runs at stumps the previous day, India didn’t look like completing the task with any ease.

India had a tough time chasing 145 in the fourth innings of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Having lost four wickets for 50 runs at stumps the previous day, India didn’t look like completing the task with any ease. Losing three quick wickets inside the first hour on Sunday morning further mounted pressure on them. Down and out Indian team were staring straight in the eyes of a historic defeat. However, the last recognized batting pair of Shreyas Iyer and Ravi Ashwin then began the rescue act and made sure India doesn’t face any more jitters. Although Ashwin deployed a more attacking approach, first-inning hero Shreyas Iyer played his natural game and remained composed in the chase. The confidence in his body-language was oozing out as he and Ashwin kept India in the game and eventually helped them win the match. ALSO READ: BAN vs IND 2022: India beat Bangladesh by 3 wickets in Dhaka Test, clinch series 2-0 Talking about the match and this partnership in particular, India’s stand-in captain KL Rahul said it was the tough game and that everyone in the camp is happy with the win. "Tough game. Happy that we got the job done. We were in a bit of trouble and there was a bit of pressure and nervousness in the dressing room. Really happy that Ashwin and Shreyas got that partnership that got us the victory. Conditions were tough and that is what makes Test cricket fun," Rahul said. Rahul didn’t shy away from applauding Iyer for showing such a stomach for the fight saying Shreyas has been around for some time now and to see him (Iyer) grabbing his chances like this makes him (KL) happy. "When someone is performing consistently for you, it is very heartening. He [Shreyas Iyer] has been around for a long time and has had to wait for his opportunities and really happy to see that when has had those opportunities, he has grabbed them with both hands, Rahul added. Where the whole team was struggling to put runs on board on this track in the fourth innings, Shreyas Iyer not only scored runs, he did that with relative ease. Across four innings on this tour, Shreyas scored 202 runs at an average of 101. Even in this Test in particular, Iyer first scored a superb 87 in the first innings followed by an unbeaten 29 in the second. "He is doing the job for the team and the way he played today was phenomenal. He made it look really easy. There was pressure and there was a bit of panic in the dressing room. But it didn't look like there was any panic when we were watching Shreyas bat," Rahul said. "With Ashwin, he had a really good partnership. He has played really well in the last 15 months to two years. He has done really well for us and then he had the injury and went away for a bit. He had to really wait for his turn again and has been really patient. His journey hasn't been easy. The way he is batting is phenomenal," Rahul concluded.

BAN vs IND 2022: 'He is doing great job for the team...'captain KL Rahul hails star performer after series win

The Indian team ended&nbsp;2022 with a Test series win over Bangladesh in Dhaka on Sunday, December 25th.&nbsp;On day four of the second Test, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer stitched a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket to ensure India romps home&nbsp;with three wickets in hand.

Chasing 145 in the fourth innings on a tricky track, India were in a spot of bother having lost four wickets inside 50 runs at stumps on day three. The start of day four wasn't pleasing either as they lost set-batter Axar Patel, first-innings hero Rishabh Pant and night-watchman Jaydev Unadkat quite early. With India reeling at 74-7 at one stage, it did look like they might head home without winning a series on this tour, and losing a test to Bangladesh.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/shahid-afridi-will-chair-newly-appointed-selection-committee-for-upcoming-new-zealand-series-only-pcb-said-546298">Shahid Afridi will chair newly-appointed selection committee for upcoming New Zealand series only, PCB said</a>

Ashwin and Iyer, however, then took it upon themselves to rescue India by playing attacking yet cautious cricket. With more close-in fielders surrounding them, both could risk and play some lofted shots; they did the same and took the attack to the opposition. Ashwin, who is known for having a huge stomach for fight proved once again what he can do with the bat for India. Courtesy a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket, Ashwin and Iyer saw India clinch the second Test and the series 2-0.

For Bangladesh, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan picked up a five-for in the second innings, including the big scalps of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and even Rishabh Pant.

Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, stood out as the star performer for team India not only in this match but across both Tests. Having scored an impressive 87 in the first innings followed by an unbeaten 29 in the second, Iyer pressed his case for the upcoming Australia series at home next year.

While Ashwin was awarded the Player of the Match, India’s number 3 Cheteshwar Pujara was named the Player of the Series.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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The Indian team ended 2022 with a Test series win over Bangladesh in Dhaka on Sunday, December 25th. On day four of the second Test, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer stitched a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket to ensure India romps home with three wickets in hand.

The Indian team ended 2022 with a Test series win over Bangladesh in Dhaka on Sunday, December 25th. On day four of the second Test, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer stitched a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket to ensure India romps home with three wickets in hand. Chasing 145 in the fourth innings on a tricky track, India were in a spot of bother having lost four wickets inside 50 runs at stumps on day three. The start of day four wasn't pleasing either as they lost set-batter Axar Patel, first-innings hero Rishabh Pant and night-watchman Jaydev Unadkat quite early. With India reeling at 74-7 at one stage, it did look like they might head home without winning a series on this tour, and losing a test to Bangladesh. ALSO READ: Shahid Afridi will chair newly-appointed selection committee for upcoming New Zealand series only, PCB said Ashwin and Iyer, however, then took it upon themselves to rescue India by playing attacking yet cautious cricket. With more close-in fielders surrounding them, both could risk and play some lofted shots; they did the same and took the attack to the opposition. Ashwin, who is known for having a huge stomach for fight proved once again what he can do with the bat for India. Courtesy a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket, Ashwin and Iyer saw India clinch the second Test and the series 2-0. For Bangladesh, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan picked up a five-for in the second innings, including the big scalps of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and even Rishabh Pant. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, stood out as the star performer for team India not only in this match but across both Tests. Having scored an impressive 87 in the first innings followed by an unbeaten 29 in the second, Iyer pressed his case for the upcoming Australia series at home next year. While Ashwin was awarded the Player of the Match, India’s number 3 Cheteshwar Pujara was named the Player of the Series. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

BAN vs IND 2022: India beat Bangladesh by 3 wickets in Dhaka Test, clinch series 2-0

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer had a lucky reprieve late on Day 1 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Batting on 77 during the 84th over the match, Iyer faced a good length delivery from pacer Ebadot Hossain outside off. Iyer played the line of the ball which tailed back in late, went through the bat-pad gap and grazed the outside half of the offstump. It kept a tad low as well, not allowing Iyer to get anywhere near the ball.&nbsp;

Though the ball was bowled at a decent pace, it failed to dislodge the bail out of the groove. The 'zing-bail' momentarily lit up before settling a little further from the groove.&nbsp;

While Iyer wore a confused look as to what happened, bowler Hossain ran towards the stumps and pointed at the bail. Other Bangladeshi players also surrounded the stumps and looked equally perplexed.&nbsp;

The commentators were equally stunned as one of them said, "I cannot believe it. Incredible. It just brushed the offstump. Everyone is foxed by that one. It lit up but it decided to stick to the top of the stumps. Very bad luck for Ebadot and another slice of luck for batter Shreyas Iyer."

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An incredible sequence of play in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvIND</a> Test match as <a href="https://twitter.com/ShreyasIyer15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShreyasIyer15</a> is bowled by Ebadot Hossain but the 𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 🤯 
 
Your reaction on this close 'escape' ❓🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SonySportsNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonySportsNetwork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShreyasIyer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShreyasIyer</a> <a href="https://t.co/q6BXBScVUz">pic.twitter.com/q6BXBScVUz</a>
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://twitter.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/1602980082179461120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-vs-ind-2022-jaydev-unadkat-misses-first-test-after-being-stuck-in-india-due-to-visa-issues-542894">Read more:&nbsp;BAN vs IND 2022: Jaydev Unadkat misses first Test after being stuck in India due to visa issues</a>

According to&nbsp;the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws of cricket, specifically Law 29.1, a batter can only be given out when the bail is fully dislodged.&nbsp;

"The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground."

After winning the toss, India decided to bat first, in an attempt to pile on a big total. However, the top order departed cheaply as three wickets fell before the Indian total could even reach 50.&nbsp;

Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner caused problems to the Indian batters throughout the day. he picked three wickets, including the scalp of former Indian captain Virat Kohli whose woeful run in the longest format of the game continued.&nbsp;

If it wasn't for the 149-run partnership between Pujara and Iyer, India could have been staring at a much different scorecard which wears a decent look at the end of Day 1.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer had a lucky reprieve late on Day 1 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh. Batting on 77 during the 84th over the match, Iyer faced a good length delivery from pacer Ebadot Hossain outside off.

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer had a lucky reprieve late on Day 1 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh. Batting on 77 during the 84th over the match, Iyer faced a good length delivery from pacer Ebadot Hossain outside off. Iyer played the line of the ball which tailed back in late, went through the bat-pad gap and grazed the outside half of the offstump. It kept a tad low as well, not allowing Iyer to get anywhere near the ball. Though the ball was bowled at a decent pace, it failed to dislodge the bail out of the groove. The 'zing-bail' momentarily lit up before settling a little further from the groove. While Iyer wore a confused look as to what happened, bowler Hossain ran towards the stumps and pointed at the bail. Other Bangladeshi players also surrounded the stumps and looked equally perplexed. The commentators were equally stunned as one of them said, "I cannot believe it. Incredible. It just brushed the offstump. Everyone is foxed by that one. It lit up but it decided to stick to the top of the stumps. Very bad luck for Ebadot and another slice of luck for batter Shreyas Iyer." An incredible sequence of play in the #BANvIND Test match as @ShreyasIyer15 is bowled by Ebadot Hossain but the 𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 🤯 Your reaction on this close 'escape' ❓🤔#SonySportsNetwork #ShreyasIyer pic.twitter.com/q6BXBScVUz — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) December 14, 2022 × Read more: BAN vs IND 2022: Jaydev Unadkat misses first Test after being stuck in India due to visa issues According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws of cricket, specifically Law 29.1, a batter can only be given out when the bail is fully dislodged. "The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground." After winning the toss, India decided to bat first, in an attempt to pile on a big total. However, the top order departed cheaply as three wickets fell before the Indian total could even reach 50. Taijul Islam, the left-arm spinner caused problems to the Indian batters throughout the day. he picked three wickets, including the scalp of former Indian captain Virat Kohli whose woeful run in the longest format of the game continued. If it wasn't for the 149-run partnership between Pujara and Iyer, India could have been staring at a much different scorecard which wears a decent look at the end of Day 1. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH: Shreyas Iyer has the rub of the green as bail refuses to dislodge

India lost the three-match ODI series opener versus hosts Bangladesh, in Dhaka, by one wicket after being bundled out for 186. As Shakib Al Hasan rattled the famed Indian batting line-up, on a tough track, with a fine 5 for 36, India bowlers produced a top show but couldn't get rid of the last-wicket stand between Player-of-the-Match Mehedi Hasan (38 not out) and Mustafizur Rahman as the duo took their side home with four overs to spare.

From India's perspective, KL Rahul top-scored with a fine 70-ball 73 whereas in-form batter Shreyas Iyer struck 24 (39) along with Rohit Sharma and Washington Sundar also getting starts. Before the second and penultimate ODI, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has a word of advise for Rahul and Iyer, who have been very good in ODI cricket of late. Gavaskar feels both have done well but cannot afford to relax with all-rounder Hardik Pandya's return in the format inevitable.

Speaking to&nbsp;Sony Sports,&nbsp;Gavaskar said, "When you have someone breathing down your neck, like KL Rahul will feel Shreyas Iyer is breathing down his neck which is again good for Rahul because he would want to go out there not taking any match lightly. He would want to score in every game. And both of them are outstanding fielders and KL Rahul can keep wickets which is a huge plus. Iyer can also bowl. So it is good to have these kind of competitions for No. 5 and 6 not to forget that there is a certain Hardik Pandya who is also likely to comeback in the one-day side sooner than later."

<section>
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-is-one-who-could-drive-this-david-lloyd-claims-only-india-can-follow-englands-bazball-method-540681">'Virat Kohli is one who could drive this': David Lloyd claims only India can follow England's bazball method</a>

With the ODI World Cup due to be held in India in less than a year, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team is tinkering with their team combination in a bid to finalise their XI. Rahul, the vice-captain and part-time keeper, Iyer and Hardik will certainly be one of the key players for the two-time winners whereas Rishabh Pant also cannot be ruled out, who slammed his maiden ODI ton in India's famous series win over hosts England in July 2022.&nbsp;

Thus, India are spoiled for choices and need to smartly finalise their playing XI for the mega event next year.
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India lost the three-match ODI series opener versus hosts Bangladesh, in Dhaka, by one wicket after being bundled out for 186. As Shakib Al Hasan rattled the famed Indian batting line-up, on a tough track, with a fine 5 for 36, India bowlers produced a top show but couldn't get rid of the last-wicket stand between Player-of-the-Match Mehedi Hasan (38 not out) and Mustafizur Rahman as the duo took their side home with four overs to spare.

India lost the three-match ODI series opener versus hosts Bangladesh, in Dhaka, by one wicket after being bundled out for 186. As Shakib Al Hasan rattled the famed Indian batting line-up, on a tough track, with a fine 5 for 36, India bowlers produced a top show but couldn't get rid of the last-wicket stand between Player-of-the-Match Mehedi Hasan (38 not out) and Mustafizur Rahman as the duo took their side home with four overs to spare. From India's perspective, KL Rahul top-scored with a fine 70-ball 73 whereas in-form batter Shreyas Iyer struck 24 (39) along with Rohit Sharma and Washington Sundar also getting starts. Before the second and penultimate ODI, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has a word of advise for Rahul and Iyer, who have been very good in ODI cricket of late. Gavaskar feels both have done well but cannot afford to relax with all-rounder Hardik Pandya's return in the format inevitable. Speaking to Sony Sports, Gavaskar said, "When you have someone breathing down your neck, like KL Rahul will feel Shreyas Iyer is breathing down his neck which is again good for Rahul because he would want to go out there not taking any match lightly. He would want to score in every game. And both of them are outstanding fielders and KL Rahul can keep wickets which is a huge plus. Iyer can also bowl. So it is good to have these kind of competitions for No. 5 and 6 not to forget that there is a certain Hardik Pandya who is also likely to comeback in the one-day side sooner than later." Also read: 'Virat Kohli is one who could drive this': David Lloyd claims only India can follow England's bazball method With the ODI World Cup due to be held in India in less than a year, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team is tinkering with their team combination in a bid to finalise their XI. Rahul, the vice-captain and part-time keeper, Iyer and Hardik will certainly be one of the key players for the two-time winners whereas Rishabh Pant also cannot be ruled out, who slammed his maiden ODI ton in India's famous series win over hosts England in July 2022. Thus, India are spoiled for choices and need to smartly finalise their playing XI for the mega event next year.

BAN vs IND 2022: Gavaskar warns Rahul, Iyer to not get complacent with Hardik's likely return in ODIs

With questions rising over Rohit Sharma's captaincy, former Indian cricketer Maninder Singh has opined that Shreyas Iyer may be the right candidate to take over from Sharma in the white-ball format.

With questions rising over Rohit Sharma's captaincy, former Indian cricketer Maninder Singh has opined that Shreyas Iyer may be the right candidate to take over from Sharma in the white-ball format. "I've been saying this for the past three-four years, you know Shreyas Iyer is my favourite," said Singh in an interview with Hindustan Times. Maninder added that Hardik Pandya can be the stop-gap captain but it should be Iyer that should take the reins in the future. "For me, I still feel, I've said it earlier Hardik Pandya at the moment - you can make him the captain in white-ball cricket. But in my mind, its Shreyas Iyer, actually (a candidate) for the past 3-4 years. I really hope that we give him opportunities to play for India regularly in all the formats because he has a good brain." Read more: BAN vs IND 2022: ‘Was asked to keep wickets, no idea why Rishabh Pant was released’ – KL Rahul "Whenever I have seen him lead any side, when he led the IPL side or anywhere, he looks like a good thinker of the game. He's got a good head on his shoulders, and he is somebody who is very positive," he added. Iyer has become the lynchpin in the middle order for the Indian side in the 50-overs format. He has been the most consistent of the lot since making his debut in 2017. Having played 37 ODIs, Iyer has scored 1452 runs with an average of 48.4 and a healthy strike rate of 97.25. As for the T20 format, Iyer is yet to lock in a spot due to selection conundrum and his indifferent form. Singh, however, praised Iyer for his temperament and said he had the quality to score quick runs. "You can see his approach when he bats, whenever he comes to bat he is looking for runs....if he doesn't get boundaries from the word go, you can see him rotating his strike, he is looking for singles, trying to find the gaps and that’s his quality." Ever since India's tame exit from the T20 World Cup in Australia, speculations have been growing over the appointment of the next T20I team captain. Hardik Pandya has been leading the race as the new selection committee seeks to phase out the older players and experiment with the youth. The Indian team has been devoid of any ICC silverware for the last nine years. A change in captaincy and team selection strategy appears to be the obvious short-term fix. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Former Indian cricketer lends his weight behind Shreyas Iyer as the next white ball captain

Persistent rain saved India from a likely defeat in the third and final ODI versus New Zealand, however, it couldn't save Shikhar Dhawan &amp; Co. from a 1-0 series loss versus the No. 1 ranked Kane Williamson-led Black Caps on Wednesday (November 30) in Christchurch. Being asked to bat first, Indian batters failed to get going on a tough wicket as none apart from Washington Sundar (51) and Shreyas Iyer (49) looked comfortable in the middle as India only managed 219 all-out in 47.3 overs. In reply, NZ was cruising towards the total with Finn Allen unbeaten on 57 before rain played spoilsport and led to the match being called off.&nbsp;

Asked to bat first, India lost both their openers to be reduced to 55 for 2. The likes of Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda had a golden opportunity to stay for long and score big, however, none apart from Iyer got going. Adam Milne (3 for 57) and Lockie Ferguson (1 for 49) kept it tight with the ball whereas Daryl Mitchell also surprised and returned with an impressive 3 for 25 in seven overs. In reply, Finn Allen and Devon Conway were off to a flier and kept the scoreboard ticking without dropping much sweat to take Kiwis to 97 for no loss before Umran Malik accounted for Conway's scalp (38). Allen was not out on 57 (54) before rain made its presence felt and impacted the game, with the match eventually being called off. Thus, NZ won the series 1-0 after losing the rain-marred three T20Is 0-1.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-logic-in-comparing-my-performances-until-rishabh-pant-defends-his-white-ball-record-with-blunt-reply-538775">'No logic in comparing my performances until...': Rishabh Pant defends his white-ball record with blunt reply</a>

<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'">Kane Williamson | New Zealand captain: When we have been playing cricket we have been applying ourselves. Some good stuff in the rained off games too. We knew that 20 overs would constitute a match, but we could see the weather coming, it has been following us. Daryl has been hanging out for a bowl for ages. Milne felt a niggle but didn't want to stop. Focus changes to the Test arena. Guys get a break now and that's important too. Been pretty busy. We will regroup as a Test team after the break.

<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'">Shikhar Dhawan | India captain: Absolutely, going to Bangladesh, hopefully the weather will be better there. We are a young unit. The bowling unit learnt about bowling the good length area more. We were short at times. All the seniors are going to be back in the side. More Asian wickets is a more practical journey to the World Cup for us. Important to get the small things right - right lengths for the bowlers, batting close to the body in these conditions for the batters... these are the learnings.

Persistent rain saved India from a likely defeat in the third and final ODI versus New Zealand, however, it couldn't save Shikhar Dhawan & Co. from a 1-0 series loss versus the No.

Persistent rain saved India from a likely defeat in the third and final ODI versus New Zealand, however, it couldn't save Shikhar Dhawan & Co. from a 1-0 series loss versus the No. 1 ranked Kane Williamson-led Black Caps on Wednesday (November 30) in Christchurch. Being asked to bat first, Indian batters failed to get going on a tough wicket as none apart from Washington Sundar (51) and Shreyas Iyer (49) looked comfortable in the middle as India only managed 219 all-out in 47.3 overs. In reply, NZ was cruising towards the total with Finn Allen unbeaten on 57 before rain played spoilsport and led to the match being called off. Asked to bat first, India lost both their openers to be reduced to 55 for 2. The likes of Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda had a golden opportunity to stay for long and score big, however, none apart from Iyer got going. Adam Milne (3 for 57) and Lockie Ferguson (1 for 49) kept it tight with the ball whereas Daryl Mitchell also surprised and returned with an impressive 3 for 25 in seven overs. In reply, Finn Allen and Devon Conway were off to a flier and kept the scoreboard ticking without dropping much sweat to take Kiwis to 97 for no loss before Umran Malik accounted for Conway's scalp (38). Allen was not out on 57 (54) before rain made its presence felt and impacted the game, with the match eventually being called off. Thus, NZ won the series 1-0 after losing the rain-marred three T20Is 0-1. Also read: 'No logic in comparing my performances until...': Rishabh Pant defends his white-ball record with blunt reply Kane Williamson | New Zealand captain: When we have been playing cricket we have been applying ourselves. Some good stuff in the rained off games too. We knew that 20 overs would constitute a match, but we could see the weather coming, it has been following us. Daryl has been hanging out for a bowl for ages. Milne felt a niggle but didn't want to stop. Focus changes to the Test arena. Guys get a break now and that's important too. Been pretty busy. We will regroup as a Test team after the break. Shikhar Dhawan | India captain: Absolutely, going to Bangladesh, hopefully the weather will be better there. We are a young unit. The bowling unit learnt about bowling the good length area more. We were short at times. All the seniors are going to be back in the side. More Asian wickets is a more practical journey to the World Cup for us. Important to get the small things right - right lengths for the bowlers, batting close to the body in these conditions for the batters... these are the learnings.

New Zealand-India 3rd ODI called off due to rain, Kane Williamson & Co. win series 1-0

After the three T20Is, the action moved to the three-match ODI series between India and hosts New Zealand. In the ODI series opener, held at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday (November 25), the Black Caps rode on a splendid 145 not out from Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson's steady 94 not out to chase down India's 306/7 and take a 1-0 lead.

Opting to bowl first, Williamson &amp; Co. had to struggle to get past Shikhar Dhawan-Shubman Gill. The opening pair added an impressive 124-run first-wicket stand before Lockie Ferguson&nbsp;removed Gill for 50 whereas stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan fell for a 77-ball 72 off Tim Southee. Shreyas Iyer then stitched a vital wicket with Sanju Samson (a run-a-ball 36) after Ferguson removed Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav by bowling some hard lengths on a small ground. Iyer-Samson's 94-run fifth-wicket partnership took India closer to the 300-run mark before Washington Sundar's rapid cameo (16-ball 37*) took India to 306/7. Iyer top-scored with a calculative 76-ball 80.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-to-investigate-match-fixing-allegations-in-sri-lanka-vs-pakistan-galle-test-in-july-537293">ICC to investigate match-fixing allegations in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Galle Test in July</a>

In the run-chase, NZ started well before Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell fell to leave hosts reeling at 88 for 3. Umran Malik, debuting in the format, impressed in his early overs before Latham took on every Indian bowler. India went with only five bowlers and paid the price after Latham-Willianson's partnership stretched further.

While the NZ skipper played a composed knock, Latham smashed Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal as the Kiwis chased down a par-score in Auckland. The duo stitched a record 221-run fourth-wicket stand to go past the finish line.

Highest partnerships for NZ vs India in ODIs 
221*K Williamson - T Latham Auckland 2022 
200 R Taylor - T Latham Mumbai WS 2017 
190 R Taylor - S Styris Dambulla 2010 
181 A Parore - K Rutherford Baroda 1994

Latham's 145*, laced with 19 fours and five sixes, ensured he walked away with the Player-of-the-Match award. The second and penultimate ODI is on Sunday (November 27) in Hamilton.

After the three T20Is, the action moved to the three-match ODI series between India and hosts New Zealand. In the ODI series opener, held at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday (November 25), the Black Caps rode on a splendid 145 not out from Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson's steady 94 not out to chase down India's 306/7 and take a 1-0 lead.

After the three T20Is, the action moved to the three-match ODI series between India and hosts New Zealand. In the ODI series opener, held at Eden Park, Auckland, on Friday (November 25), the Black Caps rode on a splendid 145 not out from Tom Latham and captain Kane Williamson's steady 94 not out to chase down India's 306/7 and take a 1-0 lead. Opting to bowl first, Williamson & Co. had to struggle to get past Shikhar Dhawan-Shubman Gill. The opening pair added an impressive 124-run first-wicket stand before Lockie Ferguson removed Gill for 50 whereas stand-in captain Shikhar Dhawan fell for a 77-ball 72 off Tim Southee. Shreyas Iyer then stitched a vital wicket with Sanju Samson (a run-a-ball 36) after Ferguson removed Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav by bowling some hard lengths on a small ground. Iyer-Samson's 94-run fifth-wicket partnership took India closer to the 300-run mark before Washington Sundar's rapid cameo (16-ball 37*) took India to 306/7. Iyer top-scored with a calculative 76-ball 80. Also read: ICC to investigate match-fixing allegations in Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Galle Test in July In the run-chase, NZ started well before Finn Allen, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell fell to leave hosts reeling at 88 for 3. Umran Malik, debuting in the format, impressed in his early overs before Latham took on every Indian bowler. India went with only five bowlers and paid the price after Latham-Willianson's partnership stretched further. While the NZ skipper played a composed knock, Latham smashed Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal as the Kiwis chased down a par-score in Auckland. The duo stitched a record 221-run fourth-wicket stand to go past the finish line. Highest partnerships for NZ vs India in ODIs 221*K Williamson - T Latham Auckland 2022 200 R Taylor - T Latham Mumbai WS 2017 190 R Taylor - S Styris Dambulla 2010 181 A Parore - K Rutherford Baroda 1994 Latham's 145*, laced with 19 fours and five sixes, ensured he walked away with the Player-of-the-Match award. The second and penultimate ODI is on Sunday (November 27) in Hamilton.

Tom Latham's 145*, Kane Williamson's 94* help NZ beat India by seven wickets to win 1st ODI

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