Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
Spin great Anil Kumble praised Nitish Kumar Reddy's showing with the ball on Day 1 of the Lord's Test on Thursday.
Thakur, who resumed Day 3 unbeaten, brought up his century with ease, reinforcing his case as the ideal seam-bowling all-rounder ahead of the Leeds Test.
Over four decades, the India-Australia ODI rivalry has mirrored the evolution of both teams, from Australia's supremacy in the 2000s to India's resurgence post-2010. Come Sunday, this rivalry will be renewed as Shubman Gill will commence his first assignment as ODI captain in the opening game of the three match series, at the Optus stadium in Perth.
Stead, who guided New Zealand to the WTC title, T20 World Cup final in 2021, 2019 ODI World Cup final and 2025 Champions Trophy title clash, is now entrusted with the task of giving a fillip to Andhra cricket.
Nitish Kumar Reddy made a promise to himself post the Australia tour that he would improve his bowling.
Indian spinners will have a tough fourth day in office with the pitch getting slower, thereby making batting way easier, admitted assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate after the end of third day's play in the third Test against the West Indies in New Delhi on Sunday.
Aus ODIs: Bumrah, Gill workload to be discussed, battle between Jaiswal and Abhishek
The 24-year-old pacer, handed his maiden international cap, is being hailed as a 'good replacement' by former India quick Varun Aaron
The short turnaround time from the high of winning a controversy-marred Asia Cup notwithstanding, Shubman Gill's India will be outright favourites against a struggling and under-strength West Indies when the teams face-off on a green-top in the first Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Going into the penultimate game of the rubber, the pressing question is whether to tweak their conservative approach and bolster the spin department by playing left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav at the cost of a spin all-rounder.
Jasprit Bumrah was rested from the second Test at Edgbaston, as part of his workload management.
'Nitish is our premium batting all-rounder at the moment. So I would say it's a very good chance to play this Test.'
Nitish will join the SRH squad soon as they will open their IPL 2025 campaign on March 23 against Rajasthan Royals at Hyderabad.
Joe Root's patient unbeaten 99 led England to 251-4 on an attritional and compelling first day of the third Test against India at Lord's on Thursday.
Gill second successive ton as skipper takes India to 310 for 5
England's scoring rate of 2.91 runs per over during the second session was the second-slowest in a home Test in the Bazball era, only behind their 2.72 per over effort against New Zealand at Lord's in 2022.
'As much as we may want, unka number itni aasani se nahi aayega (It's not going to be easy for Rahul)'
India A batters enjoyed their time on a placid batting track with all the top four batters helping themselves to half-centuries as the first unofficial 'Test' against England Lions ended in a draw
Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Shubman Gill were among India's Test regulars in action during the second day of the intra-squad match against India A.
Shubman Gill played a masterful captain's knock with his second century of the series on the opening day of the second Test
As India gear up for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, former captain Ajinkya Rahane has raised a tactical alarm: the team's all-rounder-heavy approach might be hurting their chances.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy's defiance seems to be working well for the Congress in Seemandhra, a reason sufficient for party leaders to keep silent, though he has openly criticised them and staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. B Dasarath Reddy reports
Commentators speculated the injury might be a fracture, though the extent of the damage remains unconfirmed.
Handed the reins of a depleted Indian side in his maiden stint as Test captain, the 24-year-old has been tasked with breaking a 17-year drought without the experience of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli by his side.
Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on young Nitish Kumar Reddy, calling his maiden Test century on the third day of the Boxing Day match 'one of the greatest Test knocks ever'.
Shubman Gill is the flavour of the season after his stupendous show in the recent Test series against England but he will face a contender in Axar Patel for vice-captaincy
Nitish Kumar Reddy visited the Tirupati temple to give thanks for his standout show during the Border Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia.
The "jinxed" chair of Speaker, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be occupied by Kiran Kumar Reddy, a vocal Congress leader known for his opposition baiting.
Soon after gently rolling his arm over in the field of play, Akash Deep cut a forlorn figure as uncapped Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna bowled full tilt at India's first outdoor training session ahead of the fourth Test.
After a poor show by the lower-order batters in the first Leeds Test, Team India scripted a memorable comeback at Birmingham - one for the history books
For their next assignment in the ICC World Test Championship cycle, the two-time WTC runners up will aim to grab maximum points across those four home clashes. Here are five key questions the side must answer prior to their next Test match-up.
SRH skipper Pat Cummins said, "It was great (the team's performance). A few things came together tonight; the boys played well. Thought it (the bowling) was pretty clinical.
England Lions were 192 for 3 in 46 overs in reply to India A's 348 at stumps on the second day of their second unofficial Test, in Northampton on Saturday.
'It felt like you had to force the ball through, which in England were are not used to -- you usually get rewards for your cuts and clips.'
IMAGES from Day 1 of the third Test match between England and India at Lord's, London, on Thursday.
Gill, Rahul score fifties in intra-squad practice match against India A ahead of England Test
"We will have an advantage...": BCCI VP Shukla on India's new-look squad for England tour
Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the uncapped Anshul Kamboj belongs to the rare breed of fast bowlers like Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah.
