Cricket

West Indies tour of India 2022

On the eve of T20 series opener between India and West Indies, Rohit Sharma made a big statement on Virat Kohli's form. During the pre-match press conference, the newly recruited India skipper Rohit was asked questions regarding Virat's form, to which the 34-year-gave a witty reply.&nbsp;“I think it will start with you guys (media). If you guys can keep quiet for a while, then Virat Kohli will be fine and everything will be taken care of. He is in a great mental space, and he has been part of international cricket for more than a decade, when someone has spent such a long time in international cricket, they know to handle pressure situations. I think it all starts from you guys, if you can keep it quiet for a bit, everything will fall in place,” Rohit said.&nbsp;“Does Virat Kohli need confidence? What are you talking about? (chuckles) I think not scoring 100 is a different thing but he played a series in South Africa and scored two half-centuries in three matches. I don’t see anything wrong. And the team management is not at all worried about that," he further added.&nbsp;Rohit &amp; Co. blanked West Indies in a three-match ODI series and will look to carry the same momentum going forward in the T20 series. Kohli was dismissed on a two-ball duck in the third ODI last week and had just managed 8 and 18 in the previous two. However, in the team’s recent tour to South Africa, Kohli had scored 116 from three ODIs, which included two 50-plus scores.Kohli has not scored a hundred for more than two years in international cricket. In ODIs, it has been three years since his last century. He has 44 hundreds in the format overall. But Kohli has scored a lot of half centuries which is an indication that he is not exactly in wretched form.&nbsp;Earlier on Monday (February 14), off-spinner Washington Sundar was ruled out of the T20 series against the West Indies due to a hamstring injury, adding to his never-ending woes.&nbsp;&nbsp;India's batting coach Vikram Rathour also threw his weight behind Virat when he disagreed that the latter is going through a lean form.&nbsp;“I have had no specific conversation with Virat Kohli. I don’t think he has been going through a lean form as he has scored plenty of runs in ODI and T20s last year. Yes, he had a relatively poor series against the West Indies. But he has been batting well in the nets. I am certain that he will bounce back soon,” Rathour told the media during a virtual conference on Monday (February 14).&nbsp;Replying to a query on whether the Men in Blue would look to give games to everyone in the squad, Rohit said: “Yeah, the idea is to identify the players who are going to play the World Cup, try and give them game time. There are a lot of players who are injured, come the World Cup, I do not know who is going to be fit, so we just have to get everyone ready for any situation".&nbsp;“We have a very packed schedule and injuries are bound to happen, it is important that we give guys who are going to fill those roles, enough gametime. It is important that we use this series and the next series that will follow after this, to our good potential and see whoever are likely to have, what they can offer us,” he added.&nbsp;“There is so much dew, after 6 to 7 O’clock, a lot of dew comes into play. We have spoken about the dew factor,” Rohit said on the conditions at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.&nbsp;India's squad for T20 series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain) (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Kuldeep Yadav.&nbsp;West Indies' squad for T20 series: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jr.

west-indies-tour-of-india-6-feb-2022

If you guys can keep quiet for a while, Virat Kohli will be alright: Rohit Sharma

India's former skipper Virat Kohli failed to deliver with the bat in the three ODIs against West Indies. He was dismissed at the scores of 8, 18 &amp; 0 in the three matches which aggregated to 26 runs at an average of 8.6, however Rohit Sharma-led India went on to win the series 3-0.&nbsp;&nbsp;But for India's batting coach Vikram Rathour, Virat's form is still not in issue as he backed him to the hilt and expressed confidence that the superstar batter would be back among runs in the upcoming three-match T20 series against West Indies which will be played on February 16, 18 &amp; 20.&nbsp;&nbsp;Rathour said it does not mean lack of form as Kohli has been doing well in the nets.&nbsp;"I don't think he's going through a lean phase. I understand he had a poor series against the West Indies (in ODIs) but no conversation as such," Rathour said in a media interaction in the build-up to the three-match T20I series beginning at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.&nbsp;In ODIs, Kohli last scored a century against the West Indies in August 2019, in Port of Spain and since then, he has had 10 50-plus scores but failed to convert them into a ton.&nbsp;In the last 12 months, he has been part of nine ODIs and scored a total of 271 runs in them.&nbsp;"He's batting really well in the nets and the kind of preparation he's putting in. We are waiting for... I'm certain that in one of these innings he will be back among runs," the batting coach said, strongly backing the former skipper.&nbsp;Rathour felt the experiment to open with Rishabh Pant in T20Is is something which is undecided as of now.&nbsp;“We haven’t really decided that yet. We still have a couple of days to go. We had a travel and rest day yesterday. Today is our first practice day. Once we get to look at the wicket and the kind of surface we are playing at, we will see. We have options available. KL is out, I understand. But we have Ishan (Kishan) and Ruturaj (Gaikwad) in the mix. So, we will see what we feel like and what the team management feels like once we get closer to the game," he said.&nbsp;The series is seen as India's preparation for the T20 World Cup slated in Australia in October and Rathour said he's confident that the batters will put up a strong show Down Under.&nbsp;"With the batting that we have I don't think we have any issues. All our batters are capable of batting well in those conditions.&nbsp;"Of course that is the focus at the moment. We are working towards the World Cup in Australia...unfortunately we are struggling a little bit with the injuries at the moment, few people are missing out.&nbsp;"Till we have everybody available it's difficult to make sure what their role going to be. But so far that's the focus. We have started our preparation for Australia," he said.&nbsp;India squad for T20 series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel.&nbsp;West Indies squad for T20 series: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh Jr.

'I don't think he's going through a lean phase': India's batting coach throws weight behind Virat Kohli

The captaincy saga between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and former skipper Virat Kohli has been a point of debate for a long time and in a situation like this, Rohit Sharma is set to start his stint as full-time ODI captain as Indian team start the three-match ODI series against West Indies on February 6 (Sunday) in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;The Indian team will take on the West Indies in three ODIs and three T20Is in the upcoming series. The ODI series will take place in Ahmedabad and all the three T20I matches will be played in Kolkata. The T20I series is scheduled to start on February 16.&nbsp;Rohit speaksIn a situation like this, Rohit Sharma has opened up on the captaincy issue and he said that he just needs to “take it forward from Virat.”&nbsp;“I just need to take it forward from Virat. Everyone knows their roles, don't need to change much. Need to adapt according to situations. There's nothing that I need to change drastically,” Rohit said during a press conference.&nbsp;&nbsp;Test captaincyPreviously, Kohli had decided to step down as the leader of the Indian Test team just a day after India’s 2-1 Test series loss against South Africa. And since then a lot has been speculated about the new Test captain and invariably Rohit’s name has been in the rumours as well. While talking about the Test captaincy issue, Rohit said that “there's time for that” and currently his “focus is on limited overs cricket.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“There's time for that. My focus is on limited overs cricket. Workload &nbsp;management is important. We could lose a few series because we need to keep changing players, but we're ready for that.&nbsp;“There's not a lot we need to change. We just need to adapt to different situations. We have played good ODI cricket for more than a few days. There's no need to panic just because we lost one series. The SA series provided great learnings,” Rohit added.&nbsp;&nbsp;After the completion of West Indies series, Indian team will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series and three-match T20I series.&nbsp;

'There is time for that, my focus is on limited-overs cricket': Rohit Sharma's big statement on Test captaincy issue

Indian team under the leadership of Rohit Sharma will take on West Indies in a three-match ODI series and the first match of the series will take place on February 6 (Sunday), in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;But team India’s preparation faced a huge blow after their opening batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikawd were tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. In a situation like this, the Indian team management faced a big challenge to choose opening batsmen.&nbsp;&nbsp;No place for MayankMayank Agarwal was named as a replacement but he will not be available for the first match because of his mandatory quarantine.&nbsp;In a situation like this, Rohit opened up on the topic of opening batsmen and named Ishan Kishan as the opening batter. While talking on the issue, Rohit said that the Covid-19 pandemic has made things “tricky” and named Ishan Kishan as the opening batsman as Mayank will not be available for the first ODI.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It's tricky what's happening with Covid, to predict how long it'll take to recover. Our positive players are in isolation. Everyone knows they could get an opportunity at any time. We've made it clear anyone could have to perform any role,” Rohit said during a press conference.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Ishan Kishan will open the batting with me. Mayank Agarwal is still in quarantine,” Rohit added.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lack of experienceApart from the Covid-19 pandemic, Indian team face another big challenge and that is lack of experience in the side. And while talking about it, India’s limited-overs skipper did admit that 'the guys who are coming in now haven't played a lot of ODI cricket” but he also said that they “always have a Plan B.”&nbsp;“The guys who are coming in now haven't played a lot of ODI cricket. We have to support them to get adjusted. We have time and will try to do things differently over the next few months. If it works it works but we always have a Plan B.&nbsp;“Our top three batters have done well for the past many years. Young batters will keep getting opportunities in the future. Whoever does well will get opportunities. Shikhar and Ruturaj have Covid now so Ishan is getting a chance,” Rohit Said.&nbsp;

Rohit Sharma names this young Indian player as opening batsman in first ODI against West Indies as Mayank Agarwal still in quarantine

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first ODI of the three-match ODI series, scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;After a disappointing 0-3 defeat against South Africa in the ODI series, team India will aim for a comeback under the leadership of Rohit Sharma as they take on West Indies in a three-match ODI series. It is important to mention that this is the first time that Rohit Sharma will be leading team India in ODIs as permanent ODI captain.&nbsp;Another recordThe first ODI against West Indies is going to be India's 1000th ODI match as well. Indian team played their first ODI match against England, back in 1974. In total the Indian team have so far secured 518 victories with 431 defeats and 41 of the remaining matches had no results.&nbsp;A vital callMuch was discussed regarding who would open the batting alongside Rohit in the inaugural encounter of the ODI series against West Indies. Skipper Rohit ended all the speculations by announcing Ishan Kishan's name as his opening partner during a press conference that had taken place on February 5 (Saturday).&nbsp;&nbsp;With no KL Rahul (personal reasons), Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad (both out due to Covid-19 contradiction), the team management had a vital call to make before opting for Ishan. On the flip side, Deepak Hooda has been knocking on the doors for some time as he gets his first opportunity with the national team.&nbsp;&nbsp;Motivated West IndiesThe visitors come with a high boost of happy morale after beating England in the recently concluded T20I series but memories are still fresh from their disappointing loss to Ireland in the ODI series as well. West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard would surely be eager to start the ODI series against Indian team on a positive note.&nbsp;After the completion of ODI series, the two teams will face each other in a three-match T20I series. All the T20I matches are scheduled to be played in Kolkata.&nbsp;India Playing XI:Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna&nbsp;West Indies Playing XI:Kieron Pollard (c), Shai Hope (wicketkeeper), Brandon King, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran, Jason Holder, Fabian Allen, Akeal Hosein, &nbsp;Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach

IND vs WI 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma hands debut cap to this all-rounder, to open with Ishan Kishan

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli became the fastest batter to score 5,000 ODI runs in home conditions. Kohli achieved the feat in his 96 innings in the 50-over format and broke legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar’s record. Tendulkar achieved the feat in 126 innings.&nbsp;The 33-year-old is also the second Indian batter to score 5,000 ODI runs in home conditions. Only two other batters in the world have scored 5,000 or more runs in home conditions. Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis and former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting breached the 5,000-run mark in home ODIs from 130 and 138 innings respectively.&nbsp;Kohli did not play a big knock and got out after scoring just eight runs in the first ODI against West Indies at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Kohli reached the milestone with an uppercut off Alzarri Joseph in the 14th over of the run chase. The Delhi-born batter’s stay at the crease did not last long as he got out trying to play a pull shot off Joseph. He departed after scoring just eight runs from four deliveries.&nbsp;Kohli now has 5,002 runs from 99 ODIs at an average of 59.94 including 19 centuries and 25 half-centuries. The list is topped by Tendulkar with 6,976 runs from 164 ODIs at an average of 48.81. Tendulkar has 20 centuries and 38 half-centuries in home conditions as well in the format.&nbsp;Ponting has 5,521 runs at an average of 39.71 with the help of 14 centuries and 32 half-centuries from 154 ODIs. Kallis will be next on the list for Kohli to surpass as he has 5,186 runs from 144 ODIs at an average of 45.89 with six centuries and 40 half-centuries at home.&nbsp;This was the first time Kohli played an ODI under the leadership of new limited-overs skipper Rohit Sharma. Rohit, on the other hand, got India off to a terrific start in the run chase. The opener scored 60 runs off 51 deliveries including 10 fours and one six. He also lost his wicket to Joseph in the same over as Kohli. He shared an 84-run partnership with Ishan Kishan.&nbsp;

Kohli breaks Tendulkar's record to become fastest to 5,000 ODI runs at home; joins Ponting, Kallis on elite list

It would be a task cut out for the India's limited-overs newly recruited skipper Rohit Sharma who will be spearheading the side in the upcoming home series against West Indies commencing on February 6. For the first time Rohit will be seen leading the pack as a full time captain after Virat Kohli was sacked from the skipper post by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) back in December 2021.&nbsp;Speaking on the challenges ahead, former Indian star bowler Ajit Agarkar feels that Rohit's most meaningful challenge would be to stay fit throughout his tenure. Although Rohit led the side during the home Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against New Zealand last November, he suffered a hamstring injury. He missed out on the tour of South Africa, failing to lead the side in the ODIs, as it lost under KL Rahul's leadership.&nbsp;“I think it’s a good thing and the right thing to do – to have one captain for white-ball format and now Rohit actually can fly. So, the challenge for Rohit Sharma – in my opinion – is to stay fit and play everything that is there, from now to the World Cup in white-ball cricket, because you want the captain – that was one of Virat Kohli’s strengths or MS Dhoni before that, they rarely missed games, and both were very fit,” said Ajit Agarkar told Star Sports.&nbsp;In the modern cricket fitness has become the fulcrum around everything revolves. Fitness is the key reason why MS Dhoni could lead the Indian team for nearly a decade while Kohli could succeed in taking them to unattained heights in the longest format during his seven-year captaincy tenure. Rohit is reportedly expected to succeed Virat in Test cricket as well and should that happen, he would be the Men In Blue’s all-format captain and need to take his fitness to the next level in order to be available for selection across formats.&nbsp;Rohit had missed the bilateral series against South Africa citing an injury as his white-ball deputy KL Rahul led the Indian team in the three-match ODI series where the visitors went on to suffer a 0-3 whitewash.&nbsp;He will have a tricky task to lead the side against the Windies, starting with the T20Is from Sunday. Four of the Indians have tested Covid positive and will be missing out. Therefore, besides having a selection headache, it will be interesting to see how he leads the side while his decision-making abilities are observed.&nbsp;<h3>India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan</h3>&nbsp;<h3>West Indies ODI squad: Kieron Pollard (C), Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren, Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.</h3>

Ajit Agarkar talks up Rohit Sharma's real challenge as Team India skipper 

While Team India prepares to play its 1000th ODI, the cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar went all gaga over it and termed the achievement as the "huge milestone" for the entire nation and the Rohit Sharma-led side. Indian side will become the first team to play the 1000th ODI when the team locks horns with West Indies on Sunday (February 6) in the first match of the series.&nbsp;&nbsp;"India playing the 1000th ODI is a huge milestone. The first ODI was played in 1974, it was only possible because of the past cricketers, current cricketers, the past and current board members," Tendulkar said.&nbsp;"And not to forget the most important people, our Indian cricket team well-wishers, from the past generations and the ones who are today with us," he added.&nbsp;The former batter also wished Team India the very best for the upcoming West Indies series.&nbsp;"I want to say it is an achievement for all of us and the entire nation should be proud of this and hope Indian cricket continues to grow from strength to strength. I wish them all the very best for the coming series and especially for the 1000th ODI," the 48-year-old further added.&nbsp;Team India is all set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16.&nbsp;India, who have played 999 ODI matches thus far, account for 518 victories, 431 defeats, the nineties, and 41 matches ending with no result. They played their 500th match back in 2002 and two decades later would reach the milestone of playing 1000 ODIs.&nbsp;Meanwhile, all the three ODIs between India and West Indies, including the landmark match, will be played behind closed doors at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The Gujarat Cricket Association confirmed earlier this week that the decision to host the ODIs without fans at the stadium was taken because of Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier in the day, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly also confirmed that there won't be any elaborate celebrations during the 1000th ODI as he highlighted the bio-bubble protocols in place in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;"No, nothing as such as everything is being held in the bubble. We have to maintain the COVID-19 protocols so yes elaborate celebrations won’t be possible and in any case matches are being held closed doors," Ganguly said.&nbsp;Notably, as many as 3 players in the squad, including openers Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad along with baiter Shreyas Iyer tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in Ahmedabad. However, the rest of the team began training after returning negative result in the RT-PCR test.&nbsp;India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan.&nbsp;India T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel.&nbsp;West Indies ODI squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh.&nbsp;West Indies T20I squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Fabian Allen, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Kemar Roach, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh.

'Huge milestone': Tendulkar congratulates Team India ahead of 1000th ODI match

Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been criticised a lot in recent times for his shot selection and his mindset. But in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match T20I series against West Indies, Pant played a crucial knock of 52 runs off 28 balls and helped Indian team in reaching a defendable total of 186 runs losing five wickets in 20 overs. In reply, the visitors could manage to reach a total of 178 runs losing three wickets as eventually they had to concede 8-run defeat.&nbsp;Pant’s innings was comprised of 7 boundaries and a six.&nbsp;&nbsp;Praise for PantAnd since then, the 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has received praise and appreciation.&nbsp;In a situation like this, former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has spoken up on this matter as well. Jadeja felt that Pant’s “temperament” has been admirable in the match and he was “in a perfect mindset.”&nbsp;“Today was fabulous. More than skill, I admire the temperament that he showed. Guys batting at 4, 5, 6, 7, when they start with a boundary, they have couple of balls to take their time and get into a better mindset. Throughout those 28 balls, he was in a perfect mindset,” Jadeja said on Cricbuzz.&nbsp;“He was joined with Venkatesh Iyer; the other problem I had with him is that sometimes, he (Pant) thinks he is the only one who has to hold the innings together. Today, they (Pant and Iyer) played as partners - 35 balls 76 (runs), it's (the partnership) just not dependent on Rishabh Pant. He's got 17-ball 36, he's got a partner who scored 18-ball 33 as well,” the 51-year-old former Indian cricketer explained.&nbsp;A vital partnershipWhile talking about the partnership between Pant and Venkatesh Iyer, Jadeja felt that a partnership like this; “takes pressure off the batsman and puts pressure back on the bowler.”&nbsp;“What that does is that it takes pressure off the batsman and puts pressure back on the bowler. It's not only you who has to hit the big shots now. Now, the bowler can't play with you anymore, he can't bowl a certain bowl which doesn't allow you to hit a boundary and bowl differently to the other guy. It was probably the most mature innings I've seen from Rishabh Pant in the last six months,” Jadeja added.

'Most mature innings I've seen from Rishabh Pant in the last six months,' former Indian cricketer praises star player after 2nd T20I victory against West Indies

Riding on a winning spree India clinched series sweep against West Indies which spurred them to become the World no.1 in the T20I rankings on Monday.With the newly recruited skipper Rohit Sharma at helm, India got the better of Caribbeans by 17 runs in the third an final T20 match in Kolkata as they bagged the series 3-0, followed by a 3-0 ODI series sweep.&nbsp;The triumph helped India catapult England at the top of the T20 team rankings, with Rohit Sharma's side now matching the top rating of 269.While England and India both have the same rating across 39 international matches in the rankings period (269), India has a total of 10,484 points, 10 more than England's 10,474.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by the ICC, Pakistan (rating of 266), New Zealand (255) and South Africa (253) complete the top five list, while Australia (249) remain in sixth after their 4-1 series victory over Sri Lanka.&nbsp;India were previously No. 1 in the format under Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s leadership from February 12, 2016 to May 3, 2016. Their last defeat came in the 2021 T20 World Cup group stage against New Zealand before winning their remaining three matches in the tournament against Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland.&nbsp;After Virat Kohli's step-down from captaincy post the World Cup, incumbent skipper Rohit Sharma led India to series clean-sweeps over New Zealand and West Indies - raising the tally to nine consecutive wins in the format.&nbsp;This was India’s sixth whitewash series win in the shortest format of the game, four of which have come under Rohit Sharma.In the third T20 match, India were invited to bat first by West Indies. After India's highly touted top order misfired, Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer took Caribbean bowlers to cleaners. The duo hit 91 off 37 balls. Surya scored 65 off 31 balls, including 7 sixes and 1 four. Venkatesh Iyer scored an unbeaten 35 off 19. Surya, Iyer &nbsp;India reach 184 runs. In reply, West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran scored a brilliant 61 runs. But no other batsman was able to stop at the wicket and score. So they were able to score 167 runs in 20 overs. Hershal Patel took 3 wickets for India. Shardul Thakur, Venkatesh Iyer and Deepak Chahar took two wickets each.

Rohit-led India best England to become World no.1 in T20I rankings after WI whitewash

We have often seen Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard engaging in banter on the cricket field whether it is in Indian Premier League (IPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) or any other T20 tournament. Bravo took the banter to social media as he brutally trolled his countryman Pollard ahead of third ODI between West Indies and India.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bravo posted a meme which shows that Pollard is missing and he was “last seen” in Indian leg-spinner “Chahal’s pocket”. The veteran Caribbean all-rounder also wrote “if found please contact West Indies”.&nbsp;&nbsp;‘This is really a Sad day Kieron Pollard my best friend is missing guys pls [sic] if u have any info pls inbox me or report to the police,’ Bravo wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the comments section, Harbhajan Singh posted laughing emojis.&nbsp;&nbsp;To give some context, Pollard was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal for a golden duck in the first ODI of the three-ODI series. The West Indies skipper went for an expansive drive on the flighted delivery but missed the trajectory of the ball. The googly beat the bat and hit the stumps as West Indies suffered another major batting collapse.&nbsp;&nbsp;As a result, the visitors were dismissed for a below par total of 176 and were comprehensively beaten by Rohit Sharma-led India. In the second ODI, Pollard did not play due to a niggle as Nicholas Pooran led the side. Pooran did a good job as a captain to restrict India to 237/9 in the first innings but failed with the bat as he scored just nine runs from 13 deliveries in the run chase.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pollard is likely to return for the third ODI to prevent West Indies from getting clean swept. If India win the third ODI, Rohit Sharma will become the first Indian captain to clean sweep West Indies in an ODI series with three or more games.&nbsp;West Indies have been lackluster with the bat on the tour so far. Their top order has not fired and losing wickets in cluster has prevented them from dominating India. They have not been able to play full 50 overs in both games.

'Last Seen: In Chahal's pocket': Dwayne Bravo brutally trolls ‘best friend’ Kieron Pollard on Instagram

A plenty of conversations have taken place in recent times, regarding Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s batting style and shot selection. Many former cricketers, experts and commentators have previously spoken on the matter as well. Some even found similarities between the Indian wicketkeeper and former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist also.&nbsp;Now, former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has opened up on the matter. Ponting did agree that they are “little bit the same” but he also said that Pant should “play his 50-60 Test matches” first before people can start having such comparisons. It is important to mention that Ponting had earlier shared dressing room with both Gilchrist and Pant.&nbsp;Ponting speaks“Yeah, [they are] little bit the same, I know Rishabh’s really burst onto the scene, but let’s just let him play his 50-60 Test matches first before we start making comparisons to one of the all-time great wicket-keeper batters,” the former World Cup-winning Australia skipper Ricky Ponting said on The ICC Review.&nbsp;&nbsp;“But if you think about their personalities – Rishabh is a lot more outward, a lot louder, a lot noisier and ultra-competitive. Gilly was ultra-competitive as well, but a lot quieter and reserved, until he got his bat in his hand and then he became exactly the same as Rishabh,” Ponting added.&nbsp;A big predictionPonting might tell to wait before one starts comparing Pant with Gilchrist but at the same time the 47-year-old former Australia skipper feels that “Rishabh will be exactly the same.”&nbsp;“Rishabh will be exactly the same. If you look at Rishabh – I am not sure how many Test hundreds he’s got – but he has a few 90s in there. And he’s actually got out trying to bring up his hundred with a six. That’s the good and the bad, right?”&nbsp;In the third and final ODI of the three-match series against West Indies, played in Ahmedabad, Pant had played a terrific knock of 56 runs off 54 balls. His innings was comprised of 6 boundaries and a solitary six. Batting first, the hosts had lost three quick wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma (13), opening batter Shikhar Dhawan (10) and former India skipper Virat Kohli (0) within a mere total of 42 runs.&nbsp;Later, Pant along with Shreyas Iyer (80 runs off 111 deliveries) registered a solid partnership of 110 runs off 124 balls to help Indian team in averting the early danger caused by the West Indies bowling lineup.

Rishabh Pant and Adam Gilchrist are 'little bit the same,' says former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting

Indian fast bowler Prasidh Krishna had made his debut in the ODIs in 2021 against England in Pune and in that match he had scalped four wickets conceding 54 runs and announced his arrival vigorously.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now in the second match of the three-match ODI series between India and West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the right-arm bowler produced another stellar show to help team India in winning the second ODI match between India and West Indies.&nbsp;Terrific bowlingKrishna picked up four wickets against West Indies to help his side in successfully defending a target of 238 runs. &nbsp;&nbsp;While chasing a target of 238 runs the visitors lost the match by 44 runs. Krishna bagged wickets of Brandon King, Darren Bravo, Nicholas Pooran and Kemar Roach. Krishna conceded just 12 runs in 9 overs at an economy of 1.33, the lowest in ODIs by an Indian bowler so far. Apart from this, he also broke the record of the best performance by Indian bowlers in ODIs which was previously held by Mohammed Shami.&nbsp;Learning lessonsIt is important to mention here is that Krishna has been coached by Glenn McGrath at the MRF Pace Academy. Krishna has also taken bowling coaching from Jeff Thomson at Cricket Australia's (CA) Center of Excellence.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a situation like this, the 25-year-old pacer seems to have confirmed his place in the team for the third and final ODI against West Indies. At the same time, for the upcoming matches as well, the Karnataka-born bowler can expect to be a regular starter for team India.&nbsp;Batting first, the hosts had registered a total of 237 runs in 50 overs, losing 9 wickets. KL Rahul scored 49 runs off 48 balls and later Suryakumar Yadav played a brilliant knock of 64 runs off 83 balls to help his side in reaching a defendable total.&nbsp;For West Indies, their bowlers- Alzarri Joseph and Odean Smith, picked up two wickets each.&nbsp;In reply, the visitors started their batting patiently but kept on losing wickets in quick succession. Krishna’s magical and tight bowling display eventually &nbsp;helped team India in securing a second consecutive victory in the three-match ODI series.&nbsp;&nbsp;Indian team will take on West Indies in a three-match T20I series, in Kolkata, after the completion of the ODI series. &nbsp;

Indian bowler, trained by McGrath and Thomson, produces a stellar show against West Indies in 2nd ODI

Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhwan had missed the first two ODIs against West Indies in the ongoing ODI series as he was tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. Ishan Kishan had to open the batting along with skipper Rohit Sharma in the first ODI. In the second match, Indian team did make some experiments with the opening pair as the team management had opted for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pantb as an opening batsman along with Rohit.&nbsp;Skipper's statmentBut while talking about Dhawan’s status, skipper Rohit did confirm that the left-handed batsman “should be back for the next game.”&nbsp;After recovering from the Covid-19 virus, the third ODI of the series, scheduled to be played on February 11 in Ahmedabad, is going to be Dhawan’s first match. In a situation like this, it was believed that some changes in the squad can hamper team’s winning momentum but Rohit did not seem much bothered about it as he does not “mind losing a few games while trying out a few things.”&nbsp;“Shikhar should be back for the next game. We don’t mind losing a few games while trying out a few things. Because it is important to look at the long-term goals. We will see what works out well for the team combination for the final ODI,” said Sharma after the 3rd ODI match against West Indies.&nbsp;&nbsp;A formidable totalBatting first, Indian team had registered a total of 237 runs in 50 overs, losing 9 wickets. KL Rahul scored 49 runs off 48 balls and later Suryakumar Yadav played a terrific innings of 64 runs off 83 balls. While talking about their batting, skipper Rohi appreciated both of them.&nbsp;"Surya had to take his time and understand what the team wants from him. KL also batted superbly as he is consistently up and down in the order. I have been asked to try something different. We wanted to try it one game. Shikhar should be back for the next game," explained Rohit.&nbsp;After the completion of the ODI series, both the teams will take on each other in a three-match T20I series, scheduled to be played in Kolkata. The T20I series will start on February 16.&nbsp;

'Shikhar should be back for the next game,' skipper Rohit Sharma set to make a big change for the final and 3rd ODI against West Indies

Indian team might have won the second ODI against West Indies by 44 runs but former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar is not totally happy with team India’s batting order.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the first ODI match, Ishan Kishan had opened the innings along with skipper Rohit Sharma and in the second match, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant had replaced Kishan and started the batting. While talking about this change, Gavaskar said that he feels Rishabh is “better off at 6 or 7, depending on how the team has gone” and “he should be the finisher."&nbsp;Gavaskar speaks“To be honest with you, I was surprised to see Rishabh Pant up the order because I have always felt that he is probably better off at 6 or 7, depending on how the team has gone. He should be the finisher. My feeling is that Rahul will partner Rohit as the opener, and Surya would probably bat at No. 4,” Gavaskar said mid-innings of the 2nd ODI.&nbsp;Apart from Pant’s ideal postion, Gavaskar also talked about one particular player, someone Indian team would have wanted to be in their team.&nbsp;“Then maybe at 5, you will have somebody like a Rishabh Pant and then a Washington Sundar. Don’t forget, India are feeling the absence of Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7, 8. He was scoring so many runs and hitting the big shots. Brilliant fielder and picking up wickets in the middle order. He is being missed greatly by this Indian team,” Gavaskar explained.&nbsp;KL Rahul's dismissalIn the second ODI, KL Rahul played a solid knock of 49 runs off 48 balls but eventually due to a miscommunication with Suryakumar Yadav he had to go back to the dressing room. While analysing the dismissal, the former World Cup-winning batter pointed out that “Rahul was looking at the fielder" and there was “ a little bit of confusion in Rahul’s mind.”&nbsp;“You could perhaps sense that Rahul was looking at the fielder, and when he started that second run and looked, he thought that Surya was not coming back for the second. Surya had taken that first run pretty casually. He hadn’t rushed for it. And when Rahul was half way down, Surya had barely left the batting crease to come back for the second. That is where that caused a little bit of confusion in Rahul’s mind,” the 72-year-old former cricketer opined.&nbsp;

'He is being missed greatly by this Indian team,' Sunil Gavaskar names the player who 'was scoring so many runs'

Indian opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has recovered from Covid-19 and is out of isolation, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source confirmed to Sports Tak. Gaikwad has rejoined the squad one day ahead of the final ODI of the three-ODI series against West Indies.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, it is unlikely that Gaikwad will get to make his ODI debut on February 11. Shikhar Dhawan, who recovered a day before the second ODI wasn’t included in the playing XI as Rishabh Pant opened the innings alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. Dhawan did not play despite being in good form on the South Africa tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dhawan is expected to return to the side for the third ODI. It will be a surprising move if Gaikwad gets plays ahead of him.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 24-year-old contracted Covid-19 last week along with Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and backup fast bowler Navdeep Saini. Gaikwad is the last to recover from the virus. It will be a missed opportunity for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener as he is not a part of the T20I series starting February 16 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.&nbsp;Maharashtra’s limited-overs skipper has been in stupendous form which earned him a place in the ODI squad. Before flying to South Africa, he scored four centuries in five games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021. Earlier he was in fine form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;The youngster did not get a chance to make his ODI debut in South Africa as well despite India’s middle-order problem. India lost the ODI series while Gaikwad warmed the benches. In Dhawan’s absence, Gaikwad had a big opportunity to open the innings but he tested positive for the virus too.&nbsp;&nbsp;India have already taken a 2-0 lead in the ODI series as Caribbean batters have been unable to bat for 50 overs on both occasions. In the last game, Rohit surprised everyone with Pant opening the innings. Few more experiments are expected in the third ODI as India look to clean sweep West Indies for the first time in an ODI series with three or more games.

Ruturaj Gaikwad out of isolation after recovering from Covid-19; unlikely to play 3rd ODI 

With the aim of sealing the three-match T20 series, the Rohit-led India are put to bat as West Indies' skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second match which is being played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday (February 18).&nbsp;Meanwhile, India's playing XI remains unchanged while the star all-rounder Jason Holder replaced Fabien Allen in the Caribbean side.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We need to get back to our basics. It is a lightning outfield. Understand the game situation. Bat freely and see what we need to do after Powerplay. As a team, we want to improve in all departments. Whether we finish the game clinically or not, we need to improving. We have got the same team,” India's skipper Rohit said after the toss.&nbsp;“Looks a good track. The last game dew was the factor. We will try to bowl first and limit them to a low total. Continue to execute our skills. We can't do much in a one day break. One change. Jason is fit. Fabian misses out,” Pollard said.&nbsp;&nbsp;India are coming into this fixture after defeating West Indies in the first T20 game on Wednesday. The men in blue took up the one-nil lead after easily beating the West Indies by six wickets on Wednesday (February 16) where Ravi Bishnoi was rewarded as the player of the match for his exceptional bowling performances as he took two crucial wickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, on the other end, there are still concerns over the form of former skipper Virat Kohli, but captain Rohit Sharma is backing him to do well in the coming matches.&nbsp;Head to HeadWest Indies and India thus far have faced each other in 17 T20 matches. While West Indies have won six times, India have won 11 times. While playing in India, the hosts have won 6 games while West Indies has won 2 out of 8.&nbsp;Both the teams have played just 2 games in Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata and both of which have been won by India. In the last 5 matches, India has won 4 games while West Indies has won 1.&nbsp;Pitch reportIt’s one of the fastest wickets in the country where the pacers will get additional pace and bounce. The outfield is too quick and the ball travels quite fast into the fence. There is more help for the spinners as well which is interesting. It’s difficult to defend the scores here and hence bowling first is a good option.&nbsp;India's playing XI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal.&nbsp;West Indies' playing XI: Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (Wicketkeeper), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell, Kieron Pollard (Captain), Jason Holder, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd, Sheldon Cottrell.

IND vs WI 2nd T20I: Rohit Sharma makes no changes in the side whereas star all-rounder makes comeback for West Indies

In a cracker of a match, Rohit Sharma-led India finally had the last laugh as they eked out an 8-run victory over West Indies in the second T20 match on Friday (February 18). With this win India lead the three-match T20 series 2-0. It was also India's 100th T20I victory. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant smashed an identical score of 52 to spur India to a huge total of 186.&nbsp;In reply, the Caribbean pair of Nicholas Pooran (62 off 41) and Rovman Powell (68 not out off 36) showed all their power-hitting pyro techniques to not just revive West Indies from the early blows but also threaten India to steal a challenging win, but Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar held their nerve in the final three overs to halt Caribbeans' innings to 178/3. India eventually won by eight runs to win the T20 series with one match to spare. Buvneshwar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi scalped one wicket each.&nbsp;Earlier, India began the proceedings on a sedate note in Kolkata with the hosts losing Ishan Kishan early. Virat Kohli was back among runs with a fifty while Rishabh Pant smashed a quick-fire unbeaten 52 to lift India to a challenging 186 for five in their second T20I against the West Indies, here on Friday.&nbsp;Chasing their 100th T20I win, India, early on, were guided by Kohli who took charge of the proceedings after Roston Chase exposed the Indian middle order.&nbsp;Kohli hit his 30th fifty in the shortest format, his first since the 57 versus Pakistan in the T20 World Cup on October 24 last year.The former captain's sheer elegance was on full display as he cut, pulled and also took the aerial route en route to his 41-ball 52 that had seven fours and one six.&nbsp;Luck also favoured Kohli on the day as the former skipper brought up his 30th T20I fifty with a slog over long-on after Jason Holder failed to get hold of the catch as the ball went over the boundary.&nbsp;But Kohli failed to make it big and was cleaned up by Chase two balls later after the Windies off-spinner breached his gate for his third wicket. Chase was impressive in the middle overs to return with 3/25 and which included the wickets of Rohit Sharma (19) and Suryakumar Yadav (8).Thereafter it was Pant and Venkatesh Iyer (33 from 18 balls) show on offer as they took charge on the likes of Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd in their 76-run partnership from 35 balls.&nbsp;The Man of the Match Pant brought up his third fifty in T20Is with a double in the penultimate delivery of the innings, taking just 27 balls to get to the milestone.Earlier India got off to a slow start with Sheldon Cottrell bowling four dots on the trot before dismissing Ishan Kishan in the second over of the day.&nbsp;Kishan, who was the most expensive buy of the IPL 2022 mega auction, looked listless and under pressure to continue his poor form and departed for two after his 10-ball stay.But thereafter it was Kohli show at the sparsely-crowded Eden as the former India skipper delighted his fans with his elegant timing and strokeplay.Getting off the mark with a boundary with a whip to the square leg boundary, Kohli found his timing early on and got a second boundary in the same over of Akeal Hossain.Kohli was the aggressor and skipper Rohit was happy to play the second fiddle as the duo took India's score to almost 50 in the first six overs.&nbsp;There was a clear shift in India's batting in the powerplay as the duo were not afraid to take the aerial route.Rohit departed for 19 in 18 balls after a fine partnership with Kohli that yielded 49 runs from 36 balls before Chase gave the breakthrough in his first over removing the Indian skipper after inducing a thick leading edge to be caught at the point.In his next over, Chase accounted for Suryakumar to expose India's middle over but Kohli ensured that there was no further damage.&nbsp;After India's first innings Virat said that he is happy with the intent of playing shots in his blitzkrieg.&nbsp;"I had decided to stay positive but then we lost a few (Rohit Sharma, Surya Kumar Yadav) wickets. I still wanted to keep going but unfortunately I got out ," Kohli said.&nbsp;"I was happy with my intent that I wanted to play my shots. Sometimes when you play with responsibility over a period of time, you tend to ask (yourself) if you want to play the big shots early. You don't want to be reckless but at the same time you want to play your shots. That is the balance you strive for," the former India captain added.

IND vs WI 2nd T20: Blitzkrieg from Virat, Pant helps India thrash WI by 8 runs in thriller, win series 2-0

The highly anticipated first T20 match between Rohit &amp; Co. and West Indies is ready to kick off as India have won the toss and opted to bowl first. The 21-year-old Ravi Bishnoi has secured a place in the India's playing XI and will be seen making his International debut as Ishan Kishan is gearing up to open with captain Rohit Sharma.&nbsp;“Looks like we are going to bowl first here. I don't want to comment on the pitch as it has played differently every time we have come here. (Bowling first) gives a score in mind and how to approach the second half. We have to prepare ourselves with one eye on Australia. We have to keep ticking the boxes and that's been the message to the guys. We have played really well as a team but those little moments in the game is what we have to try and seize. Gives us a perfect opportunity to play a quality side like West Indies. They are going to challenge us, so let's see what we can come up with. We are playing with five batters, one all rounder and two spinners, Ravi Bishnoi is making his debut. We have got three seamers and few of those guys can bat as well. Yes (Ishan is opening),” Rohit said.&nbsp;“The toss is 50-50, we have to bat and we have to bat well. Body is good. Had a niggle in my left knee, worked with the physio in the gym and let's see what happens tonight. We try to stay in the present, what happened in the weekend is done and dusted. We had a conversation about it, happy for the guys who are selected but business on hand now is to represent the West Indies. This is where it counts in international cricket and lot of these guys are looking for opportunities. We were going with the same XI (as the 5th T20I against England) but we have one forced change; Jason Holder misses out, he got hit in practice yesterday while working on his skills and he hasn't recovered, Roston Chase gets an opportunity. We have to assess the conditions and see what the pitch has to offer,” West Indies' captain Kieron Pollard said.&nbsp;Meanwhile, India's star opener KL Rahul, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel won't be part of the T20 squad due to injury.&nbsp;&nbsp;With Rahul ruled of the series, Rishabh Pant has been named as the stand-in vice-captain for the three T20Is. All eyes will be on Virat Kohli as he looks to go past Martin Guptill in the all-time T20I run scoring charts. Virat is just 73 runs away from overtaking the New Zealand batter at the top of the pile. &nbsp;Indian team is coming from a high as they whitewashed Caribbeans in the recently concluded three-match ODI series.The Men in Blue hasn't played T20I since November while West Indies is coming with a five-match T20I series win vs England. The visitors have a slight edge to win this game. &nbsp;&nbsp;Pitch reportThe pitch is going to offer a lot of support to the batters as the ball comes nicely onto the bat. The spinners are also likely to receive ample help from the pitch.&nbsp;IND v WI Head-to-Head in T20I:Total – 17 India – 10 West Indies – 6&nbsp; No Result - 1 India (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal.&nbsp;West Indies (Playing XI): Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran (Wicketkeeper), Rovman Powell, Kieron Pollard (Captain), Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Odean Smith, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell.

IND vs WI 1st T20I: Debutant Ravi Bishnoi secures place in playing XI, Ishan Kishan to open with captain Rohit

West Indies' batter Nicholas Pooran, who was having a tough time with the willow, wreaked havoc with a sensational knock of 43-ball 61 in the first T20I match against India. Riding on Pooran's brilliant innings, Caribbeans posted a competitive target of 158/7 in their stipulated 20 overs. It was quite evident from his knock, why Indian Premier League's (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) broke bank on him as they roped him for Rs 10.75 crore. The 26-year-old by all means justified the money spent on him. However, in the last IPL season, Pooran got out for a duck four times in six innings that he played for Punjab Kings.&nbsp;It is worth noting that money rained heavily on Pooran during the mega auction of IPL which was held on February 12 and 13. Many franchisees wanted to include him in their camp. This is the reason that the price kept increasing which later crossed the amount of 10 crores. Due to which, in the end, SRH, understanding the importance of this batsman, poured 10.75 crores. Pooran has played 33 matches in IPL so far and has 606 runs in his kitty with 36 boundaries and 44 sixes. Not only this, Pooran also does wicketkeeping and through all these skillsets he can prove to be an instrumental player for Hyderabad in the upcoming season.&nbsp;The middle order batter is known for his stormy batting and he did the same when he proved his worth even after getting a huge amount in the IPL auction. Pooran hit 4 sixes and 5 sixes in 43 balls during his innings. Through his knock he steadied West Indies' boat from the fall of five wickets for 90 runs. Apart from Pooran, Captain Kieron Pollard also scored an unbeaten 24 runs in 19 balls for their side which spurred West Indies to a respectable total and gave India a challenging task to chase.&nbsp;Rohit-led India have already won the three-match ODI series as they whitewashed the Caribbeans 3-0. They will look to carry the same momentum and win the three-match T20 series as a build up to the upcoming Twenty-20 World Cup.

Out for zero 4 times in 6 innings, Nicholas Pooran pesters Indian bowlers with fiery 61 to prove his IPL's 10.75 worth

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