India's ODI squad for the Afghanistan series faces potential changes due to fitness issues with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. If they are unavailable, players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, and Devdutt Padikkal, with strong List A records, are contenders.
India's cricket team is considering Devdutt Padikkal for the No. 3 batting position in the upcoming Test against Afghanistan. The team also faces a decision on a replacement spinner for the rested Ravindra Jadeja, with Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar in contention.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have successfully defended their Indian Premier League (IPL) title, defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final. This marks their second consecutive IPL championship, showcasing a dominant team performance throughout the season.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have won their second consecutive IPL title, defeating Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final. The team showcased complete domination throughout the season, with strong performances from both batting and bowling units, led by captain Rajat Patidar and star player Virat Kohli.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set a new T20 record with 583 runs in IPL 2026, surpassing Devdutt Padikkal. Despite a rare off-day scoring 4 runs against Mumbai Indians, the Rajasthan Royals opener's season tally secured his historic achievement.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set a new T20 record with 583 runs in IPL 2026, surpassing Devdutt Padikkal. Despite a rare off-day scoring 4 runs against Mumbai Indians, the Rajasthan Royals opener's season tally secured his historic achievement.
Devdutt Padikkal lauded 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as a "rare talent" and "foolish" to copy. Sooryavanshi became the youngest to score 500+ T20 runs, breaking Padikkal's previous record.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell had a bizarre incident during an IPL 2026 match against Kolkata Knight Riders, accidentally dropping his gold chain while being dismissed, which was later returned by Devdutt Padikkal. RCB won the match led by Virat Kohli's unbeaten century.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2026, led by Virat Kohli's unbeaten 105. Jacob Bethell had a bizarre moment, dropping his gold chain while getting dismissed, later retrieved by Devdutt Padikkal.
Virat Kohli scored his ninth IPL century (105* off 60 balls) to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders, reaching 194/4 in 19.1 overs while chasing 193. KKR's Angkrish Raghuvanshi top-scored with 71 off 46 balls.
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth suggests Jacob Bethell should bat in the middle order for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, advocating for Devdutt Padikkal to open alongside Virat Kohli. Srikkanth believes this change will address RCB's lack of an explosive top-order presence and bolster their middle order, which has struggled against quality bowling.
Devdutt Padikkal scored a match-winning 27-ball 55 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Titans, attributing his enhanced game awareness to his experience captaining Karnataka. The 25-year-old explained that leadership has helped him understand bowler psychology and tactical decision-making, resulting in a more complete T20 batsman. He also praised teammate Virat Kohli's relentless energy and commitment, while GT assistant coach Vijay Dahiya revealed Kohli was disappointed at not converting his innings into a century.
Virat Kohli's dropped catch in the first over proved costly for Gujarat Titans as he went on to score a match-winning 81. His stellar performance, coupled with Devdutt Padikkal's 55, powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a five-wicket victory. Krunal Pandya's late cameo sealed the chase, propelling RCB to second in the IPL 2026 standings.
Mohammad Kaif praised Virat Kohli after the RCB star crossed 300 IPL sixes, calling his achievement incredible and highlighting his adaptability as key to his evolution as a T20 batter. Kohli scored 81 while Devdutt Padikkal hit 55 in their 115-run partnership, guiding RCB to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans, chasing 206 in 18.5 overs.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif praised Virat Kohli for crossing 300 IPL sixes (303 total), highlighting his growth as a T20 batter reflects adaptability rather than natural power-hitting. Kaif compared Kohli's tally with Chris Gayle (360) and Rohit Sharma (310), emphasizing that Kohli worked on his game to meet modern T20 demands. Kohli scored 81 in RCB's five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans, forming a 115-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal (55) to chase 206 in 18.5 overs.
In IPL 2026 match at Bengaluru, RCB spinner Suyash Sharma dismissed GT captain Shubman Gill for 32 off 24 balls, then playfully imitated Gill's famous 'bow down' celebration from 2023 playoffs. Suyash waved his cap at the crowd in a bold taunt. Despite Gill's early dismissal, GT posted 205 thanks to Sai Sudharsan's century (58 balls). RCB chased successfully with Virat Kohli's 81 and Devdutt Padikkal's 55, winning by 5 wickets in 18.5 overs and climbing to second place with 10 points.
Gujarat Titans posted 205/3 despite a record 128-run opening partnership between Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, but RCB's death bowling (Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood) restricted them to 18 deliveries without a boundary. Virat Kohli, who was dropped on nought, scored 81 off 44 balls and added 115 runs with Devdutt Padikkal (55) as RCB chased down 206 in 18.5 overs.
Team India is considering resting key players like Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June 2026 to manage workloads following the IPL. Fringe players may receive maiden call-ups for the non-WTC fixture.
Indian cricket team management is considering resting top players including captain Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah for the one-off Test against Afghanistan (June 6-10) due to minimal gap between IPL final (May 31) and the match. With no World Test Championship points at stake and a packed calendar including ODIs and England tour, selectors may prioritize player workload management. Potential maiden call-ups include pacer Gurnoor Brar and left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who have impressed in India A setup.
