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 young squad, full of Indian Premier League performers, will represent India 'A' in the T20 warm-up against South Africa at the Air force Ground, in Palam, on September 29.
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.
It was Shami and his pace colleagues who inflicted telling blows that Bangladesh could never recover from.
It was a dream come true moment for Tamil Nadu bowlers Thangarasu Natarajan and Washington Sundar as they made their Test debuts at the Gabba.
Umesh Yadav starred with the ball as Royal Challengers Bangalore crushed Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets to keep their hopes alive of making it to the IPL play-offs.
Despite being the world's top-ranked Test side India have struggled with their opening combination, which, in turn, has heaped pressure on the middle order.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the fourth Test?
Virat Kohli was rested from the three-match T20I series against the West Indies.
Mayank Agarwal, who struck a double century in the first Test against Bangladesh in Indore, jumped one place to 10th with 700 points.
Images from Thursday's IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Dubai.
Workload management of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be the focus when Mumbai Indians take on a renamed Delhi Capitals in their first match of the 12th Indian Premier League in Mumbai on Sunday.
'Everyone in the contingent will be undergoing 14-day quarantine in India'
Also giving the training a miss were first Test double centurion Mayank Agarwal and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders would strive for a handsome win over struggling Rajasthan Royals in their last round-robin game to stay ahead in the IPL play-offs race in Sharjah on Thursday.
What changes do you think India should make for the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad?
A few bruised egos will eye redemption when India square off against Australia in the second Test in Melbourne from Saturday, ready to bounce back in skipper Ajinkya Rahane's hour of reckoning after their batting debacle in the series opener in Adelaide.
The focus will be firmly on India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and young prodigy Prithvi Shaw when Mumbai take on Karnataka in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B game, beginning in Mumbai on Friday. Both Rahane and Shaw failed with the bat in the last Ranji Trophy game against Railways which the domestic giants lost by 10 wickets inside two and half days.
In all likelihood, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane would get another chance but over the past two years, his inconsistency has hurt this team badly.
India got off to a horror start in their practice match as youngsters Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill failed with the bat on Day 1 of the three-day game against New Zealand XI at Seddon Park, in Hamilton, on Friday. All the batsmen were dismissed by fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn as India were reduced to 5/3 in the seventh over.
Summary of all Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday
For any bowling unit, facing the Dhawan-Shaw duo is a scary proposition.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between South Africa and India, in Cape Town, on Tuesday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar looks set for a long injury lay-off after it emerged that the pacer had been carrying sportsman's hernia all along which the doctors failed to notice, according to media reports. He is now scheduled to undergo surgery for sports hernia -- which he has been carrying for over a period of three months -- after which he will have to undergo a two-month recovery period.
A final decision by the team's think-tank will be taken after the final practice session on Friday.
Fresh from his exploits in Mumbai's maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 triumph, Kotian got down to business after his pace colleagues Tushar Desphande (2/23) and Mohit Avasthi (1/29) handed Bengal early blows.
While DC made a superb start under new captain Rishabh Pant, RR suffered a four-run defeat against Punjab Kings
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli's position as India's ODI captain, his Test deputy Ajinkya Rahane's future as vice-captain in the longest format along with 100-Test man Ishant Sharma's place will be up for discussion when the national selectors pick the jumbo squad for the tour of South Africa later this week.
Rohit Sharma returned to India's playing XI for the third Test
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.
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.
Kings XI run into a RCB squad which has grown in confidence by leaps and bounds since their last meeting.
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the home Test series against South Africa after suffering a stress fracture in his back and will be replaced by Umesh Yadav.
What an over Umesh Yadav bowled!
A round-up of the first day's play in the Ranji Trophy matches across the country, on Tuesday.
Images from Day 5 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Sunday.
The 14th season of the IPL, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Seniors like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara came in for a lot of flak for their below-par showing with the bat, while Jasprit Bumrah also failed to live up to expectations.
Veteran opener Gautam Gambhir and young Mayank Agarwal helped themselves to half centuries before torrential rain played spoilsport in the Duleep Trophy match between India 'Blue' and India 'Red' in Greater Noida on Monday. Only 34.2 overs of play was possible which saw 'Blue' team skipper Gambhir (51 batting) and Agarwal (53 batting) put on 105 runs for the opening wicket. The two openers were solid without being flashy as they maintained a decent run-rate of just over 3 runs per over.
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