Page 3 - India Cricket Team

IND vs AFG Test: Manav Suthar becomes 319th player to debut for India

Manav is the first specialist spinner to make his India debut in red-ball cricket since Axar Patel in 2021

"I love that," says India coach Gambhir on ICC's pink-ball experiment

Gambhir said teams should have every opportunity to complete matches rather than see valuable playing time lost to bad light

India vs Afghanistan one-off Test playing 11, live match time, streaming

The last time the two sides played a Test match against each other was back in 2018, when India secured a mammoth innings-and-262-run win over Afghanistan

Saba Karim backs Kohli but says Rohit has work to do for 2027 World Cup

Virat Kohli's fitness and hunger for runs have "completely convinced" the Indian selectors but former captain Rohit Sharma will have to prove his fitness and form if he has to be picked in the side for the 2027 ODI World Cup, says former cricketer and selector Saba Karim. Kohli and Rohit have both retired from the other formats and next year's 50-overs World Cup is being perceived as their final act before walking away from the only format they play for India. "I think Rohit has to do a lot of hard work. He has to work on his fitness levels and on his batting performance," Karim told PTI in an exclusive interaction. "I think selectors will be keenly watching Rohit's performance for the next six months to decide whether he can be part of the equation or not. (But) for Virat Kohli, I am sure that they are completely convinced that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup set-up." " because through his performances and fitness level, (and) through his hunger for runs, he has shown all

WTC-bound India search for missing pieces against resilient Afghanistan

Battling demons of a horrendous home Test run in the not so distant past but nevertheless a formidable unit, India are pitted against a plucky Afghanistan in a one-off Test here that might help the hosts figure out a balanced combination, starting Saturday. In 2018, Afghanistan lost 10 wickets in a session between lunch and tea on the second day of the Test against India. The next 10 fell by the wayside between tea and end of day's play which also was end of the game. In 2026, Hashmatullah Shahidi would want his team to at least stretch the home side which is going through a tough transition phase and will be in experimental mode during this game trying different combinations. However, the Indians would not have forgotten the 0-2 drubbing handed by a meticulously prepared South Africa last year and would do well to not take the opposition lightly despite the gulf in experience. Sai or Dev? That's the question ==================== A stable No.3 and Ravindra Jadeja's potential succ

Mandhana and Shafali vital for India's T20 World Cup success: Edulji

Former captain Diana Edulji believes openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma finding form quickly will be imperative and crucial to India's chances of winning the Women's T20 World Cup. India head into the global showpiece, scheduled to be played from June 12 to July 5 after suffering a 1-2 T20I series defeat to the tournament hosts England, with both Mandhana (40 runs) and Verma (35) enduring a lean patch with the bat. "Though it was not a very good series, we have lost 2-1, we need to just focus on our opening partnership," Edulji told PTI Videos on the sidelines of the launch of BBC Research's report on Indian women in sport. "Smriti and Shafali need to get quickly into form, and once they start getting into form, I think that will help India win (at the T20 World Cup)," she added. Edulji ruled out the notion of a tough draw for India who are placed in Group 1 along with six-times champion Australia and even South Africa, stressing that T20 cricket often produces surprises wit

UK tour could mark Shreyas Iyer's first assignment as T20I captain: Report

Shreyas Iyer will formally replace Suryakumar Yadav as India's new T20 captain when the national selection panel meets here on Saturday to finalise squads for the white-ball tour of the UK and the subsequent Asian Games in Japan. The tour of UK will feature a couple of T20 Internationals against Ireland on June 26 and 28 in Belfast followed by a trip to England for five T20Is and three ODIS beginning July 1. The Asian Games will take place in September-October in Aichi-Nagoya and the squad is being announced early to meet the deadlines set by the event organisers. It is expected that young Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma will be the new vice-captain, while 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will earn his maiden senior team call-up. As PTI had reported on Wednesday, Suyakumar is not only being sacked as India captain despite winning the T20 World Cup earlier this year, he is also being dropped from the squad for his poor form over the last 18 months during which he

India should stick with someone at no. 3: Assistant coach Ten Doeschate

India's assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate conceded that too many players have batted at number three in Test matches after Cheteshwar Pujara's retirement and it was time that either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal is given a long rope at the key batting position. Pujara announced his retirement in 2025 but last played in white flannels for India in the WTC final in 2023. Since then Shubman Gill, Padikkal, Sudharsan, Karun Nair and Washington Sundar have all been tried in that position. Sudharsan has played six Tests and has managed a not-so-impressive average of 27 plus. "There's been a lot of changes in that spot and and that's not ideal, you know. You need to look at the incumbents for that role and and maybe stick with someone," Ten Doeschate said at a press conference on Thursday. While both Sudharsan and Padikkal have been getting long rope at nets, Ten Doeschate didnt want to spill the beans about the one who would make it. On the day, during slip formation, Padikkal was

Rishabh doesn't need a formal title to lead: Assistant coach Ten Doeschate

The lofted strokes still carry the same thrill, but two days before his landmark 50th Test appearance, Rishabh Pant was seen embracing a different approach. During India's training session ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter appeared more measured, both in body language and intent, seemingly heeding the advice of head coach Gautam Gambhir. It is no secret within Indian cricket circles that Gambhir was deeply frustrated by Pant's reckless shot selection during India's previous red-ball outing against South Africa in Guwahati. Pant's dismissal in both innings became a major talking point, drawing criticism at a time when the team expected greater responsibility from one of its senior players. And when Pant was seen negotiating spinners during the nets, the intent was on rock solid defence with Gambhir's hawk-eye prying on him from behind the nets. The head down copybook front-foot defence and backfoot defence were on display time and again.

Virat Kohli ruled out of IND vs AFG ODIs due to hamstring injury: Report

Kohli's absence is expected to reduce the spotlight on the Afghanistan series, given his enduring popularity among cricket fans across the world.

Suryakumar Yadav set to lose T20I captaincy despite T20 WC success: Reports

Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma have emerged as leading contenders to take over if India opt for a leadership change

New Zealand vs India all-format series schedule, venue, live streaming

The upcoming tour will break new ground for New Zealand Cricket, marking the highest number of men's international matches the country has staged against a single visiting side.

Hardik set to undergo fitness test at BCCI CoE ahead of Afghanistan ODIs

Hardik has not played 50-over cricket for the Men in Blue in almost a year, as his last appearance in the format came in 2025 during the ICC Champions Trophy

Why IND vs AFG Test will not be counted in World Test Championship cycle

The current WTC regulations do not allow one-off Test matches to be part of the WTC. Every WTC contest must be played as a series of at least two Tests

Gurjapneet, Nabi included as BCCI announces net bowlers for IND vs AFG Test

The net bowlers will assist the Indian squad during preparations for only the second-ever Test between India and Afghanistan

India to England: Squads of all 12 teams for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 will feature a total of 12 teams divided into two groups of six teams each

Harsh, Gurnoor get maiden call-up as BCCI announces squad IND vs AFG series

Rajasthan-based Manav Suthar has also received his maiden national call-up for the one-off Test between India and Afghanistan, starting June 6

Sri Lanka vs India Test series to take place between August 15-27: Report

The Tests are expected to take place after the conclusion of the Lanka Premier League, which ends on August 9

Virat Kohli confirms his desire to represent India in 2027 ODI World Cup

Kohli said his approach towards the game had remained unchanged despite spending years at the international level

Sooryavanshi gets maiden India A call-up for SL tri-series, Tilak to lead

Teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was on Thursday named in the 15-member India A squad for the tri-nation 50-over series in Sri Lanka, starting June 9. Apart from the hosts, the other team in the tournament is Afghanistan A. The matches will be played in Dambulla. India A will also play two multi-day (4-day) 'Tests' in Galle but the squad for that will be announced later. It is understood that Sooryavanshi has been included as selectors wanted to give him a chance to check him out with the Pathways squad (India A) before he is picked for the senior team for the upcoming tour of the United Kingdom (Ireland and England) starting June 26. The tri-nation series ends on June 21. A look at the 15-member squad indicates that average age of the team is around 23 years. Only the pace bowlers Arshad Khan, Yudhvir Singh and Yash Thakur are the ones who are above 25 years of age. None of the players in the squad are above 30 and all have been performers in Vijay Hazare Trophy (Nation