A new chapter is about to open in Women’s cricket as they are set to feature in the Commonwealth Games for the first time in its history in 2022. The multi-sport tournament is going to feature cricket for only the second time after a hiatus of almost 24 years in Birmingham. Women’s cricket was part of the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, with Pakistan winning the Gold on both occasions.

The historic tournament in Birmingham will commence on the 29th of July and will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. The seven-day long tournament will be played in the T20 format and will feature 16 matches, hosted by Edgbaston. Although it is expected to be a hotly contested affair with the Gold medal at stake, some teams are the favorites going into the tournament.

Here are three teams who can win the gold medal in the competition: 

1. Australia

The dominant force in Women’s cricket, Australia are at the summit of the rankings in all formats of the game and are one of the bookie’s favorites to clinch the gold at the quadrennial sporting event. Led by their enigmatic leader Meg Lanning, Australia got their hands on the seventh World Cup title earlier this year, defeating arch-rivals England in the final.

The Aussies are also the most successful T20I team in women’s cricket, with five World Cup titles to their name in seven editions of the tournament, a testament to their superiority. The reigning champions will face off against India in the opening fixture of the tournament.

Beth Mooney is the lynchpin in the batting order for the Women in Yellow alongside skipper Meg Lanning, the pair are the highest ranked T20I batters in the ICC rankings. The emergence of Ashleigh Gardner has been fruitful for them, who will be vying to make a mark in the tournament alongside the mercurial Ellyse Perry from the all-rounder contingent.

2. England

Australia’s nemesis and the 2017-World Cup winners England are arguably the biggest threat to the Kangaroos’ ambition of clinching the gold medal at this tournament. England and Australia are placed in different groups being the top-seeded side and could potentially lock horns in the blockbuster finale, in a repeat of the 2022 WC final.

The English camp has been hit by terrible news ahead of the tournament, as the 2017 WC-winning skipper Heather Knight is doubtful for the CWG 2022 after sustaining a hip injury in the ongoing series against South Africa.

They will be looking to redeem themselves by winning the gold medal after losing out on the WC title earlier this year. Knight deputy Nat Sciver has been in the inspired form off late and is likely to lead the side if Knight misses out. Young bowling sensation Sophie Ecclestone will be accompanying veteran spearhead Katherine Brunt in the bowling department.

3. India

The Women in Blue are the dark horses for the momentous tournament at CWG 2022 and can throw in the spanner in the hopes and dreams of Australia and England. The fourth-ranked T20I team in the world is capable of turning over any side in the world on their day, and the opponents will be wary of their abilities.

Under the truculent leadership of star all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur, India have reinvigorated their hunger after a disappointing World Cup earlier this year. Mithali Raj’s retirement in June has left a massive void to fill for the Indian camp, but the emergence of youngsters like Harleen Deol bodes well for the team.

The onus will be on the eye-catching opening duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma along with accomplished all-rounder Deepti Sharma, while the bowling lineup will be relying upon Radha Yadav, who has been an constant threat with her left-arm spin.

Having sealed the three-match series 2-0 already, India are likely to test their bench strength and give opportunities to other players who deserve chances for the upcoming third ODI against West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. India found a way out of trouble in both the games as West Indies gave the visitors a real scare and two different heroes arrived on the stage.

Axar Patel had a fantastic outing in the previous game and he showed his brutal power-hitting skills down the order with an unbeaten 35-ball 64 in crunch time when the team needed him the most. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan has rotated his bowlers wisely and has got the most out of his sixth bowling option in Deepak Hooda in both the games.

With the bat, except Suryakumar Yadav, the other batters in the top six have got runs, and Shreyas Iyer in particular has looked quite comfortable. Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson, finally have got runs to prove their talent in international cricket and will be hoping to end the series on a good note.

Meanwhile, here are 3 changes India might make for the 3rd ODI against West Indies.

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad – IN; Shubman Gill – OUT

Shubman Gill has looked solid in both the games so far and is certainly making a statement for the future. The right-hander has scores of 64 and 43 in the two ODIs and has looked quite positive from the upfront. He has got all the shots in the book and has taken advantage of the powerplay with Dhawan taking his time from the other end.

Gill is likely to get continuous chances at the top of the order going forward and is expected to be the third opener for the next ODI series. Hence, Ruturaj Gaikwad might get a look in for the third ODI, considering that Gill has done enough to hold on to his place in the squad.

Gaikwad is yet to make his ODI debut and he hasn’t had the best of starts yet in his international career. However, this will be the best chance to make a case for himself under the watchful eyes of Rahul Dravid and he will get the nod ahead of Ishan Kishan at the top of the order with the need for a right-hand left-hand combination.

2. Ishan Kishan- IN; Sanju Samson – OUT

This will be a like-for-like replacement as Ishan Kishan can replace Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeper role after the latter’s important half-century in the previous game. Samson has been in excellent touch in recent times and he played a key role in India winning the first ODI when he stopped a wide delivery from going for a boundary with a full dive.

Samson got his first half-century in ODIs in the second game against West Indies and his ability to cut loose from ball one makes him a dangerous campaigner. He has shown signs of being a backup wicketkeeper for Rishabh Pant in ODIs and hence, he might be rested for the third ODI to give a chance to Kishan.

Kishan meanwhile, has been played at the top of the order mostly but is expected to slot in at number three or number four according to the situation of the game. The 24-year-old has got the ability to pack a punch and is a handy wicketkeeper. He will be looking to make the most if he gets a chance with the bat.

3. Arshdeep Singh – IN; Mohammed Siraj – OUT

Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh is yet to make an appearance in the ODI format for India and he does deserve a chance in the playing XI. Arshdeep’s death-over skills were quite phenomenal in this IPL and he did bowl well in the one T20I he played against England in the three-match series.

India handed a chance to Avesh Khan in the previous game in place of Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep could come in for Mohammad Siraj who has been fantastic in the series. Siraj’s last-over heroics won the game for India in the first ODI and he has turned out to be an excellent find in both the Test and ODI formats.

However, trying out a left-arm seamer would be much wiser with the T20 World Cup 2022 coming up and Arshdeep can bring a different entity into the squad with the angles.

One of the rarest commodities in cricket is the father-son duo who get to play international cricket in different eras. It does not happen often and it takes a lot of effort to ensure two players represent the nation inside a family. It cannot get prouder for the family and has always been one of the most fascinating things in the game.

In the current era, the competition for spots in the national teams has become quite intense and it demands a unique level of skill set to get into the side. As a result, not many domestic cricketers have had the chance to represent their nation despite performing outstandingly well thereby, reducing the number of father-son duos in international cricket.

5 cricketers whose fathers also played for the same nation

Roger Binny – Stuart Binny

Roger Binny was in and out of the Indian side but he portrayed his all-round skills whenever he was selected. The right-arm medium seamer had the ability to swing the ball both ways and was a useful batter in the middle order. He was part of India’s World Cup-winning squad in 1983 which will be remembered for a long time.

Roger played 27 Tests and 72 ODIs over the period 1979 to 1987 and the Karnataka lad scored six half-centuries in his international career alongside picking up wickets regularly. His son Stuart Binny represented India in all the formats and had a similar kind of role in the team as his father.

Stuart, known more for his batting skills, came into the Indian side on the back of some good IPL performances and he was expected to slot in as the all-rounder. However, he bowled one of the most amazing spells against Bangladesh in an ODI where he picked up 6/4 to record a memorable victory. He went on to play six Tests, 14 ODIs, and three T20Is for India until he announced his retirement in 2021.

Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh – Geoff Marsh

Geoff Marsh played as an opening batter for Australia from the period of 1985 to 1992 and served as a coach and selector post his retirement. Primarily a right-handed batter, Geoff played 50 Tests and 117 ODIs in his international career and scored 13 centuries and 37 half centuries in the process.

Geoff also served as the Australian coach in the 1999 World Cup title-winning campaign and two of his sons, Mitchell Marsh and Shaun Marsh, made it to the Australian side as well. Shaun, the elder of the two, has played 38 Tests, 73 ODIs, and 15 T20Is for the nation from the period of 2008 to 2019. The 39-year-old has 13 international centuries to his name despite being in and out of the side.

Mitchell has become one of the vital cogs in the batting lineups for Australia in the last one year or so and has played 32 Tests, 66 ODIs, and 38 T20Is already. The all-rounder is just 30 years of age at the moment and still has a lot to serve for the national side.

Chris Broad – Stuart Broad

Chris Broad was an opening batter who played from the period of 1984 to 1989 for England. The left-hander played 25 Tests and 34 ODIs in his international career in which he scored seven centuries. The 64-year-old had a fantastic first-class career with 50 centuries and 105 fifties.

Post-retirement, Chris worked as a broadcaster for BBC TV. He is currently serving as a match referee. On the other hand, his son Stuart Broad has become a legend of the game already. Stuart, 36 years old now, has played 156 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 56 T20Is since his international debut in 2006 for England and has 19 five-wicket hauls in Tests to his name as well.

With 552 wickets to his name Stuart is among the top wicket-takers in the history of Test cricket and he alongside James Anderson has been among the most destructive new ball pairs in Test history. He is no longer part of the limited overs setup with the new look English side. However, he still has a lot to offer.

David Bairstow – Jonny Bairstow

David Bairstow played as a wicketkeeper for England in the period from 1979 to 1984. The right-hander played four Tests and 21 ODIs for his country in which he managed to score a half-century. He played 459 first-class matches for Yorkshire county apart from playing football for Bradford as well.

While David could not play much international cricket, his son Jonny Bairstow has enjoyed his stay in international cricket so far. The right-hander has been in the form of his life in the last few months and has redeemed himself in the Test format. The 32-year-old is quite versatile and has played in different batting positions in limited overs format.

Bairstow has so far played 87 Tests, 95 ODIs, and 63 T20Is and has plundered a lot of bowling attacks with his physical strength. Bairstow can keep wickets as well and he is one of the most destructive batters going around in the current era.

Lala Amarnath – Mohinder Amarnath

Lala Amarnath was the first ever Indian cricketer to score a Test century and he has a special place in the record books of Indian cricket history. He played 24 Tests from the period of 1933 to 1952 scoring 878 runs at an average of 24.38. He also scored a century and four fifties apart from having a long first-class career.

Lala’s son Mohinder played an immense part in the World Cup-winning campaign for India in 1983 with back-to-back match-winning performances. Having made his international debut in 1969, Mohinder went on to play international cricket until 1989.

Mohinder was a handy medium pacer and he picked up 78 international wickets alongside scoring 13 centuries for the nation. Post-retirement, the right-hander served as a cricket coach and later turned to be a commentator as well.

India is all set to take on West Indies in three-match ODI series starting from the 22nd of July at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. Shikhar Dhawan will lead the Indian side in absence of big names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah, who all are rested. However, the youngsters will get their chances and they will be looking to grab them with the T20 World Cup coming up.

India are coming off a 2-1 ODI series victory against England and will fancy beating West Indies given their recent form. With a number of match-winners in the lineup, India is expected to whitewash the Nicholas Pooran-led side. West Indies recently lost the ODI series 3-0 at home to Bangladesh and are desperate to get back to winning ways.

Let’s look at India’s probable playing XI for the 1st ODI against West Indies:

Openers – Shikhar Dhawan (c), Ishan Kishan (wk)

Shikhar Dhawan has been named the Indian skipper for the three ODIs and this will be a great opportunity for him to make a statement. The 36-year-old is approaching the final stages of his international career and was axed from the T20I squads despite his consistent form in IPL. The left-hander led India in white-ball games in Sri Lanka last year and he will be eyeing to score big in the series.

Ishan Kishan has been in fine form in the last few months right from the home series against South Africa, and he is expected to partner Dhawan at the top of the order. The 24-year-old has played just three ODIs so far, scoring 88 runs with a fifty to his name. A good performance in the ODIs will push his chances above for the backup opener slot in the Indian side for the T20 World Cup.

Middle Order – Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson

Shreyas Iyer hasn’t had many chances in the limited0overs series in England and he was peppered with short balls in both the innings of the one-off Test against England. With Virat Kohli being rested, Iyer will have a big chance to seal his spot in the playing XI.

Suryakumar Yadav has been in terrific form with his recent century in England T20Is and he is expected to take up the No. 4 position. The right-hander has played 10 ODIs and has been impressive whenever he has been handed a chance. He looks a certainty for the T20 World Cup, however, he will have to keep his good form going to solidify his spot in the ODIs.

Sanju Samson will be looking to catch on to the good form he showed in the Ireland T20Is. With the regular names returning for the England series, Samson was dropped from the squad. However, he will now be back in action in the West Indies series. He has played just one ODI so far where he scored 46, against Sri Lanka

All Rounders – Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur

In the absence of Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda is expected to play the all-rounder role for the Indian side. The right-hander brought up his maiden international century in the Ireland T20Is but has played just two ODIs so far. He has the calmness to finish off games and can bowl some handy off-spin too.

Ravindra Jadeja will slot in at No. 7 and will play a dual role with both bat and ball. The left-hander recently played in the ODIs against England and looked in good touch, especially with the bat. He will also be the vice-captain of the side on account of his immense experience in the format now.

Shardul Thakur was benched for the ODIs against England but is expected to take his place against West Indies. The right-arm seamer did not have the best of times in the one-off Test and he will need to pull up his socks soon. He has got the knack of picking up wickets in the middle overs and is handy with the bat down the order.

Bowlers – Prasidh Krishna, Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Prasidh Krishna has been outstanding in the last couple of years. The 26-year-old has the ability to clock high speeds consistently and he has taken 20 wickets in 10 ODIs at an average of 21.4. He is likely to be the first-choice fast bowler in the playing XI among the quicks for the ODIs.

Mohammad Siraj played the final ODI against England and he picked up two big wickets with the new ball. He does go for runs at the back end of the innings but is quite lethal in the powerplay. This will be a great chance for Siraj to regain his form with the ball which has taken a hit in the last few months.

Yuzvendra Chahal has continued his excellent form throughout the limited-overs series for India since the IPL and he remains the vital cog in the Indian bowling attack. The leg-spinner has been in good form in recent times and has bowled in different phases of the game to help the side.

Virat Kohli has been rested for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, and as a result, the 33-year-old will not be seen in the blues until the Asia Cup 2022. Kohli has been going through a challenging phase in his career and the swashbuckling batter has struggled to put up a decent knock.

His recent stint was the England tour, where he played the one-off Test, two T20Is, and the final two ODIs of the three-match series. Kohli could manage to score only 31 runs in the two innings of the Test match, while his scores in the T20I series weren’t impressive either as he managed to make just 12 runs in the two games.

He missed out on the first ODI due to a groin injury but returned to play for the second and third, which saw him score 16 and 17 runs respectively. As for the Indian team, the Men in Blue have reached the Caribbean and will commence their tour with a three-match ODI series, which will be followed by as five T20Is. Shikhar Dhawan will be in charge of the Men in Blue for the 50-over games whereas Rohit Sharma will return for the 20-over games.

Here are three players who can replace Virat Kohli at No. 3:

1. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav has been an important component of the team combination lately. He was a part of the Indian squad in the Ireland T20I series; he played against England in the T20Is and also maintained his place in the ODIs. Though he bats in the middle order, there are high chances of Yadav making it to the top order in Kohli’s absence.

Yadav was highly impressive in the T20Is against England, but could not perform the same way in the ODI series. He got an opportunity to bat only in the second and third ODIs and he managed to score just 27 and 16, respectively.

Having played just 10 ODIs, Yadav is fresh to the setup as it has been just one year since he made his ODI debut. With more and more games, he will get accustomed to the conditions and situations. He was a part of the Indian setup when they last faced West Indies in February 2022, where he scored his highest ODI score of 64 (83).

2. Deepak Hooda

Deepak Hooda stood by his nickname ‘Hurricane’ in the series against Ireland, where he was one of the reasons behind India’s 2-0 win. His unbeaten knock in the first game led India to finish off the chase in style and his magnificent ton in the second game earned him the player of the series title.

Hooda has played only two ODIs in his short career so far. He made his debut against West Indies at home in February and played the first two games before being replaced in the third. While he remained unbeaten for a 32-ball 26 in the first game, he managed a 25-ball 29 in the second.

Though there haven’t been any remarkable achievements in the ODI format for Hooda, he has been in terrific form in the T20 format this year. His stint at the Indian Premier League for the Lucknow Super Giants proved to be very fruitful as he earned his place in the Indian squad.

3. Shubman Gill

Another strong contender for the top order is Shubman Gill. Having played more in the Tests, Gill does not have much of a track record in the 50-over game, while he is yet to make his T20I debut.

Gill has only played three ODIs, and the last one he played was against Australia in Canberra in December 2020 where he registered his highest score of 33 runs. This is Gill’s first ODI call-up in 18 months and thus he hasn’t had any recent match exposure in the 50-over format.

He most recently played as the opening batter for the Gujarat Titans during their championship-winning IPL 2022 season, scoring 483 runs at a strike rate of 132.32. He was one of the top five runs scorers in IPL this year and gave his side good starts consistently.

IPL has seen a lot of rift between the players and franchise over the years and the management becomes a key factor in the decision-making. It is important to understand the strength and role of the player inside the team and sometimes, decisions could backfire the whole harmony inside the franchise.

The involvement of owners in the team decisions against the interest of the players has always been an area of concern and it had to be dealt with in the right way. More often, the head coach and the captain have failed to be on the same side and dropping a big player is not an easy decision in the cash-rich tournament. The players have often moved out of a franchise if they feel they have been disrespected by the management.

Here are 5 times when there was a rift between a player and their IPL franchise:

1. David Warner and Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2021

David Warner has been one of the best batters in IPL history over the years and he had a great impact on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in his stint from 2014 to 2021. The left-hander led the side in 2016 to a title victory and he was quite consistent at the top of the order. The Hyderabad fans loved his presence in the squad and crowds gathered in numbers whenever he came out to bat.

He won the orange cap thrice in 2015, 2017, and 2019 and it looked like the bond was unbreakable between the franchise and Warner. However, it all seemed to fade away in 2021 as Sunrisers sacked him from captaincy after a poor start to the tournament. SRH lost five out of their first six games and the management wasn’t happy with the team combination.

Jonny Bairstow, Rashid Khan and Kane Williamson were undroppable owing to good form and Warner’s position in the playing XI came under the scanner. Finally, Warner was omitted from the playing XI and Williamson was named the captain in the middle of the tournament. The decision turned a lot of eyes red and the fans certainly did not welcome it. Warner played just eight games in the season where he scored 195 runs which included two fifties.

Despite being a match winner for the franchise for a long time, Warner was benched and the social media went bizarre seeing him carrying drinks. As expected, he was subsequently not retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL Mega auction in 2022 and he moved to the Delhi Capitals.

2. Suresh Raina and Chennai Super Kings in 2020

Suresh Raina has a huge fan base in the country and he has been popularly called the Mr IPL for his consistency in the cash-rich tournament. The left-hander has been a great contributor to the Chennai Super Kings franchise since the inaugural edition and he held the record for the most runs in IPL for a long time until Virat Kohli went past him a few years back.

It all started in 2020 when Raina decided not to take part in the tournament due to personal issues. There were a lot of rumours that a rift developed between CSK and Raina however, the latter cleared that. In 2021, Raina returned to the playing XI, but the number three spot was no longer his own as Moeen Ali’s impressive returns had ensured the English lad got the nod.

The 35-year-old had to slot into the middle order but he never seemed like the old match winner. He scored just 160 runs in 12 games and an injury forced him out of the playing XI in the knockout stages. He wasn’t retained by CSK as expected and despite all his efforts for the franchise, Raina was shown the exit door after the IPL 2021. He went unsold in the mega auction and clearly, CSK were no longer interested in one of the franchise’s heroes.

3. Sourav Ganguly and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2009

Sourav Ganguly was named the skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural edition with John Buchanan as the head coach. The franchise finished sixth in the points table despite having a lot of big names and Buchanan opted for a multi-captaincy theory in the very next season.

In a press conference ahead of the second season, Buchanan failed to explain the reason behind the multi-captaincy theory and the rift between him and Ganguly was quite evident. The multi-captaincy decision proved to be a nightmare as the franchise ended up as the wooden spoon holders.

The horrific show from KKR revealed that Ganguly was demoralised in the KKR set up and in fact, the owners’ involvement in Ganguly’s captaincy sacking had further increased the heat of the matter. However, in the third season, Ganguly’s seemed to have found a lot of love and support from the fans resulting in his reappointment as captain.

4. Chris Gayle and Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2017

Another legend of the tournament, Chris Gayle had played an immense part in the Royal Challengers Bangalore setup since his arrival in 2011 and he ripped apart a lot of bowling attacks. The left-hander was in impeccable form, especially in the 2011 and 2012 seasons where he won the orange cap.

During his stint with RCB, he also brought up the highest individual IPL score of 175 not out which is yet to be broken and certainly enjoyed opening with Virat Kohli on the other side. However, in the 2017 season, the Universe boss accumulated just 200 runs in nine innings for the franchise. Ahead of the 2018 mega auction, Gayle managed to regain form in CPL and BPL and he clearly was confident of being retained by RCB.

However, it wasn’t the case, and Gayle was quite disappointed with the franchise for letting him go. In fact, he slammed the management for giving him false impressions ahead of the auction and was quite disheartened while leaving. The fans in Bangalore have always loved the Gayle Storm and no wonder, the Caribbean lad looked disappointed.

5. Ravindra Jadeja and Chennai Super Kings in 2022

Ahead of the IPL 2022 season, MS Dhoni stepped down as CSK captain and wanted Ravindra Jadeja to take up the role. Jadeja was quite animated on the field but CSK suffered a lot of losses at the start of this year’s edition. Jadeja’s batting form took a big blow and it seemed like the captaincy had taken a toll on his own form.

In the midway of the tournament, CSK were almost out of the race for the playoffs, however, the management handed the captaincy again to Dhoni. Jadeja did not play in the last few games owing to an injury, and there were talks of him being not happy with the management.

The captaincy change towards the end has clearly shown that Jadeja might not be in the future plans for CSK in terms of leadership. The rift has started to grow big as Jadeja seemed to have deleted all his Instagram posts related to Chennai Super Kings recently. It will be interesting to see if the all-rounder decides to leave the franchise ahead of next season which will be a massive moment for the fans.

After an enthralling battle against England in the limited overs series, the action now shifts to West Indies for a three-match ODI series and a five-match T20I series. India recently managed to clinch both the T20I and ODI series in England on the back of some scintillating performances and will be riding high on confidence from the series victory.

Shikhar Dhawan is all set to lead the side in the 50-over format with the big names missing out while the regular skipper Rohit Sharma will be back for the T20Is. The T20 World Cup 2022 is just a few months away from getting underway; hence, every chance from here on will be crucial for the players.

One of the critical areas India has managed to address is the all-rounder and Hardik Pandya’s form is a great boost to the side alongside Ravindra Jadeja. With all those said, here are five Indian players who might not get a chance in Playing XI on the India tour of the West Indies.

5 Indian players who might not get a chance in Playing XI on the India tour of West Indies

1. Axar Patel

Axar Patel has been spot on with his lengths and lines every time he has come on to bowl, however, he has not been a constant feature in the playing XI. The left-arm spinner came off a decent IPL season and was seen as the backup option for Ravindra Jadeja. He does provide some handy runs towards the back end of the innings and is one of the reliable fielders going around.

Axar played all the T20Is against South Africa at home recently and was part of the playing XI in the Ireland tour. He played the first T20I against England but had to make way for Jadeja once the latter returned from his Test assignments. The 28-year-old still has an economy rate of 7.17 in T20Is and hence, will be a strong contender to make it to the T20 World Cup 2022.

However, with Jadeja back in the mix in both ODI and T20I squads for the West Indies tour, Patel might not be able to find a place in the playing XI.

2. Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has been in good form in recent times at the top of the order, however, his consistency issues might keep his place in the playing XI at stake. The right-hander has gone down in the pecking order in terms of wicketkeeper as currently, India has three other options in Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan.

Samson recently notched up his first half-century in T20Is on the tour to Ireland and his 77-run knock looked quite impressive. However, it might not be enough for him to make it to the playing XI on a consistent basis. It has to be noted that Samson has been picked up in the ODI squad alone and does not feature in the T20I squad for the West Indies tour.

In terms of opening the innings, India has four openers in the ODI squad and the only position Samson could fit in could be in the middle order. He has played just one ODI so far, where he scored 46 and there are high chances of him being benched throughout the West Indies tour.

3. Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh broke into the Indian squad after an excellent season with the ball for the Punjab Kings and was among the top death bowlers in the cash-rich tournament. However, India has an array of fast bowlers, and it was going to be tough to fit the left-arm seamer into the lineup despite his death bowling skills.

Arshdeep made his international debut recently in the first T20I against England and he did bowl a good spell. He has been picked up for both the T20Is and ODIs in West Indies, however, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj will be the first-choice fast bowlers in the 50-over format given their recent performances.

For the T20Is, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan and Harshal Patel are expected to be the combination and hence, Arshdeep might be the one to miss out on the playing XI.

4. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill last played an ODI in 2020 against Australia and since then he hasn’t featured in the limited-overs setup constantly. The right-hander has now been called up to the ODI squad in West Indies after his recent form in the IPL 2022 but his chances of playing in the XI looks bleak at the moment.

Gill bats in the top order mostly, and the 22-year-old will have some strong contenders for the position. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and skipper Shikhar Dhawan have all batted in the position recently and Gill is likely to be benched throughout the three games.

Gill has always had the potential to do well and has been seen as the future of the Indian side. He is yet to be given chances on a longer basis in the limited overs setup and he will be keen to do well if he makes it to the playing XI. However, unless an injury pops up, head coach Rahul Dravid likes to stick on the first-choice combination.

5. Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav had a terrific IPL season this year and he made his way back into the Indian side for the South Africa T20Is at home. However, an injury ruled him out at the last moment and he had to wait for his turn again. The chinaman has now returned to the T20I squad for the West Indies series.

Kuldeep has always been a wicket-taking option despite his economy rate going up at times. However, he has the ability to change games on its head and can create a big impact. However, India has a lot of spin options with the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel in the T20I squad.

The 27-year-old will find it difficult to make it to the playing XI with the kind of competition he has in the squad having last played a T20I against Sri Lanka at the start of this year.

The Australian team is one of the greatest and they have contributed a lot to World Cricket. In the past few decades, the world has witnessed some records being made and broken by the Australian cricket team. Aussies perhaps are the most successful team amongst the other cricketing nations with a ton of records under their belt. Like some other cricketing nations, Australia also holds some records that are almost impossible to break in the modern era of Cricket.

There is a famous quote- “If records refuse to be broken, shatter them.” Australia has done the exact same things in the history of cricket; the Aussies have created and shattered multiple world records that are unbroken to date and they have won a total of 5 ODI World Cups and they lifted their maiden T20I World Cup in 2021 in UAE after defeating New Zealand in the finals.

Here’s a look at some of the records held by Aussies that are almost impossible to break:

1. Sir Don Bradman’s Test average

Sir Bradman was one of the greatest players ever produced by any cricketing nation. In his career, he played a total of 52 Test matches in which he scored 6996 runs with an exceptional average of 99.94 which is the highest average ever achieved by any batsman in World Cricket.

His love for the game led him to become the greatest Test player that we have ever witnessed. Nobody has ever come close to his test average and nobody is likely to in the upcoming years.

The Cootamundra-born cricketing legend showcased his batting skills every time he came out to bat and he is the only batsman in the history of cricket to score more than 5000 test runs against a single opponent. Out of his 6996 Test runs, he amassed 5028 of them against England.

2. Shane Warne: Most Test runs without a Ton

Australian International Hall of Fame, Shane Warne, retired with 3154 runs which he scored in 145 Test matches with an average of 17.33. He is regarded as the greatest leg spinner in the history of Cricket to have ever played the game.

In his 16 years long career he made numerous world records, but the weirdest record that he has is of scoring most Test runs without getting to a three-digit mark, despite crossing the 50-run-mark 12 times he was never able to convert even one of those into a big ton. In his Test career, he also took 708 wickets and is standing one place behind Sri Lankan Muralitharan in the list of players with the most test wickets.

Warne is the only batsman in the cricketing books to score more than 3000 Test runs without getting to a three-digit mark, whereas, in ODI’s Pakistan’s former captain Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record of scoring most ODI runs without getting a ton.

3. Three Consecutive World Cup Triumphs

Australia has won a total of 5 World Cups and they also lifted their maiden T20I World Cup in 2021 under the captaincy of Aaron Finch. Responsibilities and pressure come with the World Cup and the Australian team has always managed to win past the challenges that come their way.

Aussies hold a significant record of winning 3 consecutive World Cups in 1999, 2003 and 2007 led by 2 different captains. Australia won the 1999 World Cup under the leadership of Steve Waugh while under Ricky Ponting’s captaincy Aussies dominated the World Cricket and won the World Cup in 2003 and 2007 defeating India and Sri Lanka in the finals.

Australia is the only team to win more than 2 World Cups; they have won a total of 5 World Cups out of which they won 3 consecutive World Cups in 1999, 2003, and 2007. Australia won their first ever World Cup in 1987 under the captaincy of Allan Border.

4. Most number of Wickets in World Cup

Australian legendary pacer Glenn McGrath holds a remarkable record of taking the most number of wickets in ODI World Cup tournaments. He made his World Cup debut in 1996 when he was just 26 years old. In his entire career, he has played 250 ODI matches and has clinched 381 wickets including 7 five-wicket hauls.

He played a total of 4 World Cups for Australia and scalped a total of 71 wickets with an economy rate of 3.96 in World Cup history. He was one of the finest right-arm medium pacers that the world has ever witnessed. In the 1999 World Cup McGrath took 18 wickets including a fifer against the all-mighty West Indies and clinched 26 wickets in his last World Cup in 2007. In his last World Cup he recorded his most number of wickets in a single World Cup event.

5. Ricky Ponting: Most matches as ODI Captain

He is recognized as one of the greatest captains of all time, during his captaincy tenure he led the Aussies in 230 ODI matches and had won 165 out of them with a winning percentage of 76.14%.

In his career, he has scored 13704 ODI runs out of which 8497 runs came when he was captaining the side and out of his 71 international centuries 41 of those have come during his leadership tenure. Ponting is one of the best captains in World Cricket and his records prove how good a player he was during his time.

Apart from his numerous records and achievements, his biggest ever achievement probably would be winning 2 consecutive World Cups in 2003 and 2007 as the captain of the side. Ponting was a great batsman of his time as it was very challenging for the bowlers to get him out. In his Test career he played 168 matches scoring 13378 runs with an average of 51.85.

Team India has been one of the most successful cricket teams in international cricket and is considered a powerhouse in world cricket. The Men in Blue have registered so many cricket milestones and records which are almost impossible to break. Since the 1983 World Cup win under the great Kapil Dev, India has been unstoppable.

The Indian Cricket Team has seen some great captains who were known for transforming the team. The likes of Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli are the well-known captains of team India. They have always been known for building a side that is known for dominating the other nations on the cricket field.

Alongside numerous great captains, some players also captained the team for a few matches and did well. One of such players is Suresh Raina. He captained the team in 12 ODIs and three T20Is and India won all three matches in the shortest format and six of the 12 ODIs under him. The least number of people know that many Indian cricketers made their international debut under Suresh Raina.

Here we bring you five players who made their debut under Suresh Raina:

1. Virat Kohli

Many fans have no idea that the run machine Virat Kohli made his T20I debut for India under Suresh Raina in 2010 against Zimbabwe. Kohli is considered the greatest cricketer of this generation. The things that he has achieved are not a cup of tea for most cricketers. He has been a match-winner for India across all formats for more than a decade.

On the 12^th of June 2010, he received his maiden T20I cap when he came to bat at number five and scored not out 26 runs. He did not look back since then, he was the man of the tournament in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cup and was the leading run-scorer for India in the 2012 T20 World Cup too. He is a master even in the shortest format.

King Kohli has now become the role model for the budding Indian cricketers and also around the world. The batting star has played 102 Tests, 260 ODIs, and 99 T20Is for India till now scoring 8074,12344, and 3308 runs respectively. As of now, he has scored 70 international centuries maintaining an average of almost 50 in all three formats.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli made their T20I debut in the same match. Ashwin is now a champion cricketer for India. He is the second most successful bowler for India in Test cricket after Anil Kumble and is now one of the senior members of the Indian Team.

The veteran off-spinner claimed one wicket and gave 22 runs in his four overs in his T20I debut. He was very economical and sharp while bowling. He used to be a regular feature for team India in white ball cricket too, but now he is mostly considered for the Test format. He is unplayable in the home conditions with plenty of his variations.

The senior pro has played 86 Tests, 113 ODIs, and 51 T20Is for India picking 442, 151, and 61 wickets respectively. He transformed himself from a street-smart T20 bowler into a classic Test veteran. He is a master of off-spin bowling. He becomes a nightmare for the left-handers in Tests while bowling on his own soil.

3. Amit Mishra

The master of the shortest format of the game, Amit Mishra has been a successful T20 bowler. Mishra made his T20I debut under Suresh Raina in 2010 in the same series against Zimbabwe in which Virat and Ashwin made their debuts. He is one of the most successful bowlers in IPL. Due to the problem of plenty, he could not play many games at the international level.

The leggie, seven years after his ODI debut, marked his arrival in T20Is against Zimbabwe on the 13^th of June 2010. He bowled an economical spell of 21 runs in his quota of four overs picking one wicket on his debut. It was unfortunate that despite having so much talent, he could never become a permanent member of team India.

The Delhi-born spinner played only 10 T20Is in his career picking 16 wickets. He also played 22 Tests and 36 ODIs for India picking 76 and 64 wickets respectively. Amit Mishra is a legend in IPL. He has played 154 IPL games till now picking 166 wickets at an average of 23.95.

4. Umesh Yadav

One of the fastest Indian pacers of the current lot, Umesh Yadav, has also been playing international cricket for a while. Umesh made his ODI debut under Suresh Raina. Umesh used to be an important part of the Indian pace attack, especially in Test cricket. He is fast in the air and can produce some breathtaking spells due to his extra pace.

The Vidarbha Express made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on the 28^th of May 2010 under Suresh Raina’s captaincy. He went wicketless in the game and India eventually lost that game. The extra pace of Umesh has come handy for team India on a few occasions. He becomes dangerous if the pitch has help for the pacers.

The hardworking pacer has been a part of 52 Tests, 75 ODIs, and 7 T20Is for India claiming 158, 106, and 9 wickets respectively. He was an important part of the 2013 Champions Trophy-winning Indian side. He has had plenty of good days in Test cricket and would try to find his way back into the team soon.

5. Axar Patel

The promising all-rounder Axar Patel made his ODI debut for India against Bangladesh under Suresh Raina. Just after the completion of IPL 2014, India sent a second-string side to play the ODI series in Bangladesh under the captaincy of Suresh Raina. Axar Patel was named in the squad after his impressive performance in that IPL season.

The left-arm orthodox played his first ODI on the 15^th of June 2014 when he was just 20 years old. Axar picked the wicket of Mashrafe Mortaza and gave 59 runs in 10 overs on his ODI debut. He has been in and out of the Indian team since then. He has executed a few impressive performances while playing for India since his debut.

The 28-year-old has played 6 Tests, 38 ODIs, and 23 T20Is till now picking 39, 45, and 16 wickets respectively. Axar is a quality left-arm spinner and a reliable lower-order batter. Patel is an old-school left-arm spinner who consistently bowls at good line and length and put the opposition under pressure.

The Indian government has put forward a proposal to organize a match between the Indian team and the rest of the world to the BCCI. The proposed fixture, if conducted, will take place on the 22nd of August at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi to mark 75 years of India’s independence.

Although nothing is confirmed yet, the match can potentially feature some of the biggest names in international cricket against a full-strength Indian side. Matches involving World XI sides are usually organized for charity events to raise money and were a global attraction for crowds before the advent of domestic T20 leagues.

We predict the probable World XI for this celebratory event:

1. Jos Buttler (wk)

England’s newly appointed white ball skipper, Jos Buttler, is one the most fearsome openers in cricket. The wicket-keeper batter has taken over the reins after the retirement of influential Eoin Morgan from international cricket.

Buttler’s batting prowess is no secret to the world, but the recently concluded IPL 2022, where he finished as the highest run-getter of the tournament with a record-breaking four centuries to his name in the campaign, was followed by a mindboggling century against the Netherlands, solidified his status as one of the best-limited overs batters in the world currently.

The Englishman is quite familiar with the Indian conditions and loves attacking the bowlers from the get-go on the slower pitches in the country.

2. David Warner

Australia’s batting stalwart and diminutive opening batter, David Warner, has been one of the most consistent performers for the Men in Yellow over the years. The southpaw rejuvenated his career in the T20 World Cup last year after an atrocious IPL 2021 campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Warner is the seventh leading run scorer in T20Is, and just two runs short of the sixth-placed Babar Azam. A live-wire in the field, the top-order batter started his career as a white ball specialist but slowly progressed in red-ball cricket as well.

The Aussie is adored by Indian fans not only for his services in the IPL but also for his off-field prowess on social media, where he can be regularly seen dancing and recreating scenes from Bollywood movies along with his kids.

3. Babar Azam (c)

Arguably the best batter in all formats at the moment, Babar Azam is one of the most sought-after talents in cricket. The Pakistani skipper’s rise to the top of the cricketing charts has been sensational as he has proven himself against top-quality opponents on several occasions.

The elegant batter has a calming influence on his teammates and has flourished in the leadership role. Still early in his cricketing journey, the batter has been touted to break all sorts of records if he continues his rich vein of form.

It will be remarkable to see Pakistan’s most talented and accomplished batting star lead a side against India on Indian soil, which will add a bit more spice to this gigantic clash.

4. Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram is a sight to behold when in full flow and is one of the most stylish batters around. Markram possesses a perfect balance of stroke-making and power-hitting abilities, which makes him a dangerous prospect in the shorter forms of the game.

The South African showcased his batting skills in IPL 2022, where he was a force to reckon with in the middle overs for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Protean scored 381 runs for the franchise, averaging an incredible 47.63 and striking just under 140.

One of the better players of spin bowling, the right-hand batter will relish playing in the Indian conditions, and he will look to continue his impeccable form in the subcontinent nation.

5. Nicholas Pooran

West Indies’ newly appointed white ball skipper, Nicholas Pooran, has a mixed start to his tenure as his side has suffered back-to-back ODI series defeats against Pakistan and Bangladesh with a T20I series victory against the latter sandwiched in between them.

Pooran’s batting though has not been affected by his leadership responsibilities as he was awarded the player of the series in the T20I series against Bangladesh for his belligerent batting performances. Unfortunately, the explosive southpaw failed to carry his form into the ODI series.

The middle order batter was seen playing the role of a finisher for SRH in IPL 2022 and relished playing in that position by amassing 306 runs at a strike rate in excess of 140.

6. Liam Livingstone

England’s Liam Livingstone has played only a handful of games for the national side but has already established himself as one of the regulars in the white ball team. The 28-year-old is endowed with exceptional power-hitting abilities and is currently one of the most feared batters in limited-overs cricket.

The hard-hitting all-rounder announced himself in the IPL this season, scoring 437 runs for Punjab, striking the ball at an astonishing 182.08. His colossal 117m six against Gujarat Titans was one of the highlights of this year’s tournament. He followed his impressive stint in IPL by smacking the fastest fifty by an England player in the ODI series against the Netherlands.

Livingstone has struggled for form in the ongoing white ball series against India and wouldn’t mind playing in front of the Indian fans who will be expecting a repeat of his IPL heroics.

7. Rashid Khan

Afghanistan’s globetrotting bowling sensation, Rashid Khan, has been one of the mainstays of the most popular domestic T20 leagues around the globe. Still just 23 years of age, the bowling all-rounder is the third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is and is the fastest to 100 wickets in the format.

The leggie is an absolute menace with the ball in hand, and he has made some of the best batters look ordinary against his masterful spin bowling. Known for his wizardry with the ball, the youngster is no mug with the bat either and is capable of playing impactful cameos, as showcased in IPL 2022.

One of the stalwarts of the IPL, Rashid Khan lifted his maiden IPL trophy with Gujarat Titans this year and will cherish playing in front of the Indian fans once again, who adore the Afghani cricketer.

8. Wanindu Hasaranga

The latest addition to Sri Lanka’s mystery spinner contingent, Wanindu Hasaranaga, has been at the top of his game in the past 12 months. The leg-break bowler has been sensational for the islanders and was the joint leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 36 wickets to his name in 2021.

Hasaranga further enhanced his reputation in the IPL this year after a rocky start by grabbing an impressive haul of 26 wickets for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, just one short of Yuzvendra Chahal’s 27 wickets who won the Purple cap this season.

The 24-year-old was instrumental in Sri Lanka’s historic ODI series victory last month as he continued his impressive bowling and also played a couple of vital cameos for the side with the bat in hand.

9. Kagiso Rabada

In a game that is said to be dominated by power-hitting batters, Kagiso Rabada is a breath of fresh air with his searing fast bowling skills. The right arm quick not only bowls at a terrifying pace but also has a temperament of a fast bowler of the bygone eras, who never let the batter settle at the crease with his constant verbal pleasantries.

Rabada broke through on the international stage at a very young age, and it is safe to say that he has lived up to the promise of his early years. The 27- year old is one of the leading fast bowlers in the world and once against reminded the fans of his tremendous abilities by scalping 23 wickets in IPL 2022, the third highest this season.

The South African quick has been one of the most consistent bowlers in the IPL and will hope to emulate the same in the blockbuster event against India.

10. Trent Boult

New Zealand’s Trent Boult is one of the best exponents of the new ball with his ability to trouble the batters with his swinging deliveries. The veteran Kiwi is one of the most prominent figures in the Test match circuit and has improved his game in the shorter formats of the game in recent times.

The left-arm pacer is a constant threat with the ball in hand and is a handful up front in the powerplay. His expertise has served New Zealand cricket for years in all forms of the game and continues to excel in his role for the Kiwis.

Although he endured an underwhelming season in IPL 2022, he showed glimpses of his talents on a few occasions and will like to tighten up things in death overs.

11. Mitchell Starc

One bowler who doesn’t struggle with the old ball in hand is Australia’s star pacer Mitchell Starc. A feature for the Aussie side for over almost a decade now, Starc has terrorized batters all around the globe with his rapid swinging deliveries.

If somehow batters do manage to negotiate his threat early in the innings, it’s likely that the left arm pacer will return with an unplayable corker of a yorker later in the match to dismiss the batter. Arguably one of the best bowlers at extracting reverse swing from the ball, the man from down under is one of the most revered bowlers in the cricketing fraternity.

Unfortunately for the Indian viewers, Starc has only featured in two seasons of IPL due to his injury woes and national commitments. They would love to see the tearaway pacer in full flow on Indian soil.