The three are in their mid-30s and with Cummins dealing with a lumbar bone stress injury, and Starc taking international retirement from T20s, there is a feeling the end of an era is not too far.
India will have a final opportunity to iron out any flaws, especially when responding to pressure situations, when they take on Bangladesh in their concluding fixture ahead of Women's World Cup semi-finals, in Navi Mumbai, on Sunday.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes India is in "safe hands" and has "enough talent" to trounce England, but it will all come down to how the young-looking squad will leave a mark in the series on a territory known for being "tough".
Harmanpreet Kaur's side would become the fourth team to book the semifinal berth if they get the better of the White Ferns here on the familiar mat of the DY Patil Stadium.
With no foreign tours for the next one year, Easwaran's Test debut looks unlikely with N Jagadeesan being looked at as a potential third opener.
The timing of his decision comes just months before England's highly anticipated Test tour of Australia, where the two sides will contest a five-match ICC World Test Championship series beginning November 21 in Perth.
After bowling out SA A for 309, overnight 299/9, in the first session, India succumbed to their own waywardness, and the relentlessness of off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen (5/61), to concede an innings lead of 75.
'...When you come back home, when there's three spinners playing and the field's spread out, you really need to get your runs with singles. The boundaries don't come that easily.'
India is the second-most successful team in the Sultan of Johor Cup, having won three titles (2013, 2014, and 2022). Only Great Britain, with four titles, have dine better than them.
It's a bit of a shock to see Rohit not going to Australia as captain: Harbhajan
Star batter Shubman Gill was on Saturday named captain of the Indian Test squad for the upcoming five-match away series against England, signaling the start of a new era in Indian red-ball cricket.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane on Saturday.
Making his Test debut against Australia in 2010, Cheteshwar Pujara went on to represent India in 103 Tests, amassing 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries.
'Pujara, it was always reassuring to see you walk out at No.3. You brought calm, courage, and a deep love for Test cricket every time you played.'
Cowper played 27 Tests for Australia between 1964 and 1968, scoring five centuries including a 12-hour 307 off 589 balls
Musheer Khan, who had missed majority of the last domestic season 2024-25 after a car accident, finds his place back in the 16-member squad.
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
Indian batter and former ODI skipper Rohit Sharma expressed his excitement for the tour to Australia and how much he loves playing against the current 50-over world champions.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced that Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against South Africa in Faisalabad from November 4-8.
Arshdeep feels that being a master of 50-over cricket, Kohli will score runs in the remaining two games of this series.
South Africa spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who was reported for illegal bowling action in the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia last month, has been cleared by the ICC.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side landed in the evening after completing their warm-up games in Bengaluru.
Hard-hitting opener Shafali Verma, who made a comeback to the national side recently, has revealed that she watched videos of Sachin Tendulkar's Test knocks to keep herself motivated when she was ignored by the selectors.
Shreyas Iyer has been named captain of the India A squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A, starting September 30 in Kanpur.
India captain Rohit Sharma stood down from the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney in January.
Under Rohit Sharma, India won the 2018 and 2023 ODI Asia Cup, runners-up position in the 2023 World Cup at home and triumphed in the the ICC Champions Trophy in March.
Rohit Sharma appears ready to silence retirement rumours as he returns to training with renewed focus ahead of India's ODI series against Australia.
Kumble admitted that given Bumrah's history with back injury, it will not be possible for him to play all the five-Test matches.
Rohit Sharma first wore the ODI captaincy armband in 2017 and led India in 56 ODIs, winning a stunning 42, while losing just 12.
Ashwin to bring YouTube crew, security as he set to make Big Bash League debut.
From Mumbai to Colombo: Venues to host ICC Women's World Cup 2025
'He doesn't play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that's a big number in sport.'
Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer flaunted their rich vein of form by hammering blistering centuries for India A in the first unofficial ODI against Australia A at Green Park in Kanpur on Wednesday.
Karun Nair's wife Sanaya Tankariwala Nair took to social media to vent her frustration, labelling Nair's omission as pure injustice to the batter and a 'complete contradiction of the system's stated purpose'.
Spin great Ravichandran Ashwin is set to play for Sydney Thunder in the Australian Big Bash League in a mega deal valued at around $1 million over two years.
Nitish and Shardul were thrown into the playing XI for India A during both unofficial Tests against England Lions, and both all-rounders reaped mixed results across the two contests.
A Test series win in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa ranks as a "bigger" achievement than an IPL title, said India's new captain Shubman Gill on Thursday.
'I knew the finger was broken but I told the physio that I don't want to take any painkillers.' 'I was in very good rhythm and I just wanted to carry on.'
According to the Indian Express, Kohli informed the BCCI that he wants to retire from Test cricket. However, the Board has asked him to reconsider the decision with the five Test series against England coming up next month.
'We all make mistakes, but what is important is that you've got to get that out of your mind before the next ball commences.' K R Nayar recalls his many encounters with Dickie Bird, the legendary cricket umpire who passed into the ages this week.