Ahead of the selectors' meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, May 20, Harish Kotian picks the team he considers best to take on Bangladesh in the one-off Test in Fatullah from June 10 to 14.
The third specialist spinner's slot will be the subject of much deliberation when the national selection committee, headed by Sandeep Patil, meets in New Delhi, on Thursday, to announce the squad for the three-Test away series against Sri Lanka, starting August 12.
Legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels India missed a fifth bowler in the third Test against Australia which ended in a tame draw, in Ranchi on Monday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the ICC WTC final against New Zealand?
'India is going to need their bowlers, their spinners firing if they have to win the series' 'It is time Virat shows he can score in England conditions too'
"Every match is important and poses a different challenge, there's nothing like preparation. We will go match by match. If we do better here then we will think of the SA series," he said.
India's star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin would be feeling the heat from his team mate Ravindra Jadeja as the two spinners take on Bangladesh in a one-off Test, starting in Hyderabad from Thursday.
More than the runs scored, it is the manner of his dismissals that is causing frustration, considering that the Indian cricket establishment has invested heavily in the 21-year-old from Rourkee.
Australia's batting mainstay Steve Smith dared the lethal Indian fast bowling unit to bring on the short stuff in the four-match Test series starting next month.
India's captain Virat Kohli will have to think overtime about the balance of his squad, with a long tail, often bushy with runs, and just two openers -- one untested (Rohit Sharma) but very capable and another supremely talented (KL Rahul) but highly reluctant starter.
Delhi's performance at home is woeful, but having registered a win after two consecutive losses at the Kotla, the Shreyas Iyer-led outfit is high on confidence.
Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch and Travis Head all made half-centuries but none of them was able to really put their foot down on the gas as India pegged the Australians back on a grassy, drop-in wicket that occasionally played a few tricks.
The untimely Mumbai monsoon threatens to play spoilsport as there is a fair chance of first day's play being affected by rain during the second Test between India and New Zealand, starting on Friday.
A dominant India quickly wrapped up the last two wickets to win by a comprehensive margin of an innings and 202 runs and complete an emphatic 3-0 series whitewash against South Africa.
Will triple centurion Karun Nair be picked to counter the Afghan spinners?
The legendary Kapil Dev heaped praise on India's current pace battery, saying the fast bowlers have changed the face of Indian cricket in the last four to five years.
Images from Day 4 in the third and final Test between Sri Lanka and India, in Colombo, on Monday
India have a real shot at winning their first ever away series against South Africa,
Spinner Amit Mishra shone with four wickets but the Indian fast bowlers were far from impressive as their two-day warm-up match against West Indies Cricket Board President's XI ended in a draw at St Kitts. Shai Hope's unbeaten century was the highlight of West Indies Cricket Board President's XI innings on the second and final day of the opening practice game. WICB Board President's XI were 281 for seven when play was called off.
The dawn of a new era had begun under Sourav Ganguly's aggressive leadership. With Ganguly and Coach John Wright at the helm India had transitioned into a force to be reckoned with.
The Indian team has turned into a mini-hospital with multiple players nursing injuries.
India's hopes of breaking their ICC trophy drought after 2013, remained unfulfilled as Australia handed them a crushing loss at the WTC Final.
Delhi's young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant got his maiden Test call-up as he was picked up as the additional glovesman along with Dinesh Karthik after Wriddhiman Saha was ruled out with injury for the upcoming five-match Test series against England.
Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore go into the virtual quarter-final, having lost four and three games on the trot respectively
Batsman Shaun Marsh struck a fighting half-century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday to drive Australia to a commanding 326-run lead over India at the close of day four.
Rohit Sharma may have been in and out of the team often during his seven-year career, but India skipper Virat Kohli is of the view that the talented Mumbai batsman could be the X-factor at the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Do you feel Dhoni should bring in all-rounder Dhawan for Jadeja, or strengthen the pace attack by playing Ishant? Select your Indian team for the second match against Australia, in Brisbane, on Friday, January 15.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the third Test?
The Motera track may have received a lot of flak after the pink ball Test ended inside two days but it is unlikely to attract any severe sanctions from the game's governing body ICC with the pitch for the final game set to be a batting beauty.
Shikhar Dhawan feels India is "fortunate" that they have three options for the opening slot in him, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma, which will help in gaining the much-needed consistency required at the top of the order, with the 50-overs World Cup just a few months away.
Kohli will be wary of the challenge that can be posed by the new ball pair of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
New Zealand's three-pronged attack could spell trouble for India on a spiced-up track and Will Somerville, who played a gutsy knock in Kanpur, might have to sit out.
Check out detailed statistics of the Indian team for South Africa ODIs.
Former India speedster Javagal Srinath thinks India have a "more balanced bowling attack in the longest format" compared to South Africa which will provide them the edge in the upcoming four-Test series starting November 5.
India have the option of playing all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Stung by a remarkable fightback from West Indies on the final day of the rain-hit second Test, India will have to look at their bowling combinations and get back to winning ways when the third cricket Test begins in St. Lucia, on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli dropped a position to 11th leaving India with no batsmen in the top 10 of the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, in the latest update of the ICC Player Rankings released by the International Cricket Council on Tuesday.
There will certainly be some distinct home advantage for Australia along with the experience of playing more Day/Night Tests.
Captain Steven Smith was well-entrenched for his third century in successive Tests even though India restricted Australia to 259 for five on the opening day of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. Electing to bat, he again was the visitors' main tormentor, anchoring the innings with an undefeated 72 at stumps. Check out some photos from the day's play.
