Shardul Thakur remains optimistic about his India chances following yet another stellar performance for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
All-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis have been excluded from a 25-player squad for an intra-Australia clash that will go a long way to deciding the makeup of Tim Paine's Ashes side.
"I've really enjoyed my time at the ECB and am proud of having contributed to a successful period for our England teams. With increasing commitments outside of the organisation, sadly I've decided it's time to step away from my current role," read a statement from Strauss on Friday.
Nathan Lyon has already started his homework on rising batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal
Pakistan legend Wasim Akram said the Indian fast bowling unit should not get 'carried away' with the new ball.
Afghanistan will realise a long-cherished dream when they debut as a Test nation on Thursday but captain Asghar Stanikzai ruled out being nervous ahead of the match against their top-ranked hosts India.
Notts County produced an FA Cup replay shock with a 2-0 win at Premier League Wigan Athletic on Tuesday to earn a place in the fifth round.
While the pace department needs some urgent solutions, the spin has a slightly different landscape.
'I know he is on record saying that the Test match game is probably a little bit hard on his body. But for a one-off game... he's been bowling every game through this IPL and he's bowling quick.'
Lancashire won their first English championship title since 1934 when they defeated Somerset by eight wickets on the final day of the county season on Thursday.
Surrey-bound Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was on Thursday sent back home by British immigration officials after he landed at Heathrow airport without a valid working visa.
Rahane fell short of the three-figure mark again when he was bowled by paceman Shannon Gabriel
Hooper, 36, is expected to remain with Lancashire until such time as the Board of Control for Cricket in India clears Harbhajan Singh to play for the county.
England batsman Kevin Pietersen could push his bid for an international recall by missing the Indian Premier League in favour of playing English county cricket.
The Indian captain said his first century for Glamorgan brought him little joy since his team ended up on the losing side.
'Cheat meals, watching clips of 2005 Ashes, while trying to stay mentally positive and busy'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the fifth Test against England?
Hampshire has denied signing swashbuckling Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi for the remaining part of the Friends Provident Twenty20 championship. 'Shahid won't be joining us,' Hampshire manager Giles White told BBC Radio. White said that his team is already packed, and it would be difficult to accommodate Afridi in the side for the quarter-final tie against Warwickshire.
Impressed with Cheteshwar Pujara's performance, English county side Derbyshire is in talks with the batsman to sign him for next year as well but his IPL commitments and a tour of Bangladesh could prove to be the 'stumbling block'.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the WTC final against Australia?
'It is about finding ways to score runs and contribute to the side in as many games as I can.'
Zaheer to play for Mumbai\nThe India medium pacer will sever ties with Baroda after seven years to play for Mumbai this season.
The 35-year-old off-spinner was ruled out of the tournament after straining his bicep while playing in English county cricket.
Ian Bell scored a brilliant century to lead Warwickshire to a three-wicket victory in the final of English cricket's 40-over competition on Saturday, which handed Somerset a hat-trick of heartbreaks.
VVS Laxman continued his prolific run in English cricket, hitting another half-century to guide Lancashire to 226 for seven against Yorkshire in their County Championship match at Headingley Carnegie. Opting to bat first, Lancashire ran into trouble losing both their openers when the score read just two before Laxman (50) starred in two crucial partnerships to steady the ship.
The in-demand Andrew McDonald announced a three-year deal last week to coach Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals.
The trio of Bancroft, Smith and Warner were banned for their roles in the ball tampering scandal.
The Australian leg spin ace resorted to bowling bouncers and throwing tantrums while leading Hampshire in an English county game against Lancashire that ended in a farce.
The Punjab batsman is eyeing a berth in India's team for the next World Cup.
Most of the Test squad and staff had been transferred to hotel quarantine where they will warm up for the two-Test series against England
India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday officially inked his deal with top English county side Surrey in his bid to prepare for the tour of England, starting in July.
The all-rounder captained South Africa at the age of 42 on their historic post-isolation limited overs tour of India in 1991, but was then controversially left out of the squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand the following year.
The Hampshire captain went in at number nine and scored the first century of his career in the County match against Kent.
The Nottinghamshire pace bowler doesn't want to look too far ahead, but next year's Ashes series is definitely on his radar.
Meanwhile, the sports ministry has asked the PCB not to offer a long-term contract to its incumbent director of cricket Mohammad Hafeez yet, who came into the role after the 50-overs World Cup last year.
Australia will play against Sri Lanka in the first T20I at North Sydney Oval on September 29.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match, in Jaipur on Friday.
Head coach Rahul Dravid and his team will assemble at the National Cricket Academy on Tuesday to start preparations for the World Test Championship final in June.
Gilchrist made the comments after the IPL governing council proposed to have a dedicated "no-ball" umpire to reduce the number of howlers in the lucrative league.
