India win toss and bat against Sri Lanka in opening test
India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first in the opening match of the two-test home series against Sri Lanka in Mohali on Friday.
Ajinkya Rahane Sport News
Rohit Sharma Opens Up On Cheteshwar Pujara And Ajinkya Rahane's Future In Test Cricket
India skipper Rohit Sharma on Thursday said that it will not be easy to fill the shoes of seasoned campaigners Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. India and Sri Lanka will lock horns in a two-match Test series, beginning Friday in Mohali. Rahane and Pujara have been dropped for the Tests and it will be interesting to see who comes into the side.
BCCI Central Contracts: Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara Dropped From Grade A to B
Out of favour veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara and former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane were downgraded in the latest central contracts list of the BCCI that was ratified by the Board's Apex Council on Wednesday. The BCCI has four categories -- A which has annual remuneration of Rs 7 crore while A, B and C categories are valued at Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively. Last time, 28 cricketers were provided central contracts but this year, 27 have been awarded contracts with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah static as A players.
Ranji Trophy: Mumbai eye win against Odisha to stay in hunt for knockouts
Odisha in their last Elite Group D Ranji Trophy game here from Thursday. Currently, Mumbai top the group with nine points, having won their last match against Goa and taken the first-innings lead against Saurashtra. If Mumbai beat Odisha, then they will get six points to take their aggregate to 15.
Ex-India Selector Names Youngster As "Best Bet" To Take Over Cheteshwar Pujara's Number 3 Slot In Tests
Rohit Sharma's first Test as captain will also usher in a new era for India's middle-order with Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari all set to become long-term replacements of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. It is now clear that Rahane and Pujara won't be called for the three Tests this season (two against Sri Lanka and one away game against England) where Vihari and Gill, along with Shreyas Iyer as back-up, will be the options. There are two vacant spots from the last Test that India played in Cape Town and as Virat Kohli plays his 100th Test at Mohali, the three youngsters will be preparing for a long haul in the spots vacated by the two veterans after having made those their own for a decade.
Decision To Drop Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane From Test Side "Unfair", Says Former India Cricketer
Having been dropped from India's upcoming Test series vs Sri Lanka, out-of-form batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane received unlikely backing from a former India cricketer, who labelled the treatment of the duo as "unfair". Pujara and Rahane faced plenty of criticism after India's recent Test series defeat in South Africa and questions were raised about their place in the Indian playing XI. Meanwhile after dropping the duo, Team India chief selector Chetan Sharma said that they will need to find their way back to the national side through good performances in the Ranji Trophy.
All Eyes On Ajinkya Rahane As Mumbai Face Goa In Ranji Trophy
Dropped from the Indian Test team after his prolonged lean run with the bat, Ajinkya Rahane will be the centre of attention when heavyweights Mumbai play Goa in their Elite Group D Ranji Trophy game in Ahmedabad from Thursday. Rahane did score a much-needed hundred (129) in their opener against Saurashtra, but that could not save his place in the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka. The former India vice-captain, though, would like to continue in same fashion against a Goa attack that is not likely to pose many problems.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane Dropped From Indian Test Team: Full List Of Scores Since 2019
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were on Saturday dropped from the Test squad announced by chief selector Chetan Sharma for the upcoming two-match home series against Sri Lanka. The decision, seen by many as long overdue, could be the first signs of a transition in the Indian team from the Virat Kohli era, which was one of the most triumphant and glorious in the history of Indian Test cricket. Rohit Sharma has been named the Test captain, and will now take over as the leader in all formats.