Struggling opener Shikhar Dhawan will be the focus in a spoilt-for-choice Indian team when it takes on world champion England in a three-match ODI series starting in Pune on Tuesday.
England's batting line-up imploded in familiar fashion before Chris Gayle inspired the West Indies to a seven-wicket triumph in the fifth and final ODI international in St Lucia on Saturday to ensure the series ended drawn at 2-2.
Uncapped Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari was named in England's squad on Tuesday for the forthcoming three Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
Images from the first One-day International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Friday.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern wrote in an open letter to FIFA on Tuesday that the two countries would host a tournament to be proud of.
The series win in Australia shows India will be a difficult team to beat and England will have to be at the top of their game to outwit the hosts in the upcoming four-match Test series, coach Chris Silverwood said on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
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The Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese calendar, began on Sunday, January 22.
It will also be a milestone in the career of England's talisman Ben Stokes as he captains the side for the first time.
Ben Stokes was named in England's Twenty20 squad for a tri-series against Australia and New Zealand on Monday, his participation dependent on whether he is charged for his involvement in an altercation outside a nightclub in September.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was left out of the first Test, is back in the mix as Shardul Thakur seems to have done his hamstring some damage during the training session at Lord's on Monday.
'Heroes are weak; they are cowards; they cry; they betray their fellow soldiers; they lie to their wives so that they can fight for their country and yet have their conscience devour them with guilt.'
England completed the task with a day to spare with South Africa falling well short of their 466 run target
Archer, who has played his junior cricket in the Caribbean and qualified to play for England only in April, is a familiar figure for the West Indies camp and it knows what the 24-year-old is capable of.
Images from the FA Cup matches played on Saturday
'We therefore support all sporting icons and role models who are today leading the way in peacefully protesting and standing against the scourge of racism and injustice.'
Jonny Bairstow has been rested and injured pacer Jofra Archer was left out while spinner Moeen Ali was unavailable for Test selection.
Images from the World Cup final between England and New Zealand, at Lord's on Sunday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
England skipper Joe Root has backed James Anderson to hit peak form again, saying on Wednesday that the pace bowler's spot in the team is not in question ahead of the second Test against Pakistan starting on Thursday.
England's selectors are acutely aware of the impact on players of bio-secure bubbles and with a demanding year ahead, are making sure they protect their key performers.
Influenza has ravaged England with several players and staff taken ill since arriving on Dec. 14.
Superb centuries from Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell lifted Australia to a dramatic three-wicket victory over England on Wednesday as the visitors clinched the one-day international series 2-1.
The South Africa-born 33-year-old has not played for the senior England team since the first Test in Brisbane 18 months ago, after which he returned home with stress-related problems.
The 40-year-old Pietersen said a win against India is similar to a victory against arch-rivals Australia and urged the selectors to play both Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the same XI.
Skipper Joe Root, who led England to a series-levelling win at the Headingley, expects an Indian backlash in the penultimate Test and said they're ready for all combinations including facing the "world-class" R Ashwin at Oval.
Pakistan recovered from a dreadful start, thanks to a century by Sarfraz Ahmed, to post a respectable total of 251 before Root and captain Eoin Morgan shared a third-wicket stand of 112 to lay the platform for the hosts to go 2-0 up in the series.
England have not picked uncapped all-rounder Jofra Archer in a preliminary 15-man World Cup squad but have named him in squads for the warm-up games against Pakistan and Ireland.
Images from the EPL matches played on Saturday
A summary of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
A virgin Motera pitch has become the big talking point as captain Virat Kohli looks to get the combination right with India looking to continue their momentum to trouble England in the day-night third Test match, starting in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
England's sporting global ambitions have never been fully realised since Sir Alf Ramsey's team won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Whether it is Gary Linekar or Hary Kane, the 'Cup' that they desperately want never came home during the last five and half decades.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has reclaimed the No.1 position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after leading his side to the ICC World Test Championship title in Southampton last week.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins on Friday said he is glad that the effort he put into his T20 bowling in the last four-five months is giving him the desired results in the ongoing World Cup, which has been his "main goal" for a while.
India will welcome back regular skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests in Australia to attend the birth of his daughter.
Manchester United climbed two places up to second in the Premier League after Marcus Rashford scored deep into stoppage time to give them a fortuitous 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.
It remains to be seen whether India are able to add 'another sweetest victory' or if the visitors spoil their party.
South Africa needed three off the last two balls but Tom Curran, who had just been smashed for 12 runs in three by Dwaine Pretorius, got him lbw then had Bjorn Fortuin caught off the final ball to cap off a day of almost unrelenting excitement and set up a thrilling decider in Centurion on Sunday.
Buttler smashed 12 sixes in his 150, from only 77 balls, while Morgan was almost subdued by comparison, compiling 103 from 88 balls as England scored 418 for six off their 50 overs.
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