Keeping a lid on emotion will be nearly as important as executing gameplans for both India and Australia when the world's top two teams continue their captivating series with the third Test in Ranchi on Thursday.
England ripped out India for 94 to win the fifth Test by a crushing innings and 244 runs at The Oval on Sunday and clinch the series 3-1.
Captain Virat Kohli compiled an unbeaten century to put India in a commanding position on the first day of the opening Test against West Indies in Antigua on Thursday. Kohli was on 143 at the close of play, his 12th Test century, as the visitors reached 302 for four.
CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed the game against SRH due to a stiff back but is likely to be back for Sunday's match against Virat Kohli-led RCB.
Captain Steven Smith described Australia's thumping win against India as one of his best victories but warned his team mates of a possible backlash from the smarting hosts.
South Africa's explosive batsman David Miller, who will lead the Kings XI Punjab in this edition of the IPL, feels that captaincy has not brought any added pressure on him. "Responsibility changes a bit as captain, but I am really looking forward to it," Miller said. "No pressure, to be honest. I see it as an opportunity. We have changed the squad a little bit this year, couple of new additions, but most of the squad stays the same. "I really believe we can win the competition this year. The fact that we haven't won it, doesn't add any more pressure. It's a great opportunity for the guys to step up," he added. The 26-year-old said he is looking forward to the captaincy challenge.
India took a stranglehold over the West Indies on the opening day of the first Test at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Having restricted the visitors to 234 in the first innings, the home team put up 37 without loss in 12 overs in reply by stumps.
CSK will be brimming with confidence having defeated the Royals earlier in the season
Squaring off with India once again after a fiercely fought Test series, left-arm Australian pacer Mitchell Starc predicted an intense contest against the same opponents in their cricket tri-series match in Melbourne on Sunday.
Young Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar, who has impressed in recent times but had failed the Yo-Yo test, said he is hopeful of clearing it in the future.
The day belonged to Smith, who has now scored six Test hundreds against India in the last seven appearances and in the process also completed 5000 runs in Test cricket.
Having decimated South Africa inside three days on a turning track in Mohali, India will again look to unleash their troika of spinners to spoil A B de Villiers's landmark 100th match when the two sides meet in the second Test, in Bangalore, on Saturday.
The national selection committee, under Sandeep Patil, is likely to leave it to limited-overs' captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to decide on his availability for the short tour of Zimbabwe, from June 11-20.
India's Shivil Kaushik has emerged as the proud heir to the South African spinner's 'frog-in-a-blender' action.
Images from the IPL 2020 opener between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was rested for the first three One-day Internationals against Sri Lanka next month and batting mainstay Virat Kohli will lead the side in his absence.
Joe Root's determination and Haseeb Hameed's grit were not enough for England as India won the third Test by 8 wickets.
'At least 7 to 8 players, who are all Test team specialists will have to be in England in June'
He may have scored a fluent century to steady India from the early jitters against Sri Lanka in the second Test, but opener Lokesh Rahul has mixed feelings about his innings.
Paceman Mohammed Shami struck twice as India closed in on a massive win on day three of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.
England batsman Joe Root and Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath have moved up to second positions in their respective ICC Test player rankings but failed to displace top-ranked batsman Steve Smith and bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.
Paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped four wickets as India hit back with two late strikes to wrest the initiative on Day 2 of the second Test against England despite Gary Ballance's gutsy century at Lord's, on Friday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the top 5 players who helped India perform superbly in Tests in 2016.
After taking an unassailable 3-0 lead following the nine-wicket victory in the fourth One-Day International against England, India is likely to give a break to some of their key players in the inconsequential fifth and final match at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday.
New Zealand failed to make the most of a strong start as they were dismissed for 299 to concede a 258-run first innings deficit to India on the third evening of the third and final Test in Indore, on Monday.
Hosts India would look to do an encore by putting England through another rigorous spin test when the two teams square off in the third Test starting in Mohali, on Saturday.
Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma on Monday managed to retain their places despite their below-par performances in the Test series in West Indies, which India won 2-0.
Under pressure to retain his place in the Test XI, Cheteshwar Pujara overshadowed Rohit Sharma by scoring a solid hundred as India Blue made full use of a placid track to amass 362/3 against India Red on the first day of the Duleep Trophy final in Greater Noida.
Umpires Ian Gould and Aleem Dar began discussion and soon match referee Andy Pycroft joined them on the ground. They initiated deliberations with both the captains, players were called off the ground and play never resumed after that.
MS Dhoni is ready for limited overs series against South Africa.
Captain Steven Smith scored a big century and then grabbed a sharp catch to put Australia in a good position on Day 2 of the third Test at the MCG on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 in the third Test between India and Sri Lanka, in Colombo.
Virat Kohli has said that his team isn't reading too much into the newly acquired number one ranking in the longest format as they prepare to take on West Indies in the fourth and final Test starting in Port of Spain on Thursday.
Chennai Super Kings will be aiming to tie up loose ends ahead of the play-offs when they take on a listless Delhi Daredevils
India might be left with a mountain of runs to climb in the first Test in Adelaide but fielding coach R Sridhar was confident that the batsmen will make up for the bowlers' poor show.
There was optimism mingled with conviction in VVS Laxman's tone and tenor as the batting great today predicted the start of an era of prolonged dominance by the current Indian Test team, akin to the great West Indian and Australian sides of the past. As the long home season begin with the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, India are seeking to become the numero uno side in Test cricket and Laxman, who called captain Virat Kohli a "trendsetter", felt achieving the number one status will just be the beginning of a long journey.
Veterans Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir's prospects of making an India comeback are all but over as the celebrated opening duo stayed away from selection in the 15-member North Zone squad for the Deodhar Trophy.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli thwarted Australia in a diligent partnership to push India to a position of strength and a 166-run lead at the close of day three of the first Test on Saturday.
Travis Head scored an unbeaten half-century on his home debut to give Australia hope of reeling in India's first innings lead at the close of day two of the first Test on Friday.
Kohli's double ton was followed by a 50 in the second innings as he finished with 610 runs in the series, which India won 1-0 after the first and third Test ended in draws in Kolkata and New Delhi.
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