With Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series against India, the scales are titled highly in favour of the hosts. History also shows that the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts. With the Boxing Day Test around the corner, here is a quick look at how the teams stand.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya is one of the notable promotions to Grade A, which is worth Rs 5 crore, while rookies Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj got their maiden central contracts, worth Rs 1 crore, in Grade C.
Images from Sunday, Day 4 of the second Test between India and South Africa, in Pune.
Debutants Afghanistan were bowled out twice in a day to lose the one-off Test match against India by an innings and 262 runs, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
'India's is fantastic; Bumrah and Shami have been amazing'
Rookie Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar has been drafted in the Indian squad for the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka with seamer Bhuvneshar Kumar and senior opener Shikhar Dhawan being released.
It has been learnt that the Indian team management wants tracks that are hard and bouncy without any major grass covering for all three home Tests -- something they will be getting in South Africa.
The national selection committee announced the squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies.
Having shown exceptional consistency in both red and white-ball cricket for Team India, Pant will now look to recreate the same magic for his franchise.
Virat Kohli: The one who forced Gen-Z to fall in love with Red and Whites
For the Mumbai cricketer, the aim is to remain a player who always makes winning contribution for the team and not just merely add up numbers.
India's fast bowlers made steady inroads into the Bangladesh batting line-up by reducing the touring side to 125 for four at lunch on the third day of the one-off Test in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Bolstered by their dramatic come-from-behind win in the last game, India will look to keep the winning momentum going when they clash against West Indies in the fourth One-Day International in Dharamsala on Friday, on what is expected to be a pacy track.
Virat Kohli's participation in the fourth and deciding Test match against Australia, in Dharamsala, hangs in balance even as young Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been included in the team.
Bumrah, Chahar, Kaul get their first dose of COVID vaccine.
With so much focus on turning wickets and spinners, India captain Virat Kohli on Friday stressed that fast bowlers also have an important role to play and the return of strike bowler Ishant Sharma is a big boost for the team.
Virat, Ishant set to return for England series starting Feb 5 as selection for first two Tests takes place on Tuesday.
Prasidh Krishna's performance hints at bare bench strength
With the hope of finding their way back into the Indian team, cricketers Rishabh Pant and Suresh Raina recently hit the nets together in Ghaziabad, resuming practice after the prolonged COVID-19 forced break. The season was cut short in March due to COVID-19 and both batsmen will be jostling for space in a more or less settled batting line-up.
Ganguly convinced the Bangladesh Cricket Board to agree to a Day/Night Test just a few days before their team was to land in India.
If the Indian bowling unit has developed into a lethal and most feared one, it's precisely because the bowlers have learnt to hunt in a pack, head coach Ravi Shastri said.
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.
The Elite list is set to comprise only three players ---skipper Virat Kohli, his limited overs deputy Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel will be ready to exploit the conditions to the fullest.
India's pace attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has emerged as a potent force
The Indian team is scheduled to play the WTC final against New Zealand from June 18-22 before taking on England in a five-Test series.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane's position in group A of the BCCI central contracts could be up for deliberation
Meet the 15-member Indian squad selected for the ICC ODI World Cup, starting next month in Australia-New Zealand.
Saha affected his 100th dismissal when Umesh Yadav had Shadman Islam (29) caught at the hands of the wicket-keeper.
Back in form with an impressive performance against South Africa in the recently-concluded Test series, Ravindra Jadeja is likely to make a comeback when the national selectors meet in New Delhi on Saturday.
The 2021 IPL, which was suspended in May owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in its bubble, will resume in the UAE from September 19.
Kohli maintains highest fitness standards while 23 of his colleagues checked-in at NCA for rehab in 2021-22 season
India's Test specialists, including senior speedster Ishant Sharma, toiled hard at the nets on the second day of the short camp in Mumbai on Tuesday as they braced up for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
India will now lock horns with South Africa for three Tests and three ODIs, beginning December 26.
With this victory, Kohli became the first Indian captain to win seven consecutive Test matches.
While a draw always seems a safe option in a game like this but Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri wouldn't like to play a defensive game which at times can be counter-productive.
India pacer Ishant Sharma wrecked havoc with the ball as he claimed a five-wicket haul to leave the Sri Lanka Board President's XI in tatters on Day 2 of the three-day tour match, in Colombo, on Friday.
India's bowling coach Bharat Arun is confident that the team's speed merchants Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav will take up the challenge to maintain speed as well as be accurate in the upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on August 12 at Galle.
India's limited overs captain Mahendra Sigh Dhoni has said that inconsistent performances will be scrutinized thoroughly in the future.
Thrust into the leadership role, a completely transformed Rishabh Pant carries a lot of hope and responsibility on his shoulders as Delhi Capitals aim to build on the success of the last edition in the UAE, where they finished runners-up to Mumbai Indians.
