After the 2-1 series win against West Indies, India opener KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli have significant progress in the latest ICC T20I player rankings.
Yashaswi Jaiswal advance two slots to fifth after notching 175 in the first innings of the New Delhi game while KL Rahul's knocks of 38 and 58 not out lifted him two places to 33rd.
After the proceedings began with light warm-up and catching, the action shifted to the nets where all batters had long stints in the nets while the other pace bowlers too put in the hard yards.
Home lad KL Rahul's innings led the celebrations at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with a cracking century.
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The Proteas arrive high on confidence, having fought out a hard-earned 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under challenging conditions.
India crushed West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series, in Ahmedabad, on Saturday.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
Senior batter KL Rahul and reserve keeper Dhruv Jurel will be flying to Australia for the second 'unofficial Test' between India A and Australia A starting November 7
India Test captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday declared fit-again K L Rahul as the team's No.1 choice opener, ruling out veteran Gautam Gambhir's chances of playing in the second Test against England, starting in Visakhapatnam, from Thursday.
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With two fifties in the two practice games, Lokesh Rahul has virtually staked claim for a Test spot when the series against the West Indies gets underway in Antigua on July 21 but the youngster says that thought has not yet struck him.
In the ongoing IPL, LSG suffered a 20-run defeat to RR in their opening game of this year's IPL. KL Rahul-led LSG is currently languishing in the tenth spot with no points and a net run rate of -1.000 after its loss in the previous game.
'The wicket was a little spicy, so I was having a lot of fun batting.'
India won't give into the temptation of tinkering with the Playing XI, feels opening batter KL Rahul.
KL Rahul got instant success as captain of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and he put it mainly down to trusting his instincts, something he didn't do enough in his initial days as a leader.
With three centuries already in the series, Gill could join Don Bradman and Gavaskar in the elite club of captains who've hit the most hundreds in a single Test series, if he converts his current innings into a fourth on Day 5.
Senior batter Virat Kohli's awesome genius in 50-over format was on full view during his 52nd hundred that guided India to a strong 349 for eight against South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series in Ranchi on Sunday.
The 25-year-old captain struck 13 fours and eight sixes to make 161 off 162 balls, following up his first-innings' 269 to become only the second Indian after legendary Sunil Gavaskar to have scored a double century and a ton in a Test.
'We would like to believe and back ourselves to know these conditions or adapt to these conditions a lot faster even if we find them slightly different, as compared to, say, somebody who is brought up in Johannesburg and has played all his cricket at the Wanderers ground.'
'When I joined the India team, M S Dhoni had told me, "Kisi ki baaton mein nahin aana. Jab tu acha karega, toh poori duniya tumhare saath rahegi, aur jab kharaab karega, yahi duniya tujhe gaali degi".'
Atkinson, who is playing his first Test of the series following a hamstring strain, said that he is "ready to push the limits" in case Woakes does not take any further part.
Rahul, who was dropped in the middle of England Test series held earlier this year, will be looking to make a comeback in the Indian Test set-up with the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19.
England gained the upper hand after a rain-hit first day of the final Test, needing victory to square the series, battled to 204-6, with all their big guns dismissed cheaply.
'To take two left-arm spinners to Australia is not possible, but he is clearly in the scheme of things with how good he is.'
Ahead of the 2nd Test starting on Wednesday, July 2, former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin had some advice for Gill, as the visitors look to level the five-match Test series.
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Virat Kohli's supreme fitness was evident in his 47th ODI century while comeback man KL Rahul produced an equally engaging ton on comeback as India thrashed a listless Pakistan by record 228-run margin.
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Rahul along with wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel flew early to Australia, and will appear for India A in the second four-day game at the MCG.
The 24-year-old Jurel stepped in as keeper twice during the series - once after Pant took a blow to his finger in the third Test at Lord's, and again in the Manchester Test when Pant sustained a foot injury that ruled him out.
K L Rahul eases concerns surrounding his fitness ahead of the first Test against Australia, starting in Perth, by batting comfortably in the nets on Sunday.
Shardul Thakur's better batting ability compared to speedster Prasidh Krishna could prove to be decisive while selecting the extra pacer for World Cup but both are likely to be auditioned if India pick a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, which is set to be named on Monday.
Gill second successive ton as skipper takes India to 310 for 5
India stuck to their pre-series decision to field Bumrah in only three Tests and was hence not played in the final Test at the Oval
Spinners of both sides will have a significant role to play considering that Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the only specialist pacers who will be seen in action in Sunday's match.
According to Jaffer, Axar can leave his mark as English batsmen tend to struggle against left-arm spinners.
The series, to commence on June 20, will be played at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
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