Injuries in the squad prevented England from training ahead of the last two One-Day Internationals against India, coach Brendon McCullum said.
Jofra Archer's England team mates will rally round the fast bowler after he reported being racially abused by a spectator during a Test match against New Zealand.
Josh Hazlewood scalped four wickets in a brilliant spell as Royal Challengers Bengaluru staged a stunning comeback to edge Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs.
IMAGES from the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his meteoric rise in international cricket with yet another outstanding overseas tour
Captain Shubman Gill and the ever-dependable K L Rahul gave India a glimmer of hope with resilient half-centuries after a well crafted hundred from Ben Stokes extended England's supremacy in the fourth Test in Manchester on Saturday.
Riding high on their new-found confidence, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will be hoping to finally get it right at home and keep their play-off hopes alive when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their IPL match in Kolkata on Sunday.
'It's also a great opportunity for myself and it's good to pass on a little bit of knowledge to the younger guys who haven't played as much Test cricket. And I am also learning from them.'
Archer spent 17 months on the sidelines with back and elbow injuries
Archer has been on the receiving end of racist abuse in the past, notably during the second Test defeat by New Zealand last year.
Archer would likely thrive on a pacey pitch in Johannesburg and if he is fit that would pose a selection dilemma for coach Chris Silverwood and captain Joe Root.
Adjudged the Man of the Match for his figures of 5 for 24, Chakravarthy said he is happy with the way he is bowling currently.
The series already in their pocket, India will look to address their batting woes against an England team gunning for revenge after feeling hard-done by a debatable concussion substitute when the two teams clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Mumbai on Sunday.
The third Test at Lord's could well be the series' turning point. This isn't just about team combinations or tactical tweaks anymore. The pitch has emerged as a defining factor -- one that could tilt the balance of power in a contest hanging delicately at 1-1.
'Although the protocols might seem very severe, they've had to put those in place to get government approval for these games to happen'
Next year's Indian Premier League will be held from March 14 to May 25, the BCCI has told the IPL franchises while also setting aside similar widows for the event's 2026 and 2027 editions
From Jasprit Bumrah's much-anticipated return to the all-rounder conundrum, the playing XI could very well hold the key to seizing control of this historic series.
India will look to extend lead against England
The spectator, in a letter of complaint to the ECB, also said women were subjected to sexist chants while homophobic abuse was directed at some players by the same group of people.
Jofra Archer has passed on details of the abuse to the English Cricket Board and is seeking to have action taken.
Mumbai Indians extended their remarkable winning streak to six matches with a 100-run rout of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 match in Jaipur on Thursday.
Ravichandran Ashwin attained the landmark of 400 wickets in Test cricket, trapping Jofra Archer leg before wicket, on Thursday, Day 2 of the third Test against England in Ahmedabad.
Jos Buttler will however lead England's T20 side against West Indies.
Captain Harry Brook scored a dazzling 87 before Liam Livingstone wrought havoc by smashing 62 in 27 balls as England thrashed Australia by 186 runs in a rain-shortened ODI at Lord's.
Lord's has a tradition of rewarding those who give their best, asserts veteran cricket correspondent K R Nayar.
Former India speedster Varun Aaron has praised Gujarat Titans' young opener Sai Sudharsan's exceptional performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, saying he has a very bright future ahead of him.
Kohli believes Archer has the pace to cause batsmen plenty of problems.
'Shubman Gill did not look as technically tight or calm as usual when he came out to bat on the fourth evening, but his team fought so hard on Monday in a fabulous Test.'
The delivery, which Siraj played down onto the pitch in front of the crease, spun back and rattled the base of his leg stump, sparking wild celebrations in England camp.
He is unlikely to play in the one-off Test against Ireland before the Ashes after the uncapped Josh Tongue was added to the squad.
With just two wins from eight outings, Rajasthan find themselves languishing in eighth place on the points table.
Ishan Kishan made a dream start at his new IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad with a match-winning century against Rajasthan Royals.
England quick Jofra Archer will keep up his aggressive approach in Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand after his bouncer left Australia's Alex Carey with a bloodied chin in Thursday's semi-final at Edgbaston.
After rain-marred ICC T20 World Cup preparation, England pacer Mark Wood insisted that the Three Lions will make 'no excuses' and said few players are gaming to get more runouts at the Oval to boost their confidence.
K L Rahul would look to make the most of his first red-ball outing in months ahead of the upcoming Test series against England.
Wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper has been called up to the England ODI squad to tour West Indies and, in the absence of injured captain Jos Buttler, could open with Phil Salt.
Sanju Samson's technical weaknesses against express pace along with Rinku Singh's dip in form and fitness issues will be a concern for India
Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid acknowledged concerns about the team's death bowling performance in the ongoing IPL but expressed confidence in their ability to improve execution in upcoming matches.
Images from the T20 World Cup Group B match between Oman and England in Antigua on Friday.
Besides the surface, the behaviour of the Dukes has also come under scanner with the softer ball hardly offering anything to the bowlers.
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