Also giving the training a miss were first Test double centurion Mayank Agarwal and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.
The Motera track may have received a lot of flak after the pink ball Test ended inside two days but it is unlikely to attract any severe sanctions from the game's governing body ICC with the pitch for the final game set to be a batting beauty.
World number one India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in less than three days as New Zealand completed a 2-0 series sweep in the second Test, in Christchurch, on Monday. India were all out for 124 in their second innings to set New Zealand an easy target of 132 to win the match. The hosts cruised to victory, with openers Tom Latham (52) and Tom Blundell (55) both hitting half-centuries.
Avesh Khan dismissed Dhoni and South Africa's Faf du Plessis for his two wickets during Delhi Capitals' seven-wicket win over CSK
Young Shreyas Gopal spun a web around a star-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore batting line-up to claim four wickets for 16 runs and help Rajasthan Royals score a 30-run victory and stay in the reckoning for a play-offs berth in the Indian Premier League, in Jaipur, on Saturday.
Dhoni's men will have to adapt to the conditions quickly to avoid any such hiccup in the play-offs.
For a team that looked at ease all along, it was their first defeat in the UAE leg -- and three from 11 matches this season -- as Delhi struggled to get going against KKR bowlers who made full use of the slow surface after opting to bowl.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India selectors on Sunday included left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the Indian squad for the last two one-dayers of the ongoing series against Australia and dropped Ravindra Jadeja.
Senior India fast bowler Ishant Sharma on Saturday passed the fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and will now join the team in New Zealand for the two-match Test series starting on February 21. Ishant is expected to fly to Wellington for the first Test.
'In some matches I bowl badly and don't realise what went wrong and how to correct. A fast bowling coach can help us correct our mistakes and improve as bowler'
West Indies are reeling at 90 for the loss of three wickets at lunch on day 3, as India extended their advantage in the first Test at Antigua on Saturday. Pacer Mohammed Shami bagged his second wicket of the innings after dismissing Darren Bravo (11) at the stroke of lunch.
'The IPL is like a corporate world, the owners expect results and on top of that you don't get that much time.' 'Coaching is not that important at that level, it is more about man management and keeping the atmosphere really good, that is the most important thing.'
Virat Kohli would hope for a turnaround when India take on an under-prepared Sri Lanka in the second Test in Bengaluru
The No. 4 slot is considered the most vital position for any successful ODI side, yet India are struggling to find a solution to their revolving door conundrum for some time now.
Kohli said it is imperative to think about the future teams.
Images from day one of the first Test between Australia and India, in Melbourne, on Monday.
Umesh Yadav took a blinder of a catch to dismiss Corey Anderson in the first One-Day International against New Zealand in Dharamsala and fielding coach R Sridhar feels that the Vidarbha fast bowler has "created new benchmark" for the speedsters.
Middle-order batsman Suresh Raina made a comeback to the team fold after the newly appointed senior selection committee announced their India squad for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, in New Delhi, on Thursday.
A few eyebrows may have been raised finding Umesh Yadav introduced into the attack in the 28th over but Indian team's assistant coach Sanjay Bangar termed it as a part of the plan knowing the Vidarbha speedster's ability to get reverse swing.
It wasn't very difficult to read between the lines as to what he meant after Ravindra Jadeja was preferred in the West Indies.
The career statistics of 15-member squad - overall, in India and against New Zealand.
India captain Virat Kohli chalked up his seventh double hundred in Tests before his pacers claimed a few early wickets to leave South Africa reeling, on Day 2, of the second Test against South Africa at Pune.
The Indian squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni departed for New Zealand from Mumbai on Sunday for a five-match ODI series followed by a best-of-two Test rubber against the hosts.
Under fire, Dhoni's men will look to plug all loopholes as the in-form Bangla tigers aim for a clean sweep
Virat, Ishant set to return for England series starting Feb 5 as selection for first two Tests takes place on Tuesday.
'Siraj, leader of the attack in his first Test series and he has led from the front.'
Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad in another must-win Indian Premier League encounter
Rohit Sharma's hopes of a Test comeback took a slight jolt as he was dismissed for a duck on the third and final day of the warm-up match between Board President's XI and South Africa.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Thursday termed the non-selection of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the Indian lineup as "madness". "The non selection of @ashwinravi99 has to be greatest NON selection we have ever witnessed across 4 Tests in the UK !!! 413 Test wickets & 5 Test 100s !!!! #ENGvIND Madness," tweeted Vaughan.
According to PTI, the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma has asked the duo to regain form by playing Ranji Trophy.
Australia's batting mainstay Steve Smith dared the lethal Indian fast bowling unit to bring on the short stuff in the four-match Test series starting next month.
Australia looked destined for their biggest score of the series against India after a half century from debutant opener Will Pucovski helped them to 166 for two at the end of the rain-disrupted first day of the third Test in Sydney on Thursday.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma will bat at the top of the innings.
Virat Kohli's position as India's ODI captain, his Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane's future as vice-captain in the longest format along with 100-Test man Ishant Sharma's place will be up for discussion when the national selectors pick the jumbo squad for the tour of South Africa later this week.
'Like MS Dhoni, I try to detach myself from the result and focus on small things, which I also refer to as process. And this helps in getting the desired outcome'
India head into the third Test with momentum after dampening Australia's Christmas cheer with a dominant eight-wicket win in the second match in Melbourne.
Kohli's deputy Ajinkya Rahane will lead India in the final three Tests.
India's Test captain Virat Kohli on Saturday cut a specially customized cake kept by the hotel authorities as a part of celebration of India's upcoming historic '500th Test' against New Zealand starting at the Green Park on September 22. The New Zealand team will arrive on Monday.
How do India and Australia's teams stack up? Rajneesh Gupta presents all the numbers.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances