Factbox on the four-Test series between Australia and India, which begins on Thursday
India captain Virat Kohli has confirmed that fit-again opening batsman KL Rahul will return to the side for the second test against Sri Lanka, with Abhinav Mukund appearing the player most likely to lose his spot.
India's new chief coach Anil Kumble will be keeping a keen eye on speedster Mohammed Shami's fitness along with the form of opener Shikhar Dhawan when the team begin its tour of West Indies.
Senior India pace bowler Zaheer Khan and prolific batsman Cheteshwar Pujara left Mumbai by an early morning flight to South Africa along with three other players well ahead of the two-Test series against the hosts.
67 players, including 23 overseas, were sold and Rs 86.8 crore spent on them by the eight franchises in Bangalore on Monday.
Captain Virat Kohli roared back to form with a scintillating unbeaten 83 as India further consolidated their position with whopping overall lead of 403 runs at stumps on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in Delhi, on Saturday.
India have the perfect opportunity to find a solution to their top-order batting woes before their year-end series in Australia when the world's top-ranked side host two Tests against lowly West Indies, starting on Thursday.
Out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan has tried to put up a defence after India lost the ongoing Test series to England, saying the players are also 'hurt' like the fans and followers of Indian cricket.
Mahela Jayawardene, back to his openers role blossomed with a sparking century to lead Sri Lanka to a convincing 161-run victory against India in the third match of the tri-nation series in Jamaica, on Tuesday.
As India go in to the four-match Test series against Australia that commences in Adelaide on Tuesday, here is a factbox.
Apart from Virat Kohli and the pace battery of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Ishant Sharma, not many in the current Indian Test setup can say they are sure-shot starters.
Punjab batsman Gurkeerat Singh Mann, a surprise inclusion as the 17th member of the squad for the Bangalore Test, retained his place for the next two matches as well.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test at Perth on Monday
India survived a scare before managing to draw the first Test against England, who gained the psychological advantage after enjoying the upper-hand for the better part of the five days, in Rajkot, on Sunday.
Glenn Maxwell played a scintillating cameo hitting an unbeaten 32 off 14 balls under pressure to power Kings XI Punjab to a six-wicket win over Rising Pune Supergiants.
'We bowled to two outstanding batsmen in good conditions, a very good cricket pitch. But to be able to pick up two wickets at the end certainly has given our dressing room a huge lift tonight'
India Blue reached the Duleep Trophy final on the basis of a massive first innings lead, completing a comprehensive performance against India Green even as the game ended in a draw in Greater Noida on Wednesday. There was only one team going into the final against India Red after India Blue took a huge 470-run first innings lead yesterday by dismissing the Green team for 237. India Blue had amassed 707
India's victory push was led by the blitzkrieg from debutant Shikhar Dhawan and his opening partner Murali Vijay as they put on a huge opening stand in quick time to make up for the lost time. We present to you the top performers in the 3rd Test in Mohali.
Captain Kohli and Coach Shastri's selection choices for the first two Tests against England, which India lost, were bizarre. Why, for instance, did they drop Umesh Yadav and include Kuldeep Yadav for a seaming track at Lord's? Instinct, gentlemen, can't overrule logic. Time we helped Messrs Kohli and Shastri pick the side for the Trent Bridge Test. What changes must India make for the must-win third Test?
Shikhar Dhawan has said that the South Africa series will be a challenging one but believed that India remained favourites to win. Dhawan also did not endorse the popular view that this Indian batting line-up is not capable of playing quality spin bowling.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar says Indian team's recent success at home and an in-form captain Virat Kohli gives him confidence that they will enjoy success during next year's overseas tours.
Australia captain Steve Smith struck a cultured unbeaten century on Thursday to steer Australia to 299 for four wickets on the opening day of the third Test against India in Ranchi, signalling he has put the review controversy at Bengaluru behind him.
For the Indian team, the Trent Bridge Test will be their last chance to save the series after being outplayed in the first two Test matches -- by 31 runs Edgbaston and then by an innings and 159 runs at the Lord's.
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 1:
World Cup-bound Kedar Jadhav is virtually ruled out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League Season-12 after hurting his left shoulder while fielding during Chennai Super Kings's match against Kings XI Punjab, in Mohali, on Sunday.
It is learnt that the Indian captain's sole focus is on the five Test series against England and he is likely to miss the one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 14 as he will be busy with his county stint.
Should left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav make his Test debut? Or must India retain the winning Bengaluru side?
Virat Kohli is the quickest among all subcontinent players to score 1,000 runs in Australia. Rajneesh Gupta has all the numbers.
Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the rest of the Sri Lanka Test series following the injury to his right hand.
Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir was dropped while India's medium pacer Bhuvaneswar was recalled to the 16-man squad for the next three Tests against England.
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com assesses the Indian side after the 2-1 series triumph in Sri Lanka.
Cheteshwar Pujara's innings is the highest by a subcontinent batsman and third highest by any visiting batsman on the opening day of a Test in Australia, reveals Rajneesh Gupta.
Skipper Virat Kohli says he received 'words of gold' from the legendary cricketer who visited the Indian team hotel ahead of the first cricket Test in Antigua.
MS Dhoni landed in Chennai on Monday to the hero's welcome. Fans gathered to watch Dhoni as CSK began practice for the forthcoming IPL, which begins on March 29.
On a day when the pitch played out easy barring the extra bounce and reverse swing extracted by the Aussie pacers, a determined Pujara held India's innings together.
The Committee of Administrators (CoA), on Wednesday, met the Indian team management to discuss the communication issues, take stock of the England debacle and draw a blueprint for the upcoming Australia tour.
Mumbai Indians seek to maintain momentum against Kings XI Punjab.
Seamer Vernon Philander took career-best figures as rampant South Africa claimed a 72-run victory over India in a gripping first Test at Newlands on Monday.
India's chief coach Ravi Shastri feels that Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara should remain in the top bracket when the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Committee of Administrators (COA) thrash out the revised central contracts based on the new remuneration structure.
Readers post their Valentine's Day wish for India. Here's how they have expressed their love.
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