India cricketers, along with coach Gautam Gambhir, visited Shri Jagannath Temple in Odisha's Puri on Tuesday to seek blessings ahead of the first T2OI of the five-match series against South Africa, set to be played on the same day at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium.
As part of workload management for the injury-prone star pacer, the management had decided to play him in three out of five Tests. That plan doesn't change with four games remaining.
Simon Harmer picked up four wickets as South Africa staged an incredible fightback to shock India by 30 runs in a low-scoring first Test match.
Images from the second T20 International between India and South Africa, at the PCA's New Chandigarh Stadium, Mullanpur.
Jasprit Bumrah has revealed he rejected the BCCI's offer to become India's next Test captain
The 34-year-old mystery spinner rewrote the record books during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa at Ahmedabad on Friday, casting a spell of his bamboozling spin magic on the Proteas batters, four of them surrendering to his bowling.
Was it an injury? A missed opportunity? Captain Shubman Gill has an explanation-but it's not one many are buying.
The lack of runs from captain Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill remains a talking point.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill's indifferent form is a massive concern but the national selection committee is unlikely to make any shocking changes when it picks the 15-member squad for next year's T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.
On Wednesday, head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that they have yet to take a call on which Tests India will field Bumrah in the playing XI.
'What a player he is. He bowls, bats and executes a crucial run out of Rishabh Pant but there is no talk of workload management. But with India it is not like that.'
This isn't just a Test match - it's a test of Shubman Gill's leadership, temperament, and decision-making.
Arshdeep Singh -- statement spells against SA shows need to give pacer consistent ODI outings
South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad termed his team's tour of India "a very successful one" and expressed hope that the two teams meet once again in the final of the next year's T20 World Cup.
Mahela Jayawardene, MI's head coach, had last spoken about Bumrah's situation on March 19, admitting the challenge of starting the season without their premier fast bowler.
England captain Ben Stokes on Tuesday dismissed the chatter surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's availability for only three Tests out of five as "India's problem" and said he is expecting the "passionate" visitors to fight hard in the second Test irrespective of the team composition.
'Raat mein bande ne chashme pehne hue hain,' Bumrah chuckled in a video shared by the BCCI.
Hardik Pandya marked his return to the Indian team from a two-month injury layoff with a match-winning half-century.
Virat Kohli moved up to No. 4 in the latest ICC rankings with a match-winning hundred against South Africa in the first ODI at Ranchi boosting his ascend.
Bumrah, when quizzed about the repeated ball change, maintained a neutral tone on the matter.
In the chase, India lost Shubman Gill for a golden duck, while Marco Jansen got rid of Abhishek Sharma and India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, before Baartman broke the 35-run stand between Axar Patel and Varma.
Arshdeep Singh, who took three wickets for 35 runs in the third T20I against Australia, in Hobart on Sunday, said he's been working on his process, trusting his skills, and executing the plans he practised.
Jasprit Bumrah reflected on missed catching opportunities off his bowling and emphasised the importance of moving on during the game.
Indian skipper Shubman Gill confirmed that world's best fast bowler will be back during the third Test starting July 10 and Stokes wasn't amused that he would be asked about the fast bowling talisman for zillionth time.
Siraj took a six wicket haul in the first innings and got rid of Zak Crawley in the final hour on day five.
He has taken nine five-wicket hauls in SENA conditions.
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill is "ready to start" ahead of the first T20I against South Africa of the five-match series, which will take place on December 9.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
On one of India's most challenging surfaces in recent memory -- a dry, unpredictable turning track where every ball felt like an event, Temba Bavuma played one of the defining innings of his career.
For the first time in many years, India are going into a home Test match as underdogs and not favourites. Ask any player worth his salt and he would tell that it is not a happy place to be.
Shubman Gill has been guilty of taking too much load on himself since his T20 comeback and the Indian team wants him to bat as freely as he does in the IPL, said assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate.
IMAGES from the 3rd T20I between India and South Africa in Dharamsala on Sunday.
A 'special message' from India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on the eve of Cameron Green's back surgery gave the Australian all-rounder the much-needed reassurance about his decision to go under the knife.
India finished Day 3 on 90/2 to lead England by 96 runs at stumps in the opening Test on Sunday after England were dismissed for 465 in the first innings.
The Indian squad, which is expected to comprise 16 members, will be one of the trickiest ones in recent times as there is a debate around who the new captain should be.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs by an Indian in England. Virat Kohli holds the record for most wins by an Indian captain in England.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma downplayed Shukri Conrad's controversial remarks that he wanted India to "really grovel".
'It (the pitch) wasn't free-flowing. You felt comfortable, but the scoreboard wasn't going anywhere.'
Bumrah steps aside from Test captaincy race; Gill, Pant now leading contenders
Jasprit Bumrah said it is his self belief which has allowed him to complete almost a decade in international cricket.
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