Rishabh Pant has not donned the ODI jersey for India in more than two years, leaving his international career in limbo. Although he has shone in Test matches, fierce competition for the wicketkeeper role in ODIs and T20s looms large. After a year lost to injury, players like KL Rahul have seized their chance.

Simranjit Singh a.k.a Simi Singh left left India in 2006 to pursue hotel management, found an unexpected second career in cricket, played for Ireland at the 2022 T20 World Cup and then survived acute liver failure. Now, after his wife donated part of her liver to save him, Simi Singh has returned home to Mohali, bringing a remarkable 20-year journey to an end. Yet, his association with cricket will continue: he's opened an academy, where he is honing young talent.

India captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 223 was sublime, his impeccable timing, placement and voracious appetite hallmarks of his talent. So too was Rohit Sharma’s easy-on-the-eye 101. The West Indies also had three centurions. These batters needed adversaries, and they found none. Not from the bowlers nor from the pitch.