Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
IMAGES from Day 1 of the third Test match between England and India at Lord's, London, on Thursday.
England were second-best in all departments in a heavy Test loss to India at Edgbaston after they misread the pitch and made the wrong decision at the toss, coach Brendon McCullum said after his team lost by 336 runs on Sunday.
Mohammed Shami, who has been out of action since IPL 2025 and is not part of India's ongoing Test tour of England, was named in Bengal's 50-member list of probables for the upcoming domestic season.
Washington Sundar's double strike pegged England back in the afternoon session, leaving them struggling 175/6 at tea on Day 4 of the third Test, at Lord's.
Rohit Sharma hailed the resilience of the lower-order batters after his team managed to salvage a crucial draw in the rain-hit third Test against Australia in Brisbane
Joe Root was at the center of an unexpected on-field spat with India's Prasidh Krishna, as tempers flared during a high-stakes second day at The Oval.
Gill may miss ODI series due to unhealed neck injury; Rahul, Pant in line for ODI captaincy
Mumbai, Karnataka brace for 'mini India' showdown in marquee Ranji QF match
Team India touched down in Manchester on Sunday ahead of the must-win fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Top-order batters subjugate India A's Test bowlers as SA A register five-wicket win
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd Test played at The Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha left Rest of India (RoI) reeling at 142 for 5 as bad light forced early close of Day 2 in their Irani Cup match, in Nagpur, on Thursday.
Mominul Haque was batting on 40 with Mushfiqur Rahim on six at the other end when bad light forced players off the pitch and rain followed soon after.
Shami, 35, was left out of India's 15-member squad for the two home Tests against South Africa, scheduled to commence on Friday at the famed Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Before his most recent snub, Shami had openly expressed his disappointment about being sidelined from India's recent Test fixtures.
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.
South Africa will aim for their first Test victory in India in more than 15 years.
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.
Shubman Gill is enjoying a 'honeymoon period' as India's Test captain but there will be more pressure on him in the days to come, feels former India skipper Sourav Ganguly.
The beleaguered tourists lined up without their ace bowler in the second contest, Panesar believes India would need to figure out a way to scythe 20 scalps to stand triumphant for the first time in Birmingham.
The decision to allow Virat Kohli to complete his fitness in London has sparked a debate within the cricketing circles on whether this was a one-off allowance to a player of his stature.
The charismatic presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma alongside a host of top India cricketers lends unprecedented gravitas to the Vijay Hazare One-Day Trophy beginning on Wednesday, giving all of them a chance to prove a point amid a renewed focus on domestic grind.
'Going into Brisbane, India need a tight strategy for Travis Head and they need to get Akash Deep in and maybe Ravindra Jadeja for Ashwin.'
Jasprit Bumrah was rested from the second Test at Edgbaston, as part of his workload management.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane on Saturday.
Former cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton lampooned England's top order for their early collapse
The Indian military will showcase an Operation Sindoor-themed tableau for the Republic Day parade, highlighting the jointness of the three services and India's military capabilities.
Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha took firm control of the Irani Cup, seizing a healthy first-innings lead and then consolidating it with a solid batting effort in their second essay against Rest of India at the VCA Stadium, in Nagpur, on Friday.
Gill earns glory with maiden double hundred, puts India on top in second Test
India successfully intercepted or neutralized all Pakistani missiles and drones that targeted 15 Indian cities on Wednesday night, according to official sources. The attack, which was launched in response to India's Operation Sindoor, involved the deployment of Barak-8 missiles, S-400 Triumph air defense systems, Akash surface-to-air missiles, and indigenously developed anti-drone equipment. India retaliated with precision strikes on Pakistani territory, destroying an HQ-9 air defense unit in Lahore and damaging key radar infrastructure. The incident highlights the strength of India's air defense capabilities and its ability to project power with surgical precision.
Lucknow Super Giants are no longer just contenders, they could be IPL 2025's ultimate disruptors.
'Whenever India bowls, Reiffel feels it's not out. Whenever India bats, he feels it's out.'
An injury-plagued India could be forced to depart from their preferred template when they takes on a reinvigorated England in the fourth Test starting in Manchester on Wednesday.
The JioStar expert also analysed KKR's buys at the auction, saying that getting NZ all-rounder Rachin Ravindra at base price was smart and there is "serious batting power" in the squad.
Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series against England due to a knee injury.
Siraj was the day's hero and India have pulled ahead, but England are not out of the contest by any stretch of imagination.
'Hussain was baffled by England's top three approach on Edgbaston's flat surface when the ball was slightly swinging.
Reddy took Thakur's place in Birmingham after the first Test
India head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could play in the must-win fifth and final Test against England.
Images from Day 2 of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, London, on Friday.
