Matthew Sandery, head curator at the Dubai international stadium, was spotted near Gautam Gambhir and Sitanshu Kotak, but did not ask them to keep away. Incidentally, the BCCI, being the hosts, can even suggest the kind of wicket they would need for the match.
Perched on a steel beam, hundreds of feet above the ground, a construction worker watches intently - eyes locked not on the skyline, but on the drama unfolding at The Oval.
India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who played in the fifth and final Test at The Oval against England in their last assignment, has been named Iyer's deputy.
As England and India gear up for the final Test of the fiercely fought five-match series starting at The Oval on Thursday, a number of individuals on either side will be on the cusp of major individual milestones.
England all-rounder Chris Woakes said rehabilitation is a risk he is willing to take to be fit for the Ashes rather than undergoing surgery on the shoulder injury he sustained during last week's fifth Test loss to India.
Siraj, who bowled 185.3 overs in five Tests, ended with 23 wickets and his nine-for in the final Test at the Oval earned India a memorable series levelling six-run win over England.
England gained the upper hand after a rain-hit first day of the final Test, needing victory to square the series, battled to 204-6, with all their big guns dismissed cheaply.
'When you are playing for your country, forget the aches and the pains. On the border, do you think that the jawans are complaining about cold.'
'The Alaska Summit made me realise that while difficult, peace is within reach.'
After hundreds upon hundreds of runs on flat tracks in the ongoing series so far, it took the green top at The Oval to finally produce the best day of the Indian summer, on the fifth and last Friday of the Test series.
Wearing special headbands in memory of Graham Thorpe, they honoured not just a legend of the game, but a man whose courage and struggles have sparked an urgent conversation around mental health in sport.
India stuck to their pre-series decision to field Bumrah in only three Tests and was hence not played in the final Test at the Oval
Shubman Gill may have fallen agonisingly short of breaking Sunil Gavaskar's iconic 54-year-old record, but he walked away with something just as special - the legend's respect.
US Vice President JD Vance says he is ready to lead the country if a 'terrible tragedy' occurs, amid speculation about President Trump's health. He insists Trump is in good health and will serve his full term.
Karun Nair opened up about the relentless effort he put in the last few years to make a comeback to the Indian Test team for the recently-concluded tour of England.
Five Tests between India and England going down to the wire should be enough to convince the sport's authorities not to tinker with the format, reckoned Shubman Gill after a dramatic win at The Oval on Monday.
Jasprit Bumrah may have played only three Tests in the England series, but his impact was undeniable - and so was his pride.
Karun Nair was all praise for India head coach Gautam Gambhir for giving the players a "lot of encouragement and support" during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Mohammed Siraj produced a stellar display across five gruelling Tests to prove that he possesses both the heart and the craft to lead India's pace battery.
Group A includes defending champions India, Pakistan, UAE and Oman, while Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong are in Group B.
With three centuries already in the series, Gill could join Don Bradman and Gavaskar in the elite club of captains who've hit the most hundreds in a single Test series, if he converts his current innings into a fourth on Day 5.
India lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and K L Rahul on a green top but did well to reach 72 for two at lunch on Day 1 of the series-deciding fifth Test against England at The Oval, London, on Thursday.
India are favourites to secure victory and draw the series, but England will still fancy their chances of completing what would be by far the highest successful Test run chase at The Oval.
Yashasvi Jaiswal enhanced his reputation as an all-conditions opener with a gutsy hundred on a tough pitch before Washington Sundar's whirlwind fifty allowed India to set a record 374-run target for England on an absorbing Day 3 of the final Test at The Oval on Saturday.
Root reached into his pocket, pulled out a white headband, and placed it on his forehead. Then, he looked skyward - a powerful and poignant tribute to Graham Thorpe, his late mentor and one of England's most cherished cricketers.
Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel on Wednesday said India head coach Gautam Gambhir "had all the right of just losing it" following a fiery confrontation with Lee Fortis, Surrey's head of ground staff at The Oval.
Siraj now has 203 international wickets in 101 matches, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, who had 201 wickets in his career.
India's heroes from Old Trafford took to social media to share what the draw meant to them - not just as cricketers, but as fighters.
Woakes, who sustained a dislocated shoulder while fielding during the fifth Test against India earlier this month, believes he's recovering better than he anticipated.
Cheteshwar Pujara's retirement from Indian cricket on Sunday prompted an outpouring of tributes, none more heartfelt than Jaydev Unadkat's.
Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter N Jagadeesan has been called in as cover for the injured Rishabh Pant for the fifth Test for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at the Oval.
Atkinson, who is playing his first Test of the series following a hamstring strain, said that he is "ready to push the limits" in case Woakes does not take any further part.
The Oval will host the fifth and final Test between India and England from Thursday, and the Indian team has hit the ground running two days after staging a remarkable comeback to draw the fourth match in Manchester.
Jasprit Bumrah had made himself available for three of the five Tests in England and the Indian team management felt it was right to honour the star pacer's call considering his workload, said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
'He told me to remember all the hard work my father has put in to get me here.'
Injured Woakes may bat on day 5, says Joe Roots
Three-day gap in between Tests is too less for five-match series: Stokes, Gill on scheduling
All-rounder Jamie Overton, who played the only Test match of his career back in 2022, has been recalled to the 15-member England squad
Sanjay Bangar felt a wicket could fall at any moment due to the pressure applied by Indian seamers on the England batters
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