Former India opener Wasim Jaffer said Tilak Varma possesses the technical foundation and tactical flexibility to replace Virat Kohli at No. 3 in India's ODI batting order after the 2027 World Cup. Kohli confirmed the 2027 tournament will be his last ODI World Cup.

Jaffer highlighted Varma's ability to bat at different positions, noting he scored a century at No. 3 and has since adapted to No. 5 and 6. He also pointed to Varma's first-class average of around 55 and his left-handed batting as strategic advantages.

Varma has played four ODIs for India, scoring 68 runs at 22.67. Jaffer said a left-hander at No. 3 would provide balance once Rohit Sharma and Kohli depart.

Toronto Sixers won the Canada Super 60 Season 2 men's title on October 5, beating Vancouver Anchors by five wickets off the final ball at BC Place in Vancouver. The Sixers finished on 168 for five after chasing 165. Nicholas Pooran was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 207 runs and taking two wickets across the competition.

Vancouver Anchors posted 164 for three after Obus Pienaar hit an unbeaten 82 off 21 balls and Moeen Ali made 45 off 18. Pooran then smashed 67 off 23 balls to set the platform for Toronto's chase. Kieron Pollard scored 35 off 13 and Daniel Sams remained unbeaten on 25 off nine.

Toronto's women had already won their title earlier in the tournament, giving the franchise a clean sweep of both competitions.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has deputed a three-member selection committee headed by former India seamer Harvinder Singh to pick Bihar's squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy. The committee includes ex-first-class cricketers Sridharan Sharath and Amitabh Vijayvargiya.

Harvinder Singh and Sridharan Sharath have both served as senior national selectors in the past. A separate three-member committee comprising Harvinder Singh Sodhi, Krishan Mohan and Pathik Patel will select Bihar's junior teams for age-group tournaments.

All selectors reached Patna on Monday and began identifying talented local cricketers at the Moin-Ul-Haq Stadium. Bihar, promoted to the Elite Group, will take on Uttar Pradesh in their Ranji Trophy opener at Rajgir.

Former IPL winner Mohammad Kaif criticised the India team management for inconsistent selection during the West Indies home ODI series. He highlighted how new players were being brought in but not given consistent chances, which would hurt their confidence.

Kaif pointed to Auqib Nabi making his debut in the second ODI and being dropped for the next game. He said the management was spoiling young players by not backing them after giving them opportunities.

Kaif also noted that captain Shubman Gill appeared under pressure and clueless in the absence of senior pacers. He said a young captain with a young bowling attack was a matter of concern ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein expressed confidence that his side would push India, the reigning T20 World champion, hard in the five-match series starting on Tuesday. "I back my boys. Even when we played in the World Cup, we gave them a hell of a run. They know the fear that we bring to T20 cricket. They know the brand that we play. We know they are a dangerous team, but we're not going to back down as well," said Hosein.

The 33-year-old is set to play in his 100th T20I match on Tuesday, and the Trinidadian hoped he could continue for another five years. "I wish I could see the next five years. But for me, first of all, I'm still at 99. I have to get selected to make that 100 game. That being said, it's an achievement in itself. It shows you're dedicated, you're hungry, and your performances have been up to par, too. So it's a good achievement; it's something to look back on and smile on," said Hosein.

India enter the series after winning the preceding ODI contest 2-1, while West Indies will be looking to build on their strong finish to that series.

Shantanu Sugwekar ended his first-class career with 6,653 runs in 85 matches at an average of 63.10. He scored 19 centuries and 26 half-centuries, including scores of 299, 225, 211 and an unbeaten 210.

The 299 came in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in 1988-89 when Sugwekar was 22. Maharashtra declared at 700 and won by an innings and 262 runs. He scored heavily against strong Bombay attacks and overlapped with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

Sugwekar represented Maharashtra, West Zone and Rest of India but never played an international match during an era when Mohammad Azharuddin and Sanjay Manjrekar were established and Dravid and VVS Laxman were emerging.

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha will lead the senior men's selection committee meeting this week to pick squads for India's tour of New Zealand. The tour starts October 22 and includes five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests.

Ajit Agarkar's tenure as chairman ended on October 4, and the BCCI has not yet named a replacement. The committee will function with four members until a new selector is appointed. Full-strength squads are expected for all three formats.

Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar is in line for a Test recall after taking six wickets in the second innings of the Irani Cup. Akash Deep is also expected to be considered for the red-ball series.

Mukesh Kumar took 6 for 33 as Rest of India bowled Jammu and Kashmir out for 111 to win the Irani Cup by 167 runs in Srinagar on October 5. Akash Deep took 3 for 25, the pair sharing nine wickets.

Mukesh had conceded 12 in his first three overs, then asked Sarfaraz Khan for another spell. He came back and removed Shubham Pundir, Paras Dogra and three more to finish with 8 for 92.

The surface offered seam movement, the same conditions India will meet in Wellington and Christchurch next month. Mukesh has played three Tests, taken seven wickets at 25.57, six of them overseas.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra said India's preferred top six for the 2027 ODI World Cup will remain Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya. He spoke on his YouTube channel after India won the ODI series against West Indies 2-1. Hardik missed the series with fitness issues.

Chopra backed Hardik at No. 6, saying he has never seen the all-rounder in poor form. He also said Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to fill the backup batter and wicketkeeper role, ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Kishan played the first two games of the 2023 ODI World Cup when Shubman Gill was unavailable.

India will play two men's senior international matches on the same day on October 3 for only the second time in history. The T20I side will contest the Asian Games medal match while the ODI side plays the West Indies in Mullanpur. India will then play 10 T20Is in 26 days, five against West Indies at home from October 6 and five in New Zealand from October 22.