In a series which has been disastrous to say the least, not many expect Wriddhiman Saha to script a success story for India in the final Test against Australia next week but the Bengal youngster might turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
Gearing up for a gruelling tour of Australia, the Indian team on Saturday began outdoor training with a light session after the entire contingent tested negative for COVID-19.
India pace bowler Mohammed Shami's participation in the remainder of the Test series against Australia was thrown into doubt on Saturday, with captain Virat Kohli revealing that he is unable to even lift his hands.
The Australian players have devised their own cultural pact and, under new coach Justin Langer, are expected to have 'elite honesty'.
Cricket Australia has locked in four venues for the financially crucial Test series against India and the first match is tentatively set for a December 3 start in Brisbane, as per local media reports. The 7news.com.au report also stated that there will be no quarantine hub or "bio bubble" required as of now.
The 19-year-old from Mumbai, wearing a protective brace on his left ankle, was seen jogging around the Adelaide Oval before the start of the fifth and final day of the first Test.
India captain Virat Kohli, on Thursday, described his 141 against Australia in Adelaide in the 2014 tour as his best Test century, saying that the confidence the team got in that match under his captaincy laid the foundation of the current status as a top side in the world.
Batsmen have dominated Australia's series against New Zealand, but the pink ball and a green-tinged wicket should swing the balance of power back to the bowlers when Adelaide hosts Test cricket's inaugural day-night match.
Speaking to ANI, sources in the know of developments in the Indian team said that the batsman will need a little more time before he can go full throttle.
Captain Joe Root said conditions at Old Trafford should suit the 6 foot five tall Craig Overton.
David Warner is very happy for his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Thangarasu Natarajan's Test call-up but he is 'not sure' if the Tamil Nadu left-arm seamer can consistently hit one length, over after over, in the five-day format.
However, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison put the cold water on the prospect, saying that it was highly unlikely that a day-night Test would be there in the schedule when the Ashes series would return to England next year.
Ashwin, Rohit ruled out of 2nd Test.
Usman Khawaja will replace Travis Head in Australia's middle order for this week's fourth Ashes Test against England in the only change to the side that wrapped up the series in Melbourne last week.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has no doubt wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, currently nursing a double hamstring injury, will be fit for India's four-Test series in Australia, beginning next month.
Ganguly firmly believed that this concept will help Test cricket regain its popularity in the sub-continent
Team management was always clear that once Rohit is fit and able to join the squad, he will be Rahane's deputy.
'It's been nice to score some runs in that time and we're always looking for perfection, and for me (Thursday) was as close to perfection as I will get.'
Former India batsmen Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Kaif hailed Ajinkya Rahane's unbeaten 104-run knock.
'Maybe Kohli can offer to make an honourable way for Rahane to take over during the series against England at home.' 'I can assure no bad blood would be caused when we ensure that the larger picture on the canvas is Indian cricket.'
- 'At no point did we back off. If at any stage that we had in mind that we might play for a draw, we would have lost by 150 runs' - 'I was playing positive and going by my instincts'
Statistical highlights of the fourth day of the first Test between India and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Bangalore on Sunday.
Struggling with his form, a downcast Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Tuesday crashed out of top 20 Test batsmen list for the first time in nearly a decade in the latest ICC ranking.
Former Australia batsman Neil Harvey, who made his Test debut at the age of 19 in Don Bradman's formidable 1948 side, has urged selectors to consider young talents Will Pucovski and Cameron Green for the upcoming series against India.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson says he will be 'extremely surprised' if captain Michael Clarke does not score a hundred in honour of the late Phillip Hughes in the first Test against India, starting Tuesday.
Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Monday said that his men will "hammer down" the visitors in next month's One-Day International tri-series as well once all-rounder Shane Watson comes back into the team.
The 30-year-old notched up his 16th hundred in his 65th Test at the Adelaide Oval, reaching the 5000-mark landmark in 108 innings, the same as the legendary Rahul Dravid, who made the No 3 slot his own.
Virat Kohli's elegant unbeaten 90 and some wily bowling by their spinners saw India secure a comprehensive 37-run victory over Australia in the first Twenty20 International at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday. Rajneesh Gupta lists some interesting numbers from the match.
A disciplined England attack shrugged off the challenge of a bland Adelaide Oval wicket to limit Australia to 273-5 and leave the second Ashes Test delicately poised after the opening day on Thursday.
As India and Bangladesh gear up for their first-ever day-night Test, veteran umpire K Hariharan said that the match officials should worry about the twilight period.
Siraj was rewarded for his tough decision as he took two wickets on an emotional debut to help India bowl Australia out for 195
England face a rejuvenated Australian team who have turned day-night cricket into a competitive advantage, winning all eight of their Tests under lights dating back to the format's 2015 debut.
Australia were 126/3 at stumps on Day 1 of the 4th Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
The International Cricket Council has indicated that the hearing into the appeal against the three-Test ban on Harbhajan Singh could be delayed even though the rules say it should be held within seven days of appointment of a Commissioner.
Trailing 0-1 in the series after the batting debacle in Adelaide and with Virat Kohli going back to India for the birth of his first child, India will be led by Ajinkya Rahane in the remaining three Tests.
To have 11 fielders on the field, Australia had to field their masseur and logistics coordinator Grant Baldwin.
They were kept in the Test squad for the series starting on December 17 but tough quarantine rules have made their availability uncertain.
The injured Australian pace spearhead heaped praise on the mainstays of the Indian team's batting.
Gautam Gambhir believes that the onus will be on stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane to lead the fightback against Australia
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