Team India will have to choose between experimenting and continuing the winning combination
After eight defeats in 11 outings, Chennai Super Kings will look to give their forgettable campaign a semblance of respectability when they take on in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Sunday.
Will India go into the 3rd T20I vs Sri Lanka with the same squad or will Sanju Samson and Manish Pandey get a look in?
With two senior pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar (thigh injury) and Ishant Sharma (side strain) all but ruled out, Navdeep Saini will certainly be the fourth pacer after Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav.
While the pace department needs some urgent solutions, the spin has a slightly different landscape.
India will surely fancy their chances of an encore, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Both DC and RCB have looked solid so far and are placed atop the standings with three wins out of four games each.
The dew factor will go out of the window but the searing heat will be an issue when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on a better prepared Rajasthan Royals in the first of the 10 IPL double-headers, in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
After scores of 14 and 1, Virat Kohli is due for a big one and will be hoping to spend more time in the middle when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Mumbai Indians in the IPL in Dubai.
Earlier this month, pacer Dale Steyn had announced that he would not be available for selection for IPL 2021 and as a result, he has also been released.
Rajasthan Royals' director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara said on Friday that the availability of a full-strength bowling attacking is a real confidence booster for the team at a time when many sides are struggling with their overseas recruits.
Since Dhawan is not part of the Test squad, the Delhi left-hander would like to finish the Caribbean assignment on a high.
Kohli maintains highest fitness standards while 23 of his colleagues checked-in at NCA for rehab in 2021-22 season
The seasoned Alastair Cook warmed up for next month's Test series against India with an unbeaten century as England Lions made a solid start against India 'A' on Day 1 of the four-day unofficial Test.
The Bengaluru outfit will hope for a reversal at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, a venue that carries similar traits as RCB's home -- Chinnaswamy Stadium -- in terms of a smooth pitch and a blistering outfield adding value to the batters' shots.
Rahul Chahar (2/53) and his cousin Deepak (2/39), alongwith pacer Navdeep Saini (2/31) -- all of whom made the cut for India's limited over squad on Sunday -- picked up two wickets each to help India A dismiss West Indies A for 236 in 47.4 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane has been retained in India's Test squad, to be led by Virat Kohli, for the South Africa series later this month.
'It was a surreal experience to represent the country. Thanks to everyone for your wishes. Looking forward for more challenges.'
IPL 2022's runners up Rajasthan Royals have managed to keep their core team intact with more than a decent set of match-winners at their disposal.
RCB skipper Virat Kohli will join the squad on Thursday.
'KL Rahul in his last 5 Test series - v SA - Avg 7.1, - v Eng - Avg 29, - v WI at home - Avg 18, - v Aus - Avg 10.7, - v WI - Avg 25.4.'
A round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Friday.
Despite the win against KXIP, RCB remain at the bottom of the points table and remain to win all their remaining league games to have any hopes of progressing in the tournament.
The RCB spinners choked KKR for runs; and in the batsmen's bid to make up the run-rate KKR lost wickets regularly.
Rahul expects talisman Virat Kohli to be in high spirits after the former captain smashed a century in their win in the third ODI.
A formidable Karnataka continued their winning streak in the Super League stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy after they trounced Delhi by 8 wickets in Group B match, in Indore, on Sunday.
Prasidh Krishna's performance hints at bare bench strength
Left shaken by a bunch of world-class operators, the Indian team's white-ball stars will be aiming to put up an improved batting effort in the second T20 International against England in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Besides Kohli, who led India to a historic Test series triumph in Sri Lanka recently, the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Nehra were also named among the probables.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab, in Bengaluru.
Both the Indian and Australian players are scheduled to leave for Sydney on Monday.
Heading into Brisbane, Siraj found himself leading a depleted Indian pace attack that included Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini, both of whom had played only one Test, plus debutant T Natarajan.
India captain Virat Kohli on Friday shared a picture with his team-mates with the caption 'squad' but the fans wondered 'where is Rohit Sharma?'
The Indians have instead, as per CSA, opted for training sessions on those days.
India's batting is a major concern with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling for runs ahead of the tour of Australia.
High-flying Rajasthan Royals will look to continue their winning momentum and consolidate their position at the top when they take on a resurgent Lucknow Super Giants, who would be gunning for revenge at home in an IPL match in Lucknow on Saturday.
Pick your Indian team for the final ODI against Australia in Canberra on December 2.
Prithvi Shaw, who last played for India in October 2018, returns to the side after Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the ODI and Test series due to a left calf muscle strain.
Dhoni's contract not being renewed is not exactly a surprise as he has not played a competitive game since that World Cup semifinal on July
Left chasing shadows in the first two games, a listless Indian team would most certainly tweak its bowling combination in order to avoid a second successive clean-sweep when it takes on Australia in the third and final ODI, in Canberra, on Wednesday.
