India and England are all set to lock horns in the fifth and final Test, part of&nbsp;the incomplete 2021 red-ball series, on July 1 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. As the series finale&nbsp;will take place from July 01 to 05, the white-ball regulars from the Test line-up won't get enough time to rest and prepare for the three-match T20I series, which commences on July 07.

Thus, Hardik Pandya -- who led India to a 2-0 series whitewash over Ireland in the shortest format on Tuesday (June 28) -- will lead the Men in Blue in the T20I series opener versus England. As per a report in PTI, the players who were part of the Ireland series will play the opening T20I whereas regulars such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja will turn up for India from the second and penultimate tie, to be held on July 10. The third and final T20I will take place on July 10, followed by three ODIs.

"The squad that played T20I series in Ireland will remain in the first T20I and then from the second T20I, all the stars (Rohit, if fit, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, Jadeja) will make a comeback. Once, they are well rested, all of them will be a part of the regular white ball side but most of the players in Ireland will remain till the end of T20I series," a source was quoted as saying by PTI.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-captain-hardik-pandya-abuses-teammates-after-india-waste-a-review-during-2nd-t20i-vs-ireland-492889">WATCH: Captain Hardik Pandya abuses teammates after India waste a review during 2nd T20I vs Ireland</a>

The Indian team management is keen on rotating players and resting them at regular intervals with the T20 World Cup set to be held in Australia, later this year. Thus, with not much gap between the fifth Test and three T20Is, Rohit &amp; Co. will get some days off before the white-ball series versus England.

<section>
Meanwhile, the&nbsp;Pandya-led side will also play the two practice matches, against Derbyshire (July 01) and Northamptonshire (July 03) respectively. With Rahul Dravid and other members of his coaching staff busy with the Test squad at that time, VVS Laxman and his staff -- who were in-charge of Hardik &amp; Co. in Ireland -- are expected&nbsp;to travel to England as well.
</section>

India and England are all set to lock horns in the fifth and final Test, part of the incomplete 2021 red-ball series, on July 1 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. As the series finale will take place from July 01 to 05, the white-ball regulars from the Test line-up won't get enough time to rest and prepare for the three-match T20I series, which commences on July 07.

India and England are all set to lock horns in the fifth and final Test, part of the incomplete 2021 red-ball series, on July 1 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. As the series finale will take place from July 01 to 05, the white-ball regulars from the Test line-up won't get enough time to rest and prepare for the three-match T20I series, which commences on July 07. Thus, Hardik Pandya -- who led India to a 2-0 series whitewash over Ireland in the shortest format on Tuesday (June 28) -- will lead the Men in Blue in the T20I series opener versus England. As per a report in PTI, the players who were part of the Ireland series will play the opening T20I whereas regulars such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja will turn up for India from the second and penultimate tie, to be held on July 10. The third and final T20I will take place on July 10, followed by three ODIs. "The squad that played T20I series in Ireland will remain in the first T20I and then from the second T20I, all the stars (Rohit, if fit, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, Jadeja) will make a comeback. Once, they are well rested, all of them will be a part of the regular white ball side but most of the players in Ireland will remain till the end of T20I series," a source was quoted as saying by PTI. ALSO READ | WATCH: Captain Hardik Pandya abuses teammates after India waste a review during 2nd T20I vs Ireland The Indian team management is keen on rotating players and resting them at regular intervals with the T20 World Cup set to be held in Australia, later this year. Thus, with not much gap between the fifth Test and three T20Is, Rohit & Co. will get some days off before the white-ball series versus England. Meanwhile, the Pandya-led side will also play the two practice matches, against Derbyshire (July 01) and Northamptonshire (July 03) respectively. With Rahul Dravid and other members of his coaching staff busy with the Test squad at that time, VVS Laxman and his staff -- who were in-charge of Hardik & Co. in Ireland -- are expected to travel to England as well.

Hardik to lead India in 1st T20I vs England; regulars Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah to return from 2nd tie: Report

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is one of the finest batters in the world at present and has been a consistent performer for his team across formats. He has been on a record-breaking spree recently and has shattered yet another record previously held by Indian batting maestro&nbsp;Virat Kohli. Babar has often earned comparisons with Kohli over his batting exploits for Pakistan.

Babar has now surpassed Kohli to script a new record in T20Is after the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the latest rankings on Wednesday (June 29). Babar remains the number one batter in T20Is at present as he continues his dominance on top of the charts.

The Pakistan skipper has now created the record for staying on top of the ICC T20 rankings for batters for the longest period of time. Babar has now been the no.1 batter in T20Is for 1030 days till June 29 (Wednesday) and has surpassed Kohli, who ruled at the top of the T20 batting charts for 1013 days

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-captain-hardik-pandya-abuses-teammates-after-india-waste-a-review-during-2nd-t20i-vs-ireland-492889">WATCH -&nbsp;Hardik Pandya abuses teammates after India waste a review during 2nd T20I vs Ireland</a>

Babar is also on top of the rankings for batsmen in ODIs and is hopeful of becoming the no.1 batter across all three formats soon. In Test rankings, the Pakistan skipper currently holds the 4th spot in Test rankings for batters. Babar had recently said it was his dream to become the number one in all three formats of the game.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/selectors-headache-turned-into-a-migraine-manjrekar-reacts-to-hooda-samsons-heroics-against-ireland-492827">'Selectors' headache turned into a migraine': Manjrekar reacts to Hooda, Samson's heroics against Ireland</a>

“As a player it's a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and, for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It's not like if you are the top player in one or two formats, you go easy,” Babar had said.

“If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit," he added.

The Pakistan skipper will be next seen in action when his team tour Sri Lanka next month for two Test matches. The Men in Green will then tour Netherlands for a limited-overs series in August this year.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is one of the finest batters in the world at present and has been a consistent performer for his team across formats. He has been on a record-breaking spree recently and has shattered yet another record previously held by Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is one of the finest batters in the world at present and has been a consistent performer for his team across formats. He has been on a record-breaking spree recently and has shattered yet another record previously held by Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli. Babar has often earned comparisons with Kohli over his batting exploits for Pakistan. Babar has now surpassed Kohli to script a new record in T20Is after the International Cricket Council (ICC) released the latest rankings on Wednesday (June 29). Babar remains the number one batter in T20Is at present as he continues his dominance on top of the charts. The Pakistan skipper has now created the record for staying on top of the ICC T20 rankings for batters for the longest period of time. Babar has now been the no.1 batter in T20Is for 1030 days till June 29 (Wednesday) and has surpassed Kohli, who ruled at the top of the T20 batting charts for 1013 days Also Read: WATCH - Hardik Pandya abuses teammates after India waste a review during 2nd T20I vs Ireland Babar is also on top of the rankings for batsmen in ODIs and is hopeful of becoming the no.1 batter across all three formats soon. In Test rankings, the Pakistan skipper currently holds the 4th spot in Test rankings for batters. Babar had recently said it was his dream to become the number one in all three formats of the game. Also Read: 'Selectors' headache turned into a migraine': Manjrekar reacts to Hooda, Samson's heroics against Ireland “As a player it's a dream to become the No. 1 in all formats and, for that, you have to focus and put in hard work. It's not like if you are the top player in one or two formats, you go easy,” Babar had said. “If you are to become No.1 in all three, you have to keep yourself fit and on track. There is back-to-back cricket and the gap is less. For that, you need to be extra fit," he added. The Pakistan skipper will be next seen in action when his team tour Sri Lanka next month for two Test matches. The Men in Green will then tour Netherlands for a limited-overs series in August this year.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam breaks Virat Kohli's yet another record as he remains no.1 in ICC T20 rankings

Virat Kohli was left miffed and was seen confronting a fan for making fun of young Indian pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti during India's ongoing practice match against English county side Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel Cricket Ground. The incident happened on Day 2 of the warm-up game when Nagarkoti was fielding near the boundary line. A group of Indian fans at the stadium were seen giving a hard time to the young pacer when Kohli came to his rescue.

In a video which has now gone viral on social media, Kohli can be seen confronting the fan for troubling Nagarkoti on Day 2 of the warm-up match. The fan can be heard telling Kohli he was trying to get a picture with the young pacer to which the former India captain responds&nbsp;by saying that Nagarkoti was there to play the game and not take pictures.

"I've been continuously asking for a photo. I came here after taking the day off from my office. So, I've been calling Nagarkoti to click a photo with me at least," the fan can be heard telling Kohli in Hindi.&nbsp;"Match khelne aaya hai ya photo khichwane aaya hai (Translation: He is here to play the match, and not to click photos)," Kohli responds.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Virat Teaching a lesson to a guy in crowd who was making fun of Kamlesh Nagarkoti who was standing near the Boundary line while fielding in the practise match 
'aRrOgAnT' uno <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/1urDq3jRyq">pic.twitter.com/1urDq3jRyq</a>
— Priyanshu Bhattacharya (@im_Priyanshu_B7) <a href="https://twitter.com/im_Priyanshu_B7/status/1540640754153926656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rajat-patidar-slams-brilliant-century-in-ranji-trophy-final-against-mumbai-achieves-unique-double-491725">Rajat Patidar slams brilliant century in Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai, achieves unique double</a>

Nagarkoti is not part of India's Test squad for the upcoming one-off fith Test against England in Edgbaston but has travelled with the team as a net bowler on the tour. Talking about the warm-up match, India declared their second innings on 246 runs on Day 3 of the practice game on Saturday after posting 178 runs on the board in their first innings.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pants-fitness-not-up-to-the-mark-rohit-sharma-too-isnt-very-fit-says-former-pakistan-spinner-491670">Rishabh Pant's fitness not up to the mark, Rohit Sharma too isn't very fit, says former Pakistan spinner</a>

Srikar Bharat was once agin the top-scorer for India with a sublime knock of 70 runs against Leicestershire in the second innings. Kohli also looked in good touch for his 33 runs before being trapped lbw by Roman Walker, who picked up a five-wicket haul.

Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna, who is playing for Leicestershire in the game, picked up the wicket of Shreyas Iyer during India's second innings. India amassed a lead of 180 runs in their second innings and will be looking to defend it aginst the county side.

Virat Kohli was left miffed and was seen confronting a fan for making fun of young Indian pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti during India's ongoing practice match against English county side Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel Cricket Ground.

Virat Kohli was left miffed and was seen confronting a fan for making fun of young Indian pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti during India's ongoing practice match against English county side Leicestershire at the Uptonsteel Cricket Ground. The incident happened on Day 2 of the warm-up game when Nagarkoti was fielding near the boundary line. A group of Indian fans at the stadium were seen giving a hard time to the young pacer when Kohli came to his rescue. In a video which has now gone viral on social media, Kohli can be seen confronting the fan for troubling Nagarkoti on Day 2 of the warm-up match. The fan can be heard telling Kohli he was trying to get a picture with the young pacer to which the former India captain responds by saying that Nagarkoti was there to play the game and not take pictures. "I've been continuously asking for a photo. I came here after taking the day off from my office. So, I've been calling Nagarkoti to click a photo with me at least," the fan can be heard telling Kohli in Hindi. "Match khelne aaya hai ya photo khichwane aaya hai (Translation: He is here to play the match, and not to click photos)," Kohli responds. Virat Teaching a lesson to a guy in crowd who was making fun of Kamlesh Nagarkoti who was standing near the Boundary line while fielding in the practise match 'aRrOgAnT' uno @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/1urDq3jRyq — Priyanshu Bhattacharya (@im_Priyanshu_B7) June 25, 2022 × Also Read: Rajat Patidar slams brilliant century in Ranji Trophy final against Mumbai, achieves unique double Nagarkoti is not part of India's Test squad for the upcoming one-off fith Test against England in Edgbaston but has travelled with the team as a net bowler on the tour. Talking about the warm-up match, India declared their second innings on 246 runs on Day 3 of the practice game on Saturday after posting 178 runs on the board in their first innings. Also Read: Rishabh Pant's fitness not up to the mark, Rohit Sharma too isn't very fit, says former Pakistan spinner Srikar Bharat was once agin the top-scorer for India with a sublime knock of 70 runs against Leicestershire in the second innings. Kohli also looked in good touch for his 33 runs before being trapped lbw by Roman Walker, who picked up a five-wicket haul. Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna, who is playing for Leicestershire in the game, picked up the wicket of Shreyas Iyer during India's second innings. India amassed a lead of 180 runs in their second innings and will be looking to defend it aginst the county side.

WATCH: Virat Kohli confronts fan for making fun of young Kamlesh Nagarkoti during India's warm-up match

India's top three looks pretty much settled heading into the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia this year. While skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to open the batting, Virat Kohli will continue batting at number three for the Men in Blue. The trio has been consistent at the top over the years now but their recent form and struggles over improving their strike rate don't inspire much confidence.

While Rahul had a brilliant campaign in IPL 2022, amassing over 600 runs yet again this season, his inability to accelerate in the Power play and during crucial phases of the game cost his team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) a couple of games. On the other hand, both Kohli and Rohit had below-par seasons with the bat by their own standards.

With intense competition for spots in the batting line-up and the emergence of the likes of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad among others as openers, the strike rate of Rohit, Rahul and Kohli remains a concern for the Indian team. Speaking about the same, former India cricketer Saba Karim said the trio needs to find solutions for the issues soon.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-generally-the-enemy-glenn-maxwell-left-in-awe-after-special-gesture-from-sri-lankan-fans-in-colombo-491623">'We are generally the enemy': Maxwell left in awe after special gesture from Sri Lankan fans in Colombo</a>

While he insisted all three of Rohit, Rahul and Kohli will walk into the XI, Karim suggested the selectors to have hard conversations with the trio if their strike rate doesn't improve in the build-up to the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

"A tough call for the selectors. At this stage, I'm sure all three of them (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul) will walk into the XI," Karim said in an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network.

"If such criticism (over strike-rate) is being levelled at them, it is up to them to find a solution so that they emerge in a much better manner. And if it's not happening then the team management or selectors need to have hard conversations with the individuals involved because there is stiff competition coming through. The players whom you have named enough experience to make the required changes in their batting so that it is beneficial for the national side. I'm sure they understand the needs of modern T20 batting," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-challenge-it-pcb-chairman-ramiz-raja-breaks-silence-on-ipls-two-and-a-half-month-window-491440">'Will challenge it....' - PCB chairman Ramiz Raja breaks silence on IPL's two-and-a-half month window</a>

India are certain to head into the T20 World Cup 2022 with Rohit, Rahul and Kohli as their top three. They are also the senior-most batters in the side and will have to shoulder more responsibility than others in the difficult conditions Down Under. While Rahul is currently out with an injury, Rohit and Kohli are expected to feature in the T20I series against England next month.

 
&nbsp;

India's top three looks pretty much settled heading into the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia this year. While skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to open the batting, Virat Kohli will continue batting at number three for the Men in Blue.

India's top three looks pretty much settled heading into the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia this year. While skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to open the batting, Virat Kohli will continue batting at number three for the Men in Blue. The trio has been consistent at the top over the years now but their recent form and struggles over improving their strike rate don't inspire much confidence. While Rahul had a brilliant campaign in IPL 2022, amassing over 600 runs yet again this season, his inability to accelerate in the Power play and during crucial phases of the game cost his team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) a couple of games. On the other hand, both Kohli and Rohit had below-par seasons with the bat by their own standards. With intense competition for spots in the batting line-up and the emergence of the likes of Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad among others as openers, the strike rate of Rohit, Rahul and Kohli remains a concern for the Indian team. Speaking about the same, former India cricketer Saba Karim said the trio needs to find solutions for the issues soon. Also Read: 'We are generally the enemy': Maxwell left in awe after special gesture from Sri Lankan fans in Colombo While he insisted all three of Rohit, Rahul and Kohli will walk into the XI, Karim suggested the selectors to have hard conversations with the trio if their strike rate doesn't improve in the build-up to the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. "A tough call for the selectors. At this stage, I'm sure all three of them (Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul) will walk into the XI," Karim said in an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network. "If such criticism (over strike-rate) is being levelled at them, it is up to them to find a solution so that they emerge in a much better manner. And if it's not happening then the team management or selectors need to have hard conversations with the individuals involved because there is stiff competition coming through. The players whom you have named enough experience to make the required changes in their batting so that it is beneficial for the national side. I'm sure they understand the needs of modern T20 batting," he added. Also Read: 'Will challenge it....' - PCB chairman Ramiz Raja breaks silence on IPL's two-and-a-half month window India are certain to head into the T20 World Cup 2022 with Rohit, Rahul and Kohli as their top three. They are also the senior-most batters in the side and will have to shoulder more responsibility than others in the difficult conditions Down Under. While Rahul is currently out with an injury, Rohit and Kohli are expected to feature in the T20I series against England next month.

Selectors need to have hard conversations with Rohit, Kohli & Rahul over their strike-rate: Ex-India cricketer

Ahead of their one-off Test versus Ben Stokes-led England, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus Leicestershire at the&nbsp;Grace Road, Leicester. After India resumed the second day's play and declared their first innings at 246-8, thanks to wicketkeeper KS Bharat's unbeaten 70, Mohammed Shami has done wonders for India with the ball in hand.

Shami has been in top form and removed Leicestershire skipper&nbsp;Samuel Evans for 1 before he got rid of India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara for a 6-ball duck. The right-hander, who was recalled into India's Test squad following a memorable run for Sussex in the County Championship, chopped the ball onto the stumps as Shami celebrated in style. Dismissing his Test teammate, Shami ran towards Pujara and&nbsp;gave him a warm embrace. Here's the video of the dismissal and Shami jumping on Pujara from behind:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
☝️ | 𝐏𝐮𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐛 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐢. 
 
A second wicket for Shami. He dismisses his <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a> teammate, as Pujara drags on. 
 
Evison joins Kimber (28*). 
 
🦊 LEI 34/2 
 
𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌: <a href="https://t.co/APL4n65NFa">https://t.co/APL4n65NFa</a> 👈 
 
🦊 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaTourMatch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaTourMatch</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LEIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LEIvIND</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/ANf2NfhUAy">pic.twitter.com/ANf2NfhUAy</a>
— Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) <a href="https://twitter.com/leicsccc/status/1540278964459028482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-leicestershire-rohit-sharma-cops-a-nasty-blow-on-the-box-off-jasprit-bumrah-watch-491025">India vs Leicestershire: Rohit Sharma cops a nasty blow on the box off Jasprit Bumrah - WATCH</a>

For the unversed, the Rahul Dravid-coached Indian team allowed four of their players, such as Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prasidh Krishna, to play for Leicestershire as per the pre-game agreement. The opening day saw Indian batters struggle in the conditions as the likes of Rohit and Virat Kohli got starts but perished soon before Bharat's 70 not out took them to a respectable total.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Following the practice game, India will face England in the rescheduled fifth and final Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 01. It is part of the incomplete 2021 five-match series between both sides. The series came to a sudden halt last year due to Covid crisis in the then Kohli-led Indian camp. At that time, visitors had already taken an unassailable 2-1 lead. Thus, India have a chance to win their first-ever Test series on English soil since 2007.

Ahead of their one-off Test versus Ben Stokes-led England, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus Leicestershire at the Grace Road, Leicester.

Ahead of their one-off Test versus Ben Stokes-led England, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus Leicestershire at the Grace Road, Leicester. After India resumed the second day's play and declared their first innings at 246-8, thanks to wicketkeeper KS Bharat's unbeaten 70, Mohammed Shami has done wonders for India with the ball in hand. Shami has been in top form and removed Leicestershire skipper Samuel Evans for 1 before he got rid of India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara for a 6-ball duck. The right-hander, who was recalled into India's Test squad following a memorable run for Sussex in the County Championship, chopped the ball onto the stumps as Shami celebrated in style. Dismissing his Test teammate, Shami ran towards Pujara and gave him a warm embrace. Here's the video of the dismissal and Shami jumping on Pujara from behind: ☝️ | 𝐏𝐮𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐛 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐢. A second wicket for Shami. He dismisses his @BCCI teammate, as Pujara drags on. Evison joins Kimber (28*). 🦊 LEI 34/2 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌: https://t.co/APL4n65NFa 👈 🦊 #IndiaTourMatch | #LEIvIND | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ANf2NfhUAy — Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) June 24, 2022 × ALSO READ | India vs Leicestershire: Rohit Sharma cops a nasty blow on the box off Jasprit Bumrah - WATCH For the unversed, the Rahul Dravid-coached Indian team allowed four of their players, such as Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prasidh Krishna, to play for Leicestershire as per the pre-game agreement. The opening day saw Indian batters struggle in the conditions as the likes of Rohit and Virat Kohli got starts but perished soon before Bharat's 70 not out took them to a respectable total. Following the practice game, India will face England in the rescheduled fifth and final Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 01. It is part of the incomplete 2021 five-match series between both sides. The series came to a sudden halt last year due to Covid crisis in the then Kohli-led Indian camp. At that time, visitors had already taken an unassailable 2-1 lead. Thus, India have a chance to win their first-ever Test series on English soil since 2007.

WATCH: Mohammed Shami hugs Cheteshwar Pujara after dismissing him for a duck in practice game

Among the cricket fans, all&nbsp;eyes are on the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022, which will be held in Sri Lanka, followed by the T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia in October-November. The two big marquee events will also give fans plenty to cheer for as India and Pakistan will square off against each other in both the tournaments.&nbsp;

Last year, the senior men's teams locked horns against each other in the&nbsp;T20 World Cup (T20 WC), held in the UAE. Contrary to expectations, the Babar Azam-led Men in Green demolished India by ten wickets to achieve their maiden win over their Asian neighbours in any World Cup (ODIs or T20Is). Thus, this time around, fans will see more of both sides against each other in the Asia Cup as well as the eighth edition of the T20 WC. Ahead of the rivalry getting resumed on the 22-yard cricket strip, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made a big statement claiming that Babar &amp; Co. are a better side than Rohit Sharma-led India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"India is no doubt a good team, but there’s no example of the way Pakistan is currently playing cricket," the former Pakistan cricketer was quoted as saying by&nbsp;Cricket Pakistan. "Pakistan has players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan who are currently named as the best players by the ICC," he opined.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-has-almost-overtaken-his-next-door-neighbour-virat-kohli-feels-former-wi-pacer-488693">Babar Azam has 'almost overtaken' his next-door neighbour Virat Kohli, feels former WI pacer</a>

Further, the ex-Pakistan captain and keeper feels it will be India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup, to be held in the Island nation in August-September, in the T20I format. "I am hopeful for Pakistan to win the Asia Cup in 2022. The victory against India in the recent T20 World Cup 2021 has increased hopes for Pakistan," Latif stated. "No doubt other teams are also competitive, but the main competition in Asia Cup 2022 will be between India and Pakistan," Latif mentioned.

Among the cricket fans, all eyes are on the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022, which will be held in Sri Lanka, followed by the T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia in October-November.

Among the cricket fans, all eyes are on the forthcoming Asia Cup 2022, which will be held in Sri Lanka, followed by the T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia in October-November. The two big marquee events will also give fans plenty to cheer for as India and Pakistan will square off against each other in both the tournaments. Last year, the senior men's teams locked horns against each other in the T20 World Cup (T20 WC), held in the UAE. Contrary to expectations, the Babar Azam-led Men in Green demolished India by ten wickets to achieve their maiden win over their Asian neighbours in any World Cup (ODIs or T20Is). Thus, this time around, fans will see more of both sides against each other in the Asia Cup as well as the eighth edition of the T20 WC. Ahead of the rivalry getting resumed on the 22-yard cricket strip, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made a big statement claiming that Babar & Co. are a better side than Rohit Sharma-led India. "India is no doubt a good team, but there’s no example of the way Pakistan is currently playing cricket," the former Pakistan cricketer was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. "Pakistan has players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan who are currently named as the best players by the ICC," he opined. ALSO READ | Babar Azam has 'almost overtaken' his next-door neighbour Virat Kohli, feels former WI pacer Further, the ex-Pakistan captain and keeper feels it will be India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup, to be held in the Island nation in August-September, in the T20I format. "I am hopeful for Pakistan to win the Asia Cup in 2022. The victory against India in the recent T20 World Cup 2021 has increased hopes for Pakistan," Latif stated. "No doubt other teams are also competitive, but the main competition in Asia Cup 2022 will be between India and Pakistan," Latif mentioned.

'India is a good team, but....' - Rashid Latif makes big statement on Men in Blue's rivalry with Pakistan

Ahead of their rescheduled one-off Test versus England, starting on July 01, Rohit Sharma-led Indian players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus&nbsp;Leicestershire,&nbsp;at the Grace Road County Ground in Leicester. As per the pre-game agreement, the Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side allowed four players, such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prasidh Krishna, to be part of the opposition camp against India.&nbsp;

After winning the toss, Rohit-led India opted to bat first on Thursday (June 23). The Indian skipper, however, couldn't do much and returned for a 47-ball 25, falling to&nbsp;Roman Walker. This also became the first time that Bumrah and Rohit are playing against each other and the latter experienced what many batters go through, regularly, while facing the Indian speedster. Hitman, who completed 15 years in international cricket, copped a nasty blow on the box off Bumrah. It was a fierce delivery from the pacer as it hit Rohit in the groin region and he looked in discomfort. Soon, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and his opening partner Shubman Gill came to check on him before the physio arrived in the middle.&nbsp;

Here's a video of the nasty delivery from Bumrah to Rohit:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/AISzUeL2q5">pic.twitter.com/AISzUeL2q5</a>
— ParthJindalClub (@ClubJindal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClubJindal/status/1539912783810424832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pains-me-to-see-such-a-big-player-kapil-dev-opines-on-superstar-virat-kohlis-century-drought-491013">'Pains me to see such a big player.....': Kapil Dev opines on superstar Virat Kohli's century drought</a>

After Rohit and Gill's departure (21), India were reduced to 81-5 at the end of the first session of the day's play. Virat Kohli and KS Bharat provided some stability in the second session, with a 57-run sixth-wicket stand, but the Indian batters have struggled in the tough batting conditions.&nbsp;

After the four-day practice Test, India will take on England in the one-off match, in Edgbaston, with an aim to win their first-ever red-ball series on English soil since 2007. At the time the five-match series between both sides came to a sudden halt last year, due to Covid crisis in the Indian camp, the then Kohli-led Indian side had already attained an unassailable 2-1 lead over the hosts.

Ahead of their rescheduled one-off Test versus England, starting on July 01, Rohit Sharma-led Indian players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus Leicestershire, at the Grace Road County Ground in Leicester.

Ahead of their rescheduled one-off Test versus England, starting on July 01, Rohit Sharma-led Indian players are currently involved in a four-day practice game versus Leicestershire, at the Grace Road County Ground in Leicester. As per the pre-game agreement, the Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side allowed four players, such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Prasidh Krishna, to be part of the opposition camp against India. After winning the toss, Rohit-led India opted to bat first on Thursday (June 23). The Indian skipper, however, couldn't do much and returned for a 47-ball 25, falling to Roman Walker. This also became the first time that Bumrah and Rohit are playing against each other and the latter experienced what many batters go through, regularly, while facing the Indian speedster. Hitman, who completed 15 years in international cricket, copped a nasty blow on the box off Bumrah. It was a fierce delivery from the pacer as it hit Rohit in the groin region and he looked in discomfort. Soon, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and his opening partner Shubman Gill came to check on him before the physio arrived in the middle. Here's a video of the nasty delivery from Bumrah to Rohit: pic.twitter.com/AISzUeL2q5 — ParthJindalClub (@ClubJindal) June 23, 2022 × ALSO READ | 'Pains me to see such a big player.....': Kapil Dev opines on superstar Virat Kohli's century drought After Rohit and Gill's departure (21), India were reduced to 81-5 at the end of the first session of the day's play. Virat Kohli and KS Bharat provided some stability in the second session, with a 57-run sixth-wicket stand, but the Indian batters have struggled in the tough batting conditions. After the four-day practice Test, India will take on England in the one-off match, in Edgbaston, with an aim to win their first-ever red-ball series on English soil since 2007. At the time the five-match series between both sides came to a sudden halt last year, due to Covid crisis in the Indian camp, the then Kohli-led Indian side had already attained an unassailable 2-1 lead over the hosts.

India vs Leicestershire: Rohit Sharma cops a nasty blow on the box off Jasprit Bumrah  - WATCH

Virat Kohli's form struggles isn't hidden anymore. The 33-year-old has struggled for big knocks since late 2019. In November 2019, Kohli reached his 70th international ton and the wait for his 71st century awaits to date. Since then, he has played some good knocks, especially in white-ball formats, however, he has remained far from his usual best.

In Tests, in 2021, Kohli averaged just over 25 and hasn't struck at a good rate in the last two IPL seasons as well. In fact, the right-hander returned with 341 runs at 115.99&nbsp;with only two fifty-plus scores. Thus, Virat's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma opined on his&nbsp;disciple's form struggles and feels that head coach Rahul Dravid will help in getting the iconic batter out of this rut.

"Virat is working a lot on his basics, putting the hard yards on his batting for a long time. It is a good thing that he is spending time with Rahul Dravid because he was one of the greatest batters of his time."

"The sort of technique he (Dravid) had, it was fantastic and he had a fantastic temperament as well. It is not that Virat Kohli is making a lot of mistakes in his basics but it is required at times that if you are making a small mistake and if you have a coach like Rahul there, he can guide you about how you can improve," Rajkumar told India News.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-has-happened-because-of-him-ex-pakistan-captain-blames-ravi-shastri-for-virat-kohlis-poor-form-490666">'This has happened because of him': Ex-Pakistan captain blames Ravi Shastri for Virat Kohli's poor form</a>

"Virat has been practicing like that only. He has done that (spending time with Dravid) today but he has been working for a long time to regain his batting style and get back into the habit of scoring centuries."

"The way Rahul used to bat in swinging conditions, he got the name 'Wall' because he used to bat very well in conditions other batters used to struggle. So it is a good thing that he is sharing his thoughts with Virat and Virat is learning from him. I have confidence that Virat will definitely gain from this," Rajkumar further opined.

Kohli is currently part of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian Test line-up in England, for the fifth and final Test versus Ben Stokes &amp; Co. on July 01. Prior to that, he will&nbsp;be in action during the four-day warm-up Test against Leicestershire, which is underway at Grace Road, Leicester.

Virat Kohli's form struggles isn't hidden anymore. The 33-year-old has struggled for big knocks since late 2019. In November 2019, Kohli reached his 70th international ton and the wait for his 71st century awaits to date.

Virat Kohli's form struggles isn't hidden anymore. The 33-year-old has struggled for big knocks since late 2019. In November 2019, Kohli reached his 70th international ton and the wait for his 71st century awaits to date. Since then, he has played some good knocks, especially in white-ball formats, however, he has remained far from his usual best. In Tests, in 2021, Kohli averaged just over 25 and hasn't struck at a good rate in the last two IPL seasons as well. In fact, the right-hander returned with 341 runs at 115.99 with only two fifty-plus scores. Thus, Virat's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma opined on his disciple's form struggles and feels that head coach Rahul Dravid will help in getting the iconic batter out of this rut. "Virat is working a lot on his basics, putting the hard yards on his batting for a long time. It is a good thing that he is spending time with Rahul Dravid because he was one of the greatest batters of his time." "The sort of technique he (Dravid) had, it was fantastic and he had a fantastic temperament as well. It is not that Virat Kohli is making a lot of mistakes in his basics but it is required at times that if you are making a small mistake and if you have a coach like Rahul there, he can guide you about how you can improve," Rajkumar told India News. ALSO READ | 'This has happened because of him': Ex-Pakistan captain blames Ravi Shastri for Virat Kohli's poor form "Virat has been practicing like that only. He has done that (spending time with Dravid) today but he has been working for a long time to regain his batting style and get back into the habit of scoring centuries." "The way Rahul used to bat in swinging conditions, he got the name 'Wall' because he used to bat very well in conditions other batters used to struggle. So it is a good thing that he is sharing his thoughts with Virat and Virat is learning from him. I have confidence that Virat will definitely gain from this," Rajkumar further opined. Kohli is currently part of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian Test line-up in England, for the fifth and final Test versus Ben Stokes & Co. on July 01. Prior to that, he will be in action during the four-day warm-up Test against Leicestershire, which is underway at Grace Road, Leicester.

Virat's childhood coach hails Dravid, confident of his disciple regaining form in India legend's presence

Team India's red-ball regulars have arrived in England for the fifth and final Test versus Ben Stokes &amp; Co., set to be held in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 01. India's first batch of Test players had left for England on June 16 whereas the remaining members, along with head coach Rahul Dravid, reached the country a few days back, after the completion of India's home T20Is versus South Africa.

As India is gearing up for the rescheduled fifth and final Test versus the hosts England, 'leader' Virat Kohli gave a passionate pep talk in the Team India huddle ahead of the visitors' three-day practice game versus&nbsp;Leicestershire, starting on June 23.

Kohli and head coach Dravid were seen having a chat with the rest of the squad. Here's a video of Kohli's talk:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Game mode = 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 💪<a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> gives a 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 team talk ahead of a busy day of preparations before <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a>'s Tour Match 🆚 <a href="https://twitter.com/leicsccc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@leicsccc</a>. 
 
🎟️- <a href="https://t.co/uu0mGLEuym">https://t.co/uu0mGLEuym</a> 
 
🦊 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaTourMatch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaTourMatch</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LEIvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LEIvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/zDxP53Slxd">pic.twitter.com/zDxP53Slxd</a>
— Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) <a href="https://twitter.com/leicsccc/status/1539244572865400834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

It has been reported that the 33-year-old Kohli&nbsp;spoke about 'closing in on history', with the Indian team chasing its first Test series win on English soil since 2007. Back then, current head coach Dravid was in-charge of the side which created history by winning a three-match series 1-0.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-dhoni-virat-but-has-his-own-brand-of-captaincy-ex-india-stumper-490187">Hardik Pandya spent a lot of time with Dhoni, Virat but has his own brand of captaincy: Ex-India stumper</a>

Talking about Kohli, he was the captain of the Indian team when the five-match Test series between India and England took place last year. Before the final Test, which was set to be held in Manchester, the Indian camp was jolted by the Covid-19 crisis and, hence, the series decider was cancelled with the visitors 2-1 up in the series.

This time around, Kohli remains a vital cog in the Indian Test line-up, who is on the cusp of creating history, but Rohit Sharma has succeeded him as all-format captain. Under Rohit, India will be desperate to go for a win or, at least, ensure a draw to return with a Test series win in England.&nbsp;

Team India's red-ball regulars have arrived in England for the fifth and final Test versus Ben Stokes & Co., set to be held in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 01. India's first batch of Test players had left for England on June 16 whereas the remaining members, along with head coach Rahul Dravid, reached the country a few days back, after the completion of India's home T20Is versus South Africa.

Team India's red-ball regulars have arrived in England for the fifth and final Test versus Ben Stokes & Co., set to be held in Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 01. India's first batch of Test players had left for England on June 16 whereas the remaining members, along with head coach Rahul Dravid, reached the country a few days back, after the completion of India's home T20Is versus South Africa. As India is gearing up for the rescheduled fifth and final Test versus the hosts England, 'leader' Virat Kohli gave a passionate pep talk in the Team India huddle ahead of the visitors' three-day practice game versus Leicestershire, starting on June 23. Kohli and head coach Dravid were seen having a chat with the rest of the squad. Here's a video of Kohli's talk: Game mode = 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 💪@imVkohli gives a 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 team talk ahead of a busy day of preparations before @BCCI's Tour Match 🆚 @leicsccc. 🎟️- https://t.co/uu0mGLEuym 🦊 #IndiaTourMatch | #LEIvIND pic.twitter.com/zDxP53Slxd — Leicestershire Foxes 🏏 (@leicsccc) June 21, 2022 × It has been reported that the 33-year-old Kohli spoke about 'closing in on history', with the Indian team chasing its first Test series win on English soil since 2007. Back then, current head coach Dravid was in-charge of the side which created history by winning a three-match series 1-0. ALSO READ | Hardik Pandya spent a lot of time with Dhoni, Virat but has his own brand of captaincy: Ex-India stumper Talking about Kohli, he was the captain of the Indian team when the five-match Test series between India and England took place last year. Before the final Test, which was set to be held in Manchester, the Indian camp was jolted by the Covid-19 crisis and, hence, the series decider was cancelled with the visitors 2-1 up in the series. This time around, Kohli remains a vital cog in the Indian Test line-up, who is on the cusp of creating history, but Rohit Sharma has succeeded him as all-format captain. Under Rohit, India will be desperate to go for a win or, at least, ensure a draw to return with a Test series win in England.

Watch: Virat gives passionate speech in Team India huddle as Rohit & Co. gear up for 5th Test vs England

Joe Root has been enjoying a purple patch with the willow in the ongoing Test series between England and New Zealand. He has been England's top run-getter so far in the series and will be looking to continue his fine form when the two sides lock horns with each other in the third and final Test at the Headingley in Leeds which gets underway from Thursday (June 23).

England have already clinched the three-match series 2-0 with back-to-back wins in the first two Test matches. They will be now hoping to go for a clean sweep in the third Test while New Zealand will be aiming to avoid a complete whitewash. The spotlight will once again be on Root, who has been in brilliant touch for the hosts.

Root is on the verge of surpassing Steve Smith and Virat Kohli in an elite list as the two teams gear up for the final third Test of the series. With 27 centuries in Test cricket so far, Root is currently at the 17th spot on the list of batters with most Test hundreds and will need another hundred to go past Kohli and Smith, who are tied with him at the 17th spot.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-has-happened-because-of-him-ex-pakistan-captain-blames-ravi-shastri-for-virat-kohlis-poor-form-490666">'This has happened because of him': Ex-Pakistan captain blames Ravi Shastri for Virat Kohli's poor form</a>

Along with Kohli and Smith, the likes of South Africa legend Graeme Smith and Australian great Allan Border are also at the 17th spot with 27 centuries to their name. While Kohli and Smith have not scored a hundred in the longest format since the resumption of cricket post COVID-19 in 2020, Root has been in sublime form and has been shattering records one after another.

Root has already scored ten centuries in Test cricket since 2021 and has been unstoppable in the whites for England. He has so far scored centuries in both the Test matches against New Zealand in the ongoing series and will be looking to complete a hat-trick of centuries in the final third Test starting from Thursday (June 23).

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-is-the-most-valuable-t20-cricketer-in-the-world-former-australia-cricketer-lauds-all-rounder-490709">'Hardik Pandya is the most valuable T20 cricketer in the world': Former Australia cricketer lauds all-rounder</a>

Root has so far notched up 305 runs in the two Tests against the Kiwis averaging 101.67, including two centuries. After scoring 115 runs in the second innings of the first Test to guide England to a win, Root slammed a brilliant knock of 176 runs in the first innings of the second Test to help England clinch the series 2-0 with two straight victories.

&nbsp;

Joe Root has been enjoying a purple patch with the willow in the ongoing Test series between England and New Zealand. He has been England's top run-getter so far in the series and will be looking to continue his fine form when the two sides lock horns with each other in the third and final Test at the Headingley in Leeds which gets underway from Thursday (June 23).

Joe Root has been enjoying a purple patch with the willow in the ongoing Test series between England and New Zealand. He has been England's top run-getter so far in the series and will be looking to continue his fine form when the two sides lock horns with each other in the third and final Test at the Headingley in Leeds which gets underway from Thursday (June 23). England have already clinched the three-match series 2-0 with back-to-back wins in the first two Test matches. They will be now hoping to go for a clean sweep in the third Test while New Zealand will be aiming to avoid a complete whitewash. The spotlight will once again be on Root, who has been in brilliant touch for the hosts. Root is on the verge of surpassing Steve Smith and Virat Kohli in an elite list as the two teams gear up for the final third Test of the series. With 27 centuries in Test cricket so far, Root is currently at the 17th spot on the list of batters with most Test hundreds and will need another hundred to go past Kohli and Smith, who are tied with him at the 17th spot. Also Read: 'This has happened because of him': Ex-Pakistan captain blames Ravi Shastri for Virat Kohli's poor form Along with Kohli and Smith, the likes of South Africa legend Graeme Smith and Australian great Allan Border are also at the 17th spot with 27 centuries to their name. While Kohli and Smith have not scored a hundred in the longest format since the resumption of cricket post COVID-19 in 2020, Root has been in sublime form and has been shattering records one after another. Root has already scored ten centuries in Test cricket since 2021 and has been unstoppable in the whites for England. He has so far scored centuries in both the Test matches against New Zealand in the ongoing series and will be looking to complete a hat-trick of centuries in the final third Test starting from Thursday (June 23). Also Read: 'Hardik Pandya is the most valuable T20 cricketer in the world': Former Australia cricketer lauds all-rounder Root has so far notched up 305 runs in the two Tests against the Kiwis averaging 101.67, including two centuries. After scoring 115 runs in the second innings of the first Test to guide England to a win, Root slammed a brilliant knock of 176 runs in the first innings of the second Test to help England clinch the series 2-0 with two straight victories.

Joe Root on cusp of surpassing Virat Kohli and Steve Smith in elite list in 3rd Test against New Zealand

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made some sensational remarks against ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri, blaming him for the downfall of Virat Kohli. The Indian batting maestro has been enduring a rough patch with the willow across formats for the past few years now. Kohli is yet to score a century in international cricket since November 2019 and has looked far from his best for the Men in Blue.

While he has struggled to deliver consistently for the Indian team, his rough patch continued in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While Kohli has been scoring runs in patches and has not been completely out of form, his performances still have been below-par considering the standards set by the batting maestro.

One of the best batters in the world at present, Kohli has failed to notch up a big score for India for over 2.5 years now and will be hopeful of sparking a turnaround soon. Speaking about his poor patch, former Pakistan captain&nbsp;Latif recently blamed Shastri for Kohli's abysmal run and said had the former India all-rounder not been appointed as head coach, Kohli would not have been out of form.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-rest-for-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-duo-likely-to-be-available-for-t20i-series-against-england-report-490582">No rest for Kohli &amp; Rohit, duo likely to be available for T20I series against England - Report</a>

"It is because of him (Ravi Shastri) that this has happened. In 2019 (Shastri was appointed as India head coach in 2017), you sidelined a player like Kumble and in came Ravi Shastri. Whether he had the accreditation or not, I have no idea. He was a broadcaster. Had no business in coaching,"&nbsp;Latif said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"Barring Virat Kohli, I am sure there would have been other people who played a role in getting Shastri in. But that is backfiring now, isn't it? Had he (Shastri) not become the coach, he (Kohli) wouldn’t have gone out (of form)," he added.

Shastri had first worked with the Indian team as a director for two years from 2014 to 2016 before being appointed as the head coach of the team in 2017 following the sacking of Kumble as the head coach. He formed a great relationship with then captain Kohli and the duo enjoyed tremendous success as a coach-captain pair.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/best-acquisition-of-a-player-former-rcb-owner-vijay-mallya-catches-up-with-universe-boss-chris-gayle-490642">'Best acquisition of a player': Former RCB owner Vijay Mallya catches up with&nbsp;Chris Gayle</a>

India became a force to reckon with under Shastri and Kohli and were the number one Test team in the world for a long period. They also became the first Asian team to win a historic Test series in Australia in 2018-19. Shastri's contract was renewed ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup in 2019 and he served as India's head coach till 2021.

While India failed to win a major ICC trophy under him, Shastri and Kohli guided India to some memorable series wins both at home and away from home. India won their second straight Test series under Shastri in Australia in 2020-21 in the absence of Kohli.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made some sensational remarks against ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri, blaming him for the downfall of Virat Kohli. The Indian batting maestro has been enduring a rough patch with the willow across formats for the past few years now.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made some sensational remarks against ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri, blaming him for the downfall of Virat Kohli. The Indian batting maestro has been enduring a rough patch with the willow across formats for the past few years now. Kohli is yet to score a century in international cricket since November 2019 and has looked far from his best for the Men in Blue. While he has struggled to deliver consistently for the Indian team, his rough patch continued in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While Kohli has been scoring runs in patches and has not been completely out of form, his performances still have been below-par considering the standards set by the batting maestro. One of the best batters in the world at present, Kohli has failed to notch up a big score for India for over 2.5 years now and will be hopeful of sparking a turnaround soon. Speaking about his poor patch, former Pakistan captain Latif recently blamed Shastri for Kohli's abysmal run and said had the former India all-rounder not been appointed as head coach, Kohli would not have been out of form. Also Read: No rest for Kohli & Rohit, duo likely to be available for T20I series against England - Report "It is because of him (Ravi Shastri) that this has happened. In 2019 (Shastri was appointed as India head coach in 2017), you sidelined a player like Kumble and in came Ravi Shastri. Whether he had the accreditation or not, I have no idea. He was a broadcaster. Had no business in coaching," Latif said in a video on his YouTube channel. "Barring Virat Kohli, I am sure there would have been other people who played a role in getting Shastri in. But that is backfiring now, isn't it? Had he (Shastri) not become the coach, he (Kohli) wouldn’t have gone out (of form)," he added. Shastri had first worked with the Indian team as a director for two years from 2014 to 2016 before being appointed as the head coach of the team in 2017 following the sacking of Kumble as the head coach. He formed a great relationship with then captain Kohli and the duo enjoyed tremendous success as a coach-captain pair. Also Read: 'Best acquisition of a player': Former RCB owner Vijay Mallya catches up with Chris Gayle India became a force to reckon with under Shastri and Kohli and were the number one Test team in the world for a long period. They also became the first Asian team to win a historic Test series in Australia in 2018-19. Shastri's contract was renewed ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup in 2019 and he served as India's head coach till 2021. While India failed to win a major ICC trophy under him, Shastri and Kohli guided India to some memorable series wins both at home and away from home. India won their second straight Test series under Shastri in Australia in 2020-21 in the absence of Kohli.

'This has happened because of him': Ex-Pakistan captain blames Ravi Shastri for Virat Kohli's poor form

Captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli are likely to be available for selection when India take on England in a three-match T20I series followed by the one-off fifth Test in Edgbaston. Both Kohli and Rohit were last seen in action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 which concluded last month. The star duo had been rested from India's recently-concluded T20I series against South Africa at home which ended in a 2-2 draw after the 5th game was washed out due to rain.

Kohli, Rohit along with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and others were rested from the South Africa series. The duo will return to action when India begin their tour of England with the one-off fifth Test in Edgbaston from July 01 followed by three T20Is and as many ODIs.

While the members of the Indian Test squad are already in England ahead of the fifth Test, India will field a second-string squad led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the two-match T20I series against Ireland before the England T20Is. India will take on Ireland in two T20Is on June 26 and June 28 where VVS Laxman will coach the team.

While there was a possibility that India could field the same second-string T20I squad for the three-match series against England, the selectors are reportedly keen on having a full-strength team take on the hosts in the three matches. The T20I series against England will begin on July 07, just a day after the Edgbaston Test concludes on July 05.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-t20is-i-would-have-stopped-rishabh-pant-from-becoming-captain-says-former-india-cricketer-490579">I would have stopped Rishabh Pant from becoming captain, says former India cricketer</a>

While it will result in intense fatigue for players like Kohli, Rohit and Bumrh among others if they take the field in the first T20I against England after the Edgbaston Test, they are likely t be available for selection despite just a 1-day break in between. As per a report in Insidesport, all senior players, including Rohit and Virat will be available for the three-match T20I series against England and will not be rested.

“All senior players will be available for the England series. Yes, we have to carry a larger squad because of the two warm-up T20s but Rohit &amp; Virat and other first-team players will be available,” a member of the BCCI selection panel told Insidesport.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-was-hit-by-covid-19-post-maldives-trip-more-cases-feared-in-indian-camp-ahead-of-eng-test-report-490539">Virat Kohli was hit by Covid-19 post Maldives trip, more cases feared in Indian camp&nbsp;</a>

In case they feature in the series, it will be Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah's first international T20I assignment following the conclusion of IPL 2022. India have named a second-string squad for Ireland T20Is which features some of the top performers from IPL including the likes of Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh. It remains to be seen which of these youngsters will retain their spot in the squad for the England T20Is and who will be asked to head back home.

“We have a set team. We just need to trim it a little for the England series to accommodate the seniors. Some of the guys will return home after the Ireland series. We will have a selection meeting soon. We will have a larger squad for contingency as the team will not be in a bio-bubble,” the member of the selection panel added.

Captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli are likely to be available for selection when India take on England in a three-match T20I series followed by the one-off fifth Test in Edgbaston.

Captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli are likely to be available for selection when India take on England in a three-match T20I series followed by the one-off fifth Test in Edgbaston. Both Kohli and Rohit were last seen in action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 which concluded last month. The star duo had been rested from India's recently-concluded T20I series against South Africa at home which ended in a 2-2 draw after the 5th game was washed out due to rain. Kohli, Rohit along with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and others were rested from the South Africa series. The duo will return to action when India begin their tour of England with the one-off fifth Test in Edgbaston from July 01 followed by three T20Is and as many ODIs. While the members of the Indian Test squad are already in England ahead of the fifth Test, India will field a second-string squad led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the two-match T20I series against Ireland before the England T20Is. India will take on Ireland in two T20Is on June 26 and June 28 where VVS Laxman will coach the team. While there was a possibility that India could field the same second-string T20I squad for the three-match series against England, the selectors are reportedly keen on having a full-strength team take on the hosts in the three matches. The T20I series against England will begin on July 07, just a day after the Edgbaston Test concludes on July 05. Also Read: I would have stopped Rishabh Pant from becoming captain, says former India cricketer While it will result in intense fatigue for players like Kohli, Rohit and Bumrh among others if they take the field in the first T20I against England after the Edgbaston Test, they are likely t be available for selection despite just a 1-day break in between. As per a report in Insidesport, all senior players, including Rohit and Virat will be available for the three-match T20I series against England and will not be rested. “All senior players will be available for the England series. Yes, we have to carry a larger squad because of the two warm-up T20s but Rohit & Virat and other first-team players will be available,” a member of the BCCI selection panel told Insidesport. Also Read: Virat Kohli was hit by Covid-19 post Maldives trip, more cases feared in Indian camp In case they feature in the series, it will be Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah's first international T20I assignment following the conclusion of IPL 2022. India have named a second-string squad for Ireland T20Is which features some of the top performers from IPL including the likes of Sanju Samson, Rahul Tripathi, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh. It remains to be seen which of these youngsters will retain their spot in the squad for the England T20Is and who will be asked to head back home. “We have a set team. We just need to trim it a little for the England series to accommodate the seniors. Some of the guys will return home after the Ireland series. We will have a selection meeting soon. We will have a larger squad for contingency as the team will not be in a bio-bubble,” the member of the selection panel added.

No rest for Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma, duo likely to be available for T20I series against England - Report

Team India is busy finalising their combination for the 2022 T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia later this year. Before the marquee tournament, India still have to play plenty of series&nbsp;as they can tinker with their team combination in order to finalise their ideal XI.&nbsp;

A second-stringed Rishabh Pant-led Indian team recently played South Africa in a five-match T20I series at home, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate with the final match being abandoned due to persistent rain in Bengaluru on June 19. Despite a disappointing end to the series, India had plenty of positives with the form and performances of Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

After the series, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar&nbsp;mentioned a star player who could be one of Rohit Sharma's trump cards in the forthcoming T20 World Cup Down Under. Gavaskar hailed Harshal Patel as the fast-bowling all-rounder who impressed bowling in tough situations in the SA series and returned with&nbsp;seven wickets in four innings at&nbsp;12.57 and an economy rate of 7.23. He was, thus, the highest wicket-taker in the series.

Thus, Gavaskar told Star Sports, “He will be one of the trumps cards because you have Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Bumrah as well. Brilliant for a skipper to have someone like him to depend on, He can come in and bowl may be even in the powerplay where people are now going with change of pace. So yes he certainly should be part of the group."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/graeme-smith-names-star-player-as-rohit-sharma-led-indias-x-factor-for-2022-t20-world-cup-490209">Graeme Smith names star player as Rohit Sharma-led India's 'X-factor' for 2022 T20 World Cup</a>

Former SA captain Graeme Smith, who was also part of the same panel, agreed with Gavaskar and added, “He has been excellent. Nobody skills in the death overs with the slower balls...but I feel from game 3 he found his right length and picked up wickets and kept the pressure on the South Africans. He has all the skills as an all-rounder bowler and is a big asset to the team and handles pressure very well and is a clear thinker under pressure."

Harshal will next be seen in action in India's two-match T20I series versus Ireland, in Dublin, on June 26 and 28.

Team India is busy finalising their combination for the 2022 T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia later this year. Before the marquee tournament, India still have to play plenty of series as they can tinker with their team combination in order to finalise their ideal XI.

Team India is busy finalising their combination for the 2022 T20 World Cup, set to be held in Australia later this year. Before the marquee tournament, India still have to play plenty of series as they can tinker with their team combination in order to finalise their ideal XI. A second-stringed Rishabh Pant-led Indian team recently played South Africa in a five-match T20I series at home, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate with the final match being abandoned due to persistent rain in Bengaluru on June 19. Despite a disappointing end to the series, India had plenty of positives with the form and performances of Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. After the series, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar mentioned a star player who could be one of Rohit Sharma's trump cards in the forthcoming T20 World Cup Down Under. Gavaskar hailed Harshal Patel as the fast-bowling all-rounder who impressed bowling in tough situations in the SA series and returned with seven wickets in four innings at 12.57 and an economy rate of 7.23. He was, thus, the highest wicket-taker in the series. Thus, Gavaskar told Star Sports, “He will be one of the trumps cards because you have Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Bumrah as well. Brilliant for a skipper to have someone like him to depend on, He can come in and bowl may be even in the powerplay where people are now going with change of pace. So yes he certainly should be part of the group." ALSO READ | Graeme Smith names star player as Rohit Sharma-led India's 'X-factor' for 2022 T20 World Cup Former SA captain Graeme Smith, who was also part of the same panel, agreed with Gavaskar and added, “He has been excellent. Nobody skills in the death overs with the slower balls...but I feel from game 3 he found his right length and picked up wickets and kept the pressure on the South Africans. He has all the skills as an all-rounder bowler and is a big asset to the team and handles pressure very well and is a clear thinker under pressure." Harshal will next be seen in action in India's two-match T20I series versus Ireland, in Dublin, on June 26 and 28.

'He'll be one of the trumps cards' - Gavaskar feels India star will be integral to Rohit's T20 WC plans

India and South Africa's five-match T20I series ended in a stalemate, 2-2, after the fifth and final encounter was abandoned due to persistent rain in Bengaluru. Despite the series not determining a winner between both sides, there were a lot of positives for the hosts India, who were without many of their white-ball regulars.

The Rishabh Pant-led Indian team saw top performances from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who returned with the Player-of-the-Match, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal. After the series, former SA captain Graeme Smith named two players who are now integral to India's T20I squad and named the X-factor for Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Speaking to&nbsp;cricket.com, batting icon Smith opined that Pandya and Karthik have become somewhat indispensable. In this regard, he opined, "Still a lot of cricket to be played so it is difficult to predict what is going to happen in the next couple of months but you are going to think Hardik and DK are integral to that squad. DK is experienced with that finishing role that he has played Hardik has grown leaps and bounds and is in control of his game."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-spent-a-lot-of-time-with-dhoni-virat-but-has-his-own-brand-of-captaincy-ex-india-stumper-490187">Hardik Pandya spent a lot of time with Dhoni, Virat but has his own brand of captaincy: Ex-India stumper</a>

<section>
On Hardik, Smith added, "Mentally he looks like he has settled. And he is also that all-rounder X Factor that India require to just balance the team with him and Jadeja in the squad which opens up a lot of options. So I can't see that those two not making it to the World Cup squad."

Both Hardik and DK will next be seen in action during India's forthcoming two-match T20I series versus Ireland, in Dublin, on June 26 and 28.
</section>

India and South Africa's five-match T20I series ended in a stalemate, 2-2, after the fifth and final encounter was abandoned due to persistent rain in Bengaluru.

India and South Africa's five-match T20I series ended in a stalemate, 2-2, after the fifth and final encounter was abandoned due to persistent rain in Bengaluru. Despite the series not determining a winner between both sides, there were a lot of positives for the hosts India, who were without many of their white-ball regulars. The Rishabh Pant-led Indian team saw top performances from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who returned with the Player-of-the-Match, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal. After the series, former SA captain Graeme Smith named two players who are now integral to India's T20I squad and named the X-factor for Rohit Sharma & Co. heading into the 2022 T20 World Cup. Speaking to cricket.com, batting icon Smith opined that Pandya and Karthik have become somewhat indispensable. In this regard, he opined, "Still a lot of cricket to be played so it is difficult to predict what is going to happen in the next couple of months but you are going to think Hardik and DK are integral to that squad. DK is experienced with that finishing role that he has played Hardik has grown leaps and bounds and is in control of his game." ALSO READ | Hardik Pandya spent a lot of time with Dhoni, Virat but has his own brand of captaincy: Ex-India stumper On Hardik, Smith added, "Mentally he looks like he has settled. And he is also that all-rounder X Factor that India require to just balance the team with him and Jadeja in the squad which opens up a lot of options. So I can't see that those two not making it to the World Cup squad." Both Hardik and DK will next be seen in action during India's forthcoming two-match T20I series versus Ireland, in Dublin, on June 26 and 28.

Graeme Smith names star player as Rohit Sharma-led India's 'X-factor' for 2022 T20 World Cup

Hardik Pandya remains the talk of the town. He made a sensational comeback in competitive cricket, after the 2021 T20 World Cup, after having missed a plethora of series for Team India due to his fitness issues. In his break, he worked on his fitness and has returned in style, not only fulfilling the role of an all-rounder, but the 28-year-old has also shown his flair as a leader.&nbsp;

During IPL 2022, Hardik led the debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) and took them to their maiden championship. His leadership style was hailed by many -- being calm and composed, positive, leading by the front and backing his core players -- as he also had a good run in the recently-concluded India-South Africa T20Is at home. India are now set to play Ireland in two T20Is, where Hardik will lead a second-stringed side. Ahead of his captaincy debut for India, former Indian stumper and&nbsp;selector Saba Karim lauded the all-rounder and stated that the youngster is still a different leader than MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, despite being groomed by them since his debut.

Speaking on TOI's podcast 'Sportscast', Karim said, "I think Hardik Pandya, although he spent a lot of time with MS Dhoni, spent a lot of time with Virat Kohli, he has his own brand of captaincy and the way he plays his cricket is so different from what Virat does or what MS Dhoni does. So you learn from so many great individuals who have been part of the side, but eventually, you bring your own leadership style onto the field and I think that's what he did."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhonis-international-career-got-over-but-aakash-chopra-lauds-dinesh-karthik-after-sa-t20is-489877">'MS Dhoni's international career got over but....' - Aakash Chopra lauds Dinesh Karthik after SA T20Is</a>

Karim was part of the selection committee when Hardik made his debut for India, in early 2016 during a white-ball tour of Australia. Recalling the time, Karim opined that Hardik has impressed with his maturity, change in lifestyle, etc. to bring desired results as a cricketer.

"If I remember correctly, he made his debut in 2015-16 (January 2016 in a T20I vs Australia in Adelaide), when I was part of the selection committee and since then he has grown not only as a person but also as a cricketer and it seemed like it had come to a stage where he really had to reinvent his lifestyle to become a more mature cricketer and that's what was seen in this season's IPL. And that is remarkable - it's not easy for athletes to do that at that level," he further added.

Hardik Pandya remains the talk of the town. He made a sensational comeback in competitive cricket, after the 2021 T20 World Cup, after having missed a plethora of series for Team India due to his fitness issues.

Hardik Pandya remains the talk of the town. He made a sensational comeback in competitive cricket, after the 2021 T20 World Cup, after having missed a plethora of series for Team India due to his fitness issues. In his break, he worked on his fitness and has returned in style, not only fulfilling the role of an all-rounder, but the 28-year-old has also shown his flair as a leader. During IPL 2022, Hardik led the debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) and took them to their maiden championship. His leadership style was hailed by many -- being calm and composed, positive, leading by the front and backing his core players -- as he also had a good run in the recently-concluded India-South Africa T20Is at home. India are now set to play Ireland in two T20Is, where Hardik will lead a second-stringed side. Ahead of his captaincy debut for India, former Indian stumper and selector Saba Karim lauded the all-rounder and stated that the youngster is still a different leader than MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, despite being groomed by them since his debut. Speaking on TOI's podcast 'Sportscast', Karim said, "I think Hardik Pandya, although he spent a lot of time with MS Dhoni, spent a lot of time with Virat Kohli, he has his own brand of captaincy and the way he plays his cricket is so different from what Virat does or what MS Dhoni does. So you learn from so many great individuals who have been part of the side, but eventually, you bring your own leadership style onto the field and I think that's what he did." ALSO READ | 'MS Dhoni's international career got over but....' - Aakash Chopra lauds Dinesh Karthik after SA T20Is Karim was part of the selection committee when Hardik made his debut for India, in early 2016 during a white-ball tour of Australia. Recalling the time, Karim opined that Hardik has impressed with his maturity, change in lifestyle, etc. to bring desired results as a cricketer. "If I remember correctly, he made his debut in 2015-16 (January 2016 in a T20I vs Australia in Adelaide), when I was part of the selection committee and since then he has grown not only as a person but also as a cricketer and it seemed like it had come to a stage where he really had to reinvent his lifestyle to become a more mature cricketer and that's what was seen in this season's IPL. And that is remarkable - it's not easy for athletes to do that at that level," he further added.

Hardik Pandya spent a lot of time with Dhoni, Virat but has his own brand of captaincy: Ex-India stumper

Virat Kohli completed 11 years in Test cricket for the Indian cricket team on Monday (June 20). One of the greatest batters of all time, Kohli earned his maiden Test cap for India on this day eleven years ago. He played his first Test match for the country against West Indies at the Sabina Park in Jamaica. It has since been a memorable journey for the run machine in the whites for Team India.

Kohli didn't have the ideal start in his debut Test match as he could only manage scores of 4 and 15 runs across two innings against West Indies. However, there has been no looking back ever since as he went on to establish his credentials as one of the best in the world.

He has come a long way since his debut in Jamaica and has already played over 100 Test matches for India. He has amassed 8043 runs in 101 matches at averaging a brilliant 49.95 with 27 hundreds and 28 fifties to his name. He has been instrumental in helping India dominate in Test cricket over the last few years and has had a phenomenal journey so far.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-wasim-akram-sends-cricket-fans-on-nostalgia-trip-as-he-cleans-up-michael-atherton-in-charity-game-489943">WATCH - Wasim Akram sends fans on nostalgia trip as he cleans up Michael Atherton in charity game</a>

Kohli took to social media on Monday to share a special video reliving his memorable journey in the longest format after completing 11 years in whites for the Indian team. "Time flies," Kohli captioned the post.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Time flies <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/20June?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#20June</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TestDebut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TestDebut</a> <a href="https://t.co/eIktcGLg6i">pic.twitter.com/eIktcGLg6i</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1538794594044809216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Apart from being a prolific run-getter with the bat, Kohli also went on to become India's most successful Test captain of all time after taking over the reins from MS Dhoni. He was appointed as India's full-time Test skipper in 2015 and led the team in a total of 68 matches before stepping down in January 2022.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-stamp-that-says-rishabh-pant-will-surely-play-in-t20-wc-2022-ex-india-pacer-makes-big-statement-489920">No stamp that says Rishabh Pant will surely play in T20 WC 2022: Ex-India pacer makes big statement</a>

He led India to 40 wins in 68 games - the most by any captain in the history of Indian cricket. He surpassed Dhoni to become the most successful Test captain the country has ever produced and also became the most successful Test captain in Asia.

Kohli led India to some memorable wins both at home and away from home, including a historic Test series win in Australia Down Under. Under Kohli's captaincy, India had won their maiden Test series on Australian soil in 2019. He also led India to the final of the World Test Championship last year.

Virat Kohli completed 11 years in Test cricket for the Indian cricket team on Monday (June 20). One of the greatest batters of all time, Kohli earned his maiden Test cap for India on this day eleven years ago.

Virat Kohli completed 11 years in Test cricket for the Indian cricket team on Monday (June 20). One of the greatest batters of all time, Kohli earned his maiden Test cap for India on this day eleven years ago. He played his first Test match for the country against West Indies at the Sabina Park in Jamaica. It has since been a memorable journey for the run machine in the whites for Team India. Kohli didn't have the ideal start in his debut Test match as he could only manage scores of 4 and 15 runs across two innings against West Indies. However, there has been no looking back ever since as he went on to establish his credentials as one of the best in the world. He has come a long way since his debut in Jamaica and has already played over 100 Test matches for India. He has amassed 8043 runs in 101 matches at averaging a brilliant 49.95 with 27 hundreds and 28 fifties to his name. He has been instrumental in helping India dominate in Test cricket over the last few years and has had a phenomenal journey so far. Also Read: WATCH - Wasim Akram sends fans on nostalgia trip as he cleans up Michael Atherton in charity game Kohli took to social media on Monday to share a special video reliving his memorable journey in the longest format after completing 11 years in whites for the Indian team. "Time flies," Kohli captioned the post. Time flies #20June #TestDebut pic.twitter.com/eIktcGLg6i — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 20, 2022 × Apart from being a prolific run-getter with the bat, Kohli also went on to become India's most successful Test captain of all time after taking over the reins from MS Dhoni. He was appointed as India's full-time Test skipper in 2015 and led the team in a total of 68 matches before stepping down in January 2022. Also Read: No stamp that says Rishabh Pant will surely play in T20 WC 2022: Ex-India pacer makes big statement He led India to 40 wins in 68 games - the most by any captain in the history of Indian cricket. He surpassed Dhoni to become the most successful Test captain the country has ever produced and also became the most successful Test captain in Asia. Kohli led India to some memorable wins both at home and away from home, including a historic Test series win in Australia Down Under. Under Kohli's captaincy, India had won their maiden Test series on Australian soil in 2019. He also led India to the final of the World Test Championship last year.

11 years of Virat Kohli in Test cricket: Former India captain shares special video to relive memorable journey

India and South Africa were involved in a closely-fought five-match T20I series in the former's own backyard, which ended tamely with the fifth and final encounter being abandoned on Sunday (June 19). Due to persistent rain in Bengaluru, the final match of the series led to a no-result, however, Rishabh Pant-led Men in Blue had a lot of takeaways from the series.

The return and form of Dinesh Karthik, who made a comeback in the Team India setup after almost three years, made heads turn. DK returned with a tough 21-ball 30* in the second T20I and was the Player-of-the-Match in the fourth and final encounter, in Rajkot, which helped India level the series 2-2 before the final game resulted in no winner. Thus, calls have intensified for him to be a part of Rohit Sharma-led India's 2022 T20 World Cup squad.

DK had a splendid IPL 2022 season as well, returning with 330 runs at a strike rate of 183.33. Thus, he carried his form for India whereas Rishabh Pant fell flat with the bat in the SA series, ending with scores of&nbsp;29, 5, 6, 17 and 1*. He&nbsp;had a decent IPL 15, scoring 340 runs at 151.78 but hardly&nbsp;made match-winning contributions, unlike DK.

Thus, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan -- who was part of MS Dhoni-led India's victorious 2007 T20 World Cup squad and ended as the Player-of-the-Match in the finale -- picked his ideal XI for Rohit &amp; Co., naming DK over Pant.

ALSO READ&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-netizens-divided-over-ruturaj-gaikwads-behaviour-with-groundsman-in-bengaluru-t20i-489830">WATCH: Netizens divided over Ruturaj Gaikwad's behaviour with groundsman in Bengaluru T20I</a>

Speaking to&nbsp;Star Sports,&nbsp;Pathan picked star batters KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the top 3 of his World Cup playing XI. “In Australia, you need powerful starts because the ball swings and seams a lot. So you need a player who has a lot of experience,” Pathan said. "Kohli may not have performed well so far but in Australia, he has scored a lot of runs,” he added.

Further, after picking the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, Irfan chose DK over Pant and mentioned his all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel (who can bat a bit) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar before ending his XI with&nbsp;Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dinesh-karthik-the-finisher-who-is-far-from-finished-489375">Dinesh Karthik: The finisher who is far from finished</a>

Irfan Pathan's India XI for 2022 T20 World Cup:&nbsp;KL Rahul, (C) Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.

India and South Africa were involved in a closely-fought five-match T20I series in the former's own backyard, which ended tamely with the fifth and final encounter being abandoned on Sunday (June 19).

India and South Africa were involved in a closely-fought five-match T20I series in the former's own backyard, which ended tamely with the fifth and final encounter being abandoned on Sunday (June 19). Due to persistent rain in Bengaluru, the final match of the series led to a no-result, however, Rishabh Pant-led Men in Blue had a lot of takeaways from the series. The return and form of Dinesh Karthik, who made a comeback in the Team India setup after almost three years, made heads turn. DK returned with a tough 21-ball 30* in the second T20I and was the Player-of-the-Match in the fourth and final encounter, in Rajkot, which helped India level the series 2-2 before the final game resulted in no winner. Thus, calls have intensified for him to be a part of Rohit Sharma-led India's 2022 T20 World Cup squad. DK had a splendid IPL 2022 season as well, returning with 330 runs at a strike rate of 183.33. Thus, he carried his form for India whereas Rishabh Pant fell flat with the bat in the SA series, ending with scores of 29, 5, 6, 17 and 1*. He had a decent IPL 15, scoring 340 runs at 151.78 but hardly made match-winning contributions, unlike DK. Thus, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan -- who was part of MS Dhoni-led India's victorious 2007 T20 World Cup squad and ended as the Player-of-the-Match in the finale -- picked his ideal XI for Rohit & Co., naming DK over Pant. ALSO READ | WATCH: Netizens divided over Ruturaj Gaikwad's behaviour with groundsman in Bengaluru T20I Speaking to Star Sports, Pathan picked star batters KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the top 3 of his World Cup playing XI. “In Australia, you need powerful starts because the ball swings and seams a lot. So you need a player who has a lot of experience,” Pathan said. "Kohli may not have performed well so far but in Australia, he has scored a lot of runs,” he added. Further, after picking the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, Irfan chose DK over Pant and mentioned his all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel (who can bat a bit) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar before ending his XI with Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah. ALSO READ | Dinesh Karthik: The finisher who is far from finished Irfan Pathan's India XI for 2022 T20 World Cup: KL Rahul, (C) Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.

Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik? Irfan Pathan names his choice while picking Rohit & Co.'s ideal T20 WC XI

India legend Rahul Dravid has had to work with a number of different captains since taking over as the head coach of the Indian cricket team last year. Dravid was appointed as the coach of the Men in Blue after former head coach Ravi Shastri's contract expired following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. Dravid has seen overseen a huge transition in Indian cricket.

After Shastri's departure, Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the Indian T20I team before he was also asked to let go of Test and ODI captaincy paving way for Rohit Sharma to take over as India's captain across all three formats. However, with injuries and COVID-19 still wreaking havoc, Dravid has had to work with not just Kohli and Rohit but many other players leading the side.

Opening up about the regular changes in the leadership of the Indian team, head coach Dravid said it is not something that the team management had planned for but it has been due to COVID, injuries and workload management that a number of captains have had to be installed over the last few months.

"Probably been 6 captains in the last 8 months that I have had to work it. Which wasn't the plan when I first started. But it is the nature of COVID, the nature of the number of games we play, it is about managing the workload of the squad," Dravid said on Star Sports ahead of the start of India's 5th T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru on Sunday (June 19)

"Few changes in captaincy means I have had to work with quite a few people over the last few months which in itself has been challenging but great fun too. It's good a lot of guys have got to lead the team and given us the opportunity to create leaders in the group," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-has-already-booked-his-place-in-t20-wc-2022-squad-ashish-nehra-makes-bold-claim-about-india-star-489726">He has already booked his place in T20 WC 2022 squad: Nehra makes bold claim about Dinesh Karthik</a>

While Rishabh Pant is leading the side in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa after Rohit was rested and KL Rahul got injured ahead of the series-opener, Dravid had worked with Kohli during the South Africa Test series before Rahul led the side in his absence.

Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane also led the team in a Test match against New Zealand last year in the absence of both Kohli and Rohit while Dravid had also worked with Shikhar Dhawan during India's tour of Sri Lanka last year before being appointed as India's head coach permanently.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-still-have-some-cricket-left-rohit-sharmas-old-chat-with-dinesh-karthik-goes-viral-after-his-comeback-489664">'You still have some cricket left': Rohit's old chat with Dinesh Karthik goes viral after his comeback</a>

India are currently taking on South Africa in a five-match T20I series at home which is locked at 1-1 after the hosts defeated the Proteas in back-to-back matches following two losses on the trot in the first two games. India will be hoping to clinch the series by winning their third game on the bounce when they take on South Africa in the 5th T20I on Sunday.

India legend Rahul Dravid has had to work with a number of different captains since taking over as the head coach of the Indian cricket team last year. Dravid was appointed as the coach of the Men in Blue after former head coach Ravi Shastri's contract expired following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year.

India legend Rahul Dravid has had to work with a number of different captains since taking over as the head coach of the Indian cricket team last year. Dravid was appointed as the coach of the Men in Blue after former head coach Ravi Shastri's contract expired following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 last year. Dravid has seen overseen a huge transition in Indian cricket. After Shastri's departure, Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the Indian T20I team before he was also asked to let go of Test and ODI captaincy paving way for Rohit Sharma to take over as India's captain across all three formats. However, with injuries and COVID-19 still wreaking havoc, Dravid has had to work with not just Kohli and Rohit but many other players leading the side. Opening up about the regular changes in the leadership of the Indian team, head coach Dravid said it is not something that the team management had planned for but it has been due to COVID, injuries and workload management that a number of captains have had to be installed over the last few months. "Probably been 6 captains in the last 8 months that I have had to work it. Which wasn't the plan when I first started. But it is the nature of COVID, the nature of the number of games we play, it is about managing the workload of the squad," Dravid said on Star Sports ahead of the start of India's 5th T20I against South Africa in Bengaluru on Sunday (June 19) "Few changes in captaincy means I have had to work with quite a few people over the last few months which in itself has been challenging but great fun too. It's good a lot of guys have got to lead the team and given us the opportunity to create leaders in the group," he added. Also Read: He has already booked his place in T20 WC 2022 squad: Nehra makes bold claim about Dinesh Karthik While Rishabh Pant is leading the side in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa after Rohit was rested and KL Rahul got injured ahead of the series-opener, Dravid had worked with Kohli during the South Africa Test series before Rahul led the side in his absence. Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane also led the team in a Test match against New Zealand last year in the absence of both Kohli and Rohit while Dravid had also worked with Shikhar Dhawan during India's tour of Sri Lanka last year before being appointed as India's head coach permanently. Also Read: 'You still have some cricket left': Rohit's old chat with Dinesh Karthik goes viral after his comeback India are currently taking on South Africa in a five-match T20I series at home which is locked at 1-1 after the hosts defeated the Proteas in back-to-back matches following two losses on the trot in the first two games. India will be hoping to clinch the series by winning their third game on the bounce when they take on South Africa in the 5th T20I on Sunday.

'Wasn't the plan': Rahul Dravid opens up on working with 6 different captains as India head coach

From Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag, here's a look at the top five Indian batsmen with the most international hundreds.

From Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag: Most int'l 100s by Indian batters

India and Australia played a humdinger of a four-match Test in 2020-21. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, India stormed their way back following a disastrous performance in the opening Test, in Adelaide, to first level the series in Melbourne, secure a draw in the third and penultimate Test before winning the series decider at The Gabba, Brisbane.

Moreover, India's victory came sans then regular captain Virat Kohli, who only captained the team in the series opener before returning back to India for the birth of his first child. Hence, then vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane stepped up as a leader, marshalled his troops, led from the front with a memorable 112 at the MCG as India won their second successive Test series on Australian soil.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, the series didn't start well for Rahane. On Day 1 of the opening Test, Rahane-Kohli were going well, after India opted to bat first in Adelaide, as visitors&nbsp;were 188-3 during the final session. With a handy 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, Kohli-Rahane were dictating terms before a horrible mix-up led to the skipper's dismissal (74).

Rahane&nbsp;drove a Nathan Lyon delivery to the left of mid-off and ran before bailing out, leaving Kohli stranded in the middle. Thus, the right-hander recently recalled the horrible run-out and revealed how it affected him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-he-still-playing-cricket-with-same-motivation-afridi-talks-about-attitude-as-he-dwells-on-kohlis-form-488449">'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form</a>

"I don’t think I can ever forget that moment, or anyone can. When the ball hit my bat, I didn’t realise how well I had timed the ball. And I thought it was an easy single, it was an instinctive call, but when I took a couple of steps, then I realised the ball was next to Josh Hazlewood who was a mid-on. It was right under his hand," Rahane revealed in the first episode of Voot Select's series, Bandon mein tha dum.

"Then I had to say no. Even before Kohli got out, I knew that this could be a game-changing moment and that’s when I had that reaction. I immediately said sorry to him. I knew it could have been the turning point in the game, and that’s what happened. My mind was continuously thinking of that run-out. Generally, I play that ball to mid-on (on his own dismissal, off Mitchell Starc) but because of what happened 2-3 overs, my mind was completely blank," mentioned Rahane who fell for 42 soon after Kohli's departure.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-vice-captain-kl-rahul-to-miss-england-tour-to-leave-for-germany-for-treatment-report-488733">Indian vice-captain KL Rahul to miss England tour, to leave for Germany for treatment: Report</a>

"When I went inside the dressing room, I went to him and 'said sorry'. He said 'it's fine, these things happen, don't worry. We have the second innings, we will stitch another partnership and take the team forward'. But somehow, I felt from the inside that it was the moment that could change the game. Had that run-out not happened, the game could have gone in a different direction," Rahane added.

From 188-3, India were dismissed for 244 all-out and despite a vital 53-run lead, the visitors fell for 36 in their second essay to lose the first Test by eight wickets. While many had predicted a whitewash of the Indians following the result, with them also being without Kohli, however, Rahane &amp; Co. stunned one and all and went onto claim the series 2-1.

India and Australia played a humdinger of a four-match Test in 2020-21. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, India stormed their way back following a disastrous performance in the opening Test, in Adelaide, to first level the series in Melbourne, secure a draw in the third and penultimate Test before winning the series decider at The Gabba, Brisbane.

India and Australia played a humdinger of a four-match Test in 2020-21. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, India stormed their way back following a disastrous performance in the opening Test, in Adelaide, to first level the series in Melbourne, secure a draw in the third and penultimate Test before winning the series decider at The Gabba, Brisbane. Moreover, India's victory came sans then regular captain Virat Kohli, who only captained the team in the series opener before returning back to India for the birth of his first child. Hence, then vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane stepped up as a leader, marshalled his troops, led from the front with a memorable 112 at the MCG as India won their second successive Test series on Australian soil. Nonetheless, the series didn't start well for Rahane. On Day 1 of the opening Test, Rahane-Kohli were going well, after India opted to bat first in Adelaide, as visitors were 188-3 during the final session. With a handy 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, Kohli-Rahane were dictating terms before a horrible mix-up led to the skipper's dismissal (74). Rahane drove a Nathan Lyon delivery to the left of mid-off and ran before bailing out, leaving Kohli stranded in the middle. Thus, the right-hander recently recalled the horrible run-out and revealed how it affected him. ALSO READ | 'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form "I don’t think I can ever forget that moment, or anyone can. When the ball hit my bat, I didn’t realise how well I had timed the ball. And I thought it was an easy single, it was an instinctive call, but when I took a couple of steps, then I realised the ball was next to Josh Hazlewood who was a mid-on. It was right under his hand," Rahane revealed in the first episode of Voot Select's series, Bandon mein tha dum. "Then I had to say no. Even before Kohli got out, I knew that this could be a game-changing moment and that’s when I had that reaction. I immediately said sorry to him. I knew it could have been the turning point in the game, and that’s what happened. My mind was continuously thinking of that run-out. Generally, I play that ball to mid-on (on his own dismissal, off Mitchell Starc) but because of what happened 2-3 overs, my mind was completely blank," mentioned Rahane who fell for 42 soon after Kohli's departure. ALSO READ | Indian vice-captain KL Rahul to miss England tour, to leave for Germany for treatment: Report "When I went inside the dressing room, I went to him and 'said sorry'. He said 'it's fine, these things happen, don't worry. We have the second innings, we will stitch another partnership and take the team forward'. But somehow, I felt from the inside that it was the moment that could change the game. Had that run-out not happened, the game could have gone in a different direction," Rahane added. From 188-3, India were dismissed for 244 all-out and despite a vital 53-run lead, the visitors fell for 36 in their second essay to lose the first Test by eight wickets. While many had predicted a whitewash of the Indians following the result, with them also being without Kohli, however, Rahane & Co. stunned one and all and went onto claim the series 2-1.

'I knew this could be a game-changing moment' - Rahane recalls mix-up with Virat Kohli in Adelaide Test

KL Rahul has been in form for Team India, and also in the IPL, whereas he has also raised his stature by becoming Rohit Sharma's deputy across formats since the start of the year. When the Rohit Sharma-less Indian T20I squad was announced by the BCCI, for the ongoing home series versus South Africa, Rahul was set to lead India for the first in the shortest format.

However, Rahul picked up a groin injury and was ruled out. While he was racing against time to be fit for the forthcoming England tour, he is now set to miss the whole trip and will travel to Germany for treatment by end of this month or early July.&nbsp;Confirming the development to Cricbuzz, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah told Cricbuzz, "That is correct, the board is working on his fitness and he will be going to Germany soon."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/vice-captain-kl-rahul-set-to-undergo-fitness-test-on-june-18-for-one-off-red-ball-match-vs-england-report-488492">Vice-captain KL Rahul set to undergo fitness test on June 18 for one-off red-ball match vs England: Report</a>

<section itemprop="articleBody">
The obvious implication of the overseas treatment is that the Indian vice-captain Rahul will miss the England tour, where Rohit &amp; Co.&nbsp;are set to play the rescheduled fifth and final Test, from last year's series, and three T20Is and ODIs each. The tour will kick off with the one-off Test, in Edgbaston, on July 01 whereas the white-ball matches will take place from July 07-17. In Rahul's absence, the Indian selectors will have to name Rohit's deputy and there are high chances that the post will go to pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has&nbsp;served as the vice-captain earlier&nbsp;in Rahul or Rohit's absence.&nbsp;

Rahul's absence will surely hurt the visitors, who also was their second-highest run-getter (third overall) in the four Tests --&nbsp;of the five-match series -- played between India and hosts England last year.
</section>

KL Rahul has been in form for Team India, and also in the IPL, whereas he has also raised his stature by becoming Rohit Sharma's deputy across formats since the start of the year.

KL Rahul has been in form for Team India, and also in the IPL, whereas he has also raised his stature by becoming Rohit Sharma's deputy across formats since the start of the year. When the Rohit Sharma-less Indian T20I squad was announced by the BCCI, for the ongoing home series versus South Africa, Rahul was set to lead India for the first in the shortest format. However, Rahul picked up a groin injury and was ruled out. While he was racing against time to be fit for the forthcoming England tour, he is now set to miss the whole trip and will travel to Germany for treatment by end of this month or early July. Confirming the development to Cricbuzz, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah told Cricbuzz, "That is correct, the board is working on his fitness and he will be going to Germany soon." ALSO READ | Vice-captain KL Rahul set to undergo fitness test on June 18 for one-off red-ball match vs England: Report The obvious implication of the overseas treatment is that the Indian vice-captain Rahul will miss the England tour, where Rohit & Co. are set to play the rescheduled fifth and final Test, from last year's series, and three T20Is and ODIs each. The tour will kick off with the one-off Test, in Edgbaston, on July 01 whereas the white-ball matches will take place from July 07-17. In Rahul's absence, the Indian selectors will have to name Rohit's deputy and there are high chances that the post will go to pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has served as the vice-captain earlier in Rahul or Rohit's absence. Rahul's absence will surely hurt the visitors, who also was their second-highest run-getter (third overall) in the four Tests -- of the five-match series -- played between India and hosts England last year.

Indian vice-captain KL Rahul to miss England tour, to leave for Germany for treatment: Report

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has surpassed Virat Kohli to get to the second spot in the ICC One Day International Batter Rankings. The southpaw was earlier in third place in the rankings just below his captain Babar Azam and the former India skipper Virat Kohli. A brilliant performance in the home series has brought him four points clear of Kohli at number two, a career-best ranking for him. Imam inspired Pakistan to clean sweep West Indies 3-0 in the recent ODI series at home, smashing three half-centuries. His form was duly rewarded as he won the Player of the Series award and made a move on the latest rankings that were released on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old jumped a massive 20 rating points to move in front of Kohli and now has a career-best mark of 815 rating points. That is, of course, still well behind Babar`s mark of 892, with the Pakistan captain holding his massive lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings following his 17th ODI century in the first match against West Indies. Kohli, who was only second to Babar in the rankings now sits at the third spot with 811 points, just above India`s current ODI captain, Rohit Sharma.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-has-almost-overtaken-his-next-door-neighbour-virat-kohli-feels-former-wi-pacer-488693">Babar Azam has 'almost overtaken' his next-door neighbour Virat Kohli, feels former WI pacer</a>

There were some other minor moves in the top 10, with Aaron Finch going to ninth spot as his Australia team-mate David Warner dropped to 10th - while England`s Jonny Bairstow fell two places to eighth and South Africa`s Rassie van der Dussen hopped a spot to seventh.Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi jumped two places to fourth following his good series with the ball against West Indies. New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult remains on top of the bowler rankings, but Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood and Kiwi team-mate Matt Henry are closing in after they jumped one spot to second and third respectively. England pacer Chris Woakes was out of the top five as he fell four spots to equal sixth, tied with Mujeeb Ur Rahman after the Afghanistan spinner rose two places.

In the ranking for all-rounders, the biggest mover is Oman`s Zeeshan Maqsood, jumping 13 places to 10th following a string of outstanding performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 action.The experienced 34-year-old scored an unbeaten century against Nepal earlier this month and then backed that up with a four-wicket haul with the ball in Oman`s match against the USA.

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has surpassed Virat Kohli to get to the second spot in the ICC One Day International Batter Rankings. The southpaw was earlier in third place in the rankings just below his captain Babar Azam and the former India skipper Virat Kohli.

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has surpassed Virat Kohli to get to the second spot in the ICC One Day International Batter Rankings. The southpaw was earlier in third place in the rankings just below his captain Babar Azam and the former India skipper Virat Kohli. A brilliant performance in the home series has brought him four points clear of Kohli at number two, a career-best ranking for him. Imam inspired Pakistan to clean sweep West Indies 3-0 in the recent ODI series at home, smashing three half-centuries. His form was duly rewarded as he won the Player of the Series award and made a move on the latest rankings that were released on Wednesday. The 26-year-old jumped a massive 20 rating points to move in front of Kohli and now has a career-best mark of 815 rating points. That is, of course, still well behind Babar`s mark of 892, with the Pakistan captain holding his massive lead at the top of the ODI batter rankings following his 17th ODI century in the first match against West Indies. Kohli, who was only second to Babar in the rankings now sits at the third spot with 811 points, just above India`s current ODI captain, Rohit Sharma. ALSO READ | Babar Azam has 'almost overtaken' his next-door neighbour Virat Kohli, feels former WI pacer There were some other minor moves in the top 10, with Aaron Finch going to ninth spot as his Australia team-mate David Warner dropped to 10th - while England`s Jonny Bairstow fell two places to eighth and South Africa`s Rassie van der Dussen hopped a spot to seventh.Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi jumped two places to fourth following his good series with the ball against West Indies. New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult remains on top of the bowler rankings, but Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood and Kiwi team-mate Matt Henry are closing in after they jumped one spot to second and third respectively. England pacer Chris Woakes was out of the top five as he fell four spots to equal sixth, tied with Mujeeb Ur Rahman after the Afghanistan spinner rose two places. In the ranking for all-rounders, the biggest mover is Oman`s Zeeshan Maqsood, jumping 13 places to 10th following a string of outstanding performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 action.The experienced 34-year-old scored an unbeaten century against Nepal earlier this month and then backed that up with a four-wicket haul with the ball in Oman`s match against the USA.

ICC ODI Rankings: Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq overtakes Virat Kohli, Babar Azam firm on top

Babar Azam has been in sensational form of late. The Pakistan captain has been on a run-scoring spree in all forms of the game. The 27-year-old has been backed by many former cricketers to be included in the Fab Four, with Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson&nbsp;struggling for form (barring Joe Root who is in red-hot form) whereas some feel it should ideally be expanded and renamed Fab Five, including the Pakistani.

While Babar's form has been unreal, recently he became the first-ever batsman to register nine fifty-plus scores across formats, his next-door neighbour Kohli has struggled to be at his best. The 33-year-old has still scored runs in the white-ball formats, he has failed to convert them into daddy hundreds whereas he averaged only above 25 in Tests last year. Overall, Babar has been scoring hundreds for fun whereas Kohli hasn't scored a&nbsp;hundred&nbsp;in any format, at any level, since November 2019.

Thus, former West Indies pacer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop lauded Babar and stated that the Pakistani has 'almost overtaken' Kohli, especially in ODIs, and is on the cusp of greatness going ahead.

"I want to be clear when I say 'on the road to...', in the white-ball cricket at least, and certainly in fifty overs. I don't use the term ‘great’ loosely. It has to be a bigger sample size to bestow greatness on a player, but his average, as we speak now, (is) on the cusp on 60 with 17 ODI hundreds. He has almost overtaken his next-door neighbour, the great Virat Kohli, in terms of the ultimate fifty-over batsman,” Bishop said during a conversation with&nbsp;cricwick.com.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pcb-unhappy-with-ipls-two-and-a-half-month-window-discussion-likely-in-iccs-board-meeting-488656">PCB unhappy with IPL's 'two-and-a-half month window'? Discussion likely in ICC's board meeting</a>

“His Test cricket is a work in progress. I'm surprised he hasn't taken to Test cricket numbers a lot earlier. He's starting to get better at it. Technically, he's superb. In future, I'm hoping he will be mentioned in the same breath in Test cricket as the top 3-4 players,” Bishop added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-he-still-playing-cricket-with-same-motivation-afridi-talks-about-attitude-as-he-dwells-on-kohlis-form-488449">'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form</a>

Babar has also been on a winning spree as Pakistan's captain, especially&nbsp;in the 50-over format in recent times. After Pakistan lost the home Tests versus Australia, 1-0, they beat the five-time World Cup winners 2-1 in three ODIs in their own backyard and whitewashed West Indies in an equal number of ODIs, in Multan, which concluded on June 12.

Meanwhile, the wait for Kohli's 71st international hundred continues. He will next be seen in action for Team India during their rescheduled fifth and final Test versus England, in Edgbaston, on July 01.

Babar Azam has been in sensational form of late. The Pakistan captain has been on a run-scoring spree in all forms of the game. The 27-year-old has been backed by many former cricketers to be included in the Fab Four, with Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson struggling for form (barring Joe Root who is in red-hot form) whereas some feel it should ideally be expanded and renamed Fab Five, including the Pakistani.

Babar Azam has been in sensational form of late. The Pakistan captain has been on a run-scoring spree in all forms of the game. The 27-year-old has been backed by many former cricketers to be included in the Fab Four, with Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson struggling for form (barring Joe Root who is in red-hot form) whereas some feel it should ideally be expanded and renamed Fab Five, including the Pakistani. While Babar's form has been unreal, recently he became the first-ever batsman to register nine fifty-plus scores across formats, his next-door neighbour Kohli has struggled to be at his best. The 33-year-old has still scored runs in the white-ball formats, he has failed to convert them into daddy hundreds whereas he averaged only above 25 in Tests last year. Overall, Babar has been scoring hundreds for fun whereas Kohli hasn't scored a hundred in any format, at any level, since November 2019. Thus, former West Indies pacer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop lauded Babar and stated that the Pakistani has 'almost overtaken' Kohli, especially in ODIs, and is on the cusp of greatness going ahead. "I want to be clear when I say 'on the road to...', in the white-ball cricket at least, and certainly in fifty overs. I don't use the term ‘great’ loosely. It has to be a bigger sample size to bestow greatness on a player, but his average, as we speak now, (is) on the cusp on 60 with 17 ODI hundreds. He has almost overtaken his next-door neighbour, the great Virat Kohli, in terms of the ultimate fifty-over batsman,” Bishop said during a conversation with cricwick.com. ALSO READ | PCB unhappy with IPL's 'two-and-a-half month window'? Discussion likely in ICC's board meeting “His Test cricket is a work in progress. I'm surprised he hasn't taken to Test cricket numbers a lot earlier. He's starting to get better at it. Technically, he's superb. In future, I'm hoping he will be mentioned in the same breath in Test cricket as the top 3-4 players,” Bishop added. ALSO READ | 'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form Babar has also been on a winning spree as Pakistan's captain, especially in the 50-over format in recent times. After Pakistan lost the home Tests versus Australia, 1-0, they beat the five-time World Cup winners 2-1 in three ODIs in their own backyard and whitewashed West Indies in an equal number of ODIs, in Multan, which concluded on June 12. Meanwhile, the wait for Kohli's 71st international hundred continues. He will next be seen in action for Team India during their rescheduled fifth and final Test versus England, in Edgbaston, on July 01.

Babar Azam has 'almost overtaken' his next-door neighbour Virat Kohli, feels former WI pacer

BCCI on Wednesday appointed allrounder Hardik Pandya as the captain of the Indian cricket team for the T20I series against Ireland. Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title, will captain India in absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. The 35-year-old Sharma along with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami, Rishabh Pant and others will be in England for the rescheduled 5th Test when another Indian squad will play T20Is in Ireland. 
 
The 17-member squad for the series against Ireland, also have a place for Rahul Tripathi, who has done consistently well in IPL. Sanju Samson has also been recalled to the side after being neglected for the series against South Africa. 
 
India will play two T20Is on June 26th and 28th in Dublin.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-he-still-playing-cricket-with-same-motivation-afridi-talks-about-attitude-as-he-dwells-on-kohlis-form-488449">'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form</a>

India`s T20I squad: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik

BCCI on Wednesday appointed allrounder Hardik Pandya as the captain of the Indian cricket team for the T20I series against Ireland. Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title, will captain India in absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma.

BCCI on Wednesday appointed allrounder Hardik Pandya as the captain of the Indian cricket team for the T20I series against Ireland. Pandya, who led Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title, will captain India in absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. The 35-year-old Sharma along with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami, Rishabh Pant and others will be in England for the rescheduled 5th Test when another Indian squad will play T20Is in Ireland. The 17-member squad for the series against Ireland, also have a place for Rahul Tripathi, who has done consistently well in IPL. Sanju Samson has also been recalled to the side after being neglected for the series against South Africa. India will play two T20Is on June 26th and 28th in Dublin. ALSO READ | 'Is he still playing cricket with same motivation?' Afridi talks about 'attitude' as he dwells on Kohli's form India`s T20I squad: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik

Hardik Pandya appointed Team India skipper for T20Is versus Ireland

virat-kohli

Virat Kohli, News on Virat Kohli, stories on Virat Kohli, articles on Virat Kohli, Virat Kohli stories at Wion, Virat Kohli news, Virat Kohli latest news

virat kohli