Ajinkya Rahane will be aiming to pile on the runs to extend his international career and lead India to a series sweep against a feeble West Indies.
In a bid to get quality practice against quick bowlers, India have shelved their plan of playing a tour game and instead summoned four rookie pacers to travel with the team to South Africa.
For skipper Virat Kohli, the primary aim will be to get an idea of his core group of players going into the ICC T20 World Cup in October.
Likely to be fit for 3rd Test against England.
India A, after a forgettable day with the bat yesterday when they were bundled out for 133, had the West Indies A at an uncomfortable 82 for three in the 24th over.
Left-arm pacer Thangarasu Natarajan earned his maiden call-up to the Indian Test squad after he was named as the replacement for the injured Umesh Yadav for the last two games against Australia.
Images from Tuesday's third T20 International between India and the West Indies, in Guyana.
Sipper Rohit Sharma hailed Prasidh Krishna's impact in the second One-Day International against the West Indies after the pacer's four-wicket haul helped India defend 237 and win by 44 runs, in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan also wished their former India teammate.
The visitors were 38 for one in 14 overs at the draw of stumps on day three. Ravikumar Samarth (27 not out) and Ankit Bawne (5 not out) were on the crease after Abhimanyu Easwaran was dismissed in the seventh over.
The Group B match between Delhi and Punjab, beginning in New Delhi on Wednesday, will see Yuvraj Singh playing his first match of the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy.
The toss is always an important factor in Chennai as chasing anything above 170 to 175 could be a risky proposition.
The World Cup disappointment will continue to linger but Kohli will fancy his team's chances in the series, notwithstanding the return of the swashbuckling Chris Gayle.
Rajasthan Royals would be banking on their near-perfect combinations in almost all departments of the game to put up another commanding performance when they take on a strong Punjab Kings.
Kuldeep Yadav, among all the players in this team, has more experience of playing with pink ball and the kind of revolution he produces, he could make it difficult for batsmen to spot the black seam of the pink kookaburra under lights.
The final will be played in Coimbatore from September 21, and it will be a five-day affair
With Royal Challengers Bangalore losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL Eliminator match on Friday, India captain Virat Kohli moved into the bio-bubble created for the Indian players as they prepare for the upcoming tour of Australia.
Washington Sundar is in awe of AB de Villiers and feels that the South African swashbuckler's legendary ability to perform multiple tasks, including wicket-keeping, lend balance to the IPL side.
The Indian team for Australia classified by IPL franchise.
Dhoni refused three singles in the 19th over bowled by Navdeep Saini
Rohit Sharma will certainly leave a gaping hole at the top of the order, something that skipper Virat Kohli wouldn't have fancied at the onset of a gruelling two-month tour.
Justin Langer said the contest would likely be an exciting one thanks to the two teams being evenly-matched.
It remains to be seen whether India stick to their combination of three specialist pacers and two spinners combination or bring in an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav to partner Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami gave an exhibition of high-quality fast bowling on Saturday, on Day 2 of India's warm-up match against New Zealand XI, sending a warning signal for the home team ahead of first Test in Wellington.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli inadvertently applied saliva on the ball after stopping a cracking drive during the Indian Premier League against Delhi capitals, at the Dubai International Stadium, on Monday, thus violating the ICC's COVID-19 protocol.
Images from Friday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Abu Dhabi.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to shrug off the disappointment of two back-to-back defeats and get back to winning ways when they taken on Sunrisers Hyderabad as they aim to seal their place in the play-offs, in the IPL match, in Sharjah, on Saturday.
RCB's Devdutt Padikkal now has fifty-plus scores in all his major debut matches -- first-class, List-A, T20, and IPL.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Abu Dhabi.
'Bumrah is a class act.' 'Bhuvneshwar makes the ball move and that is why he will be successful over in England.'
There were no major surprises with most of the players picking themselves.
KL Rahul has gained 26 points and is now on 760 rating points, just six behind Australia's Glenn Maxwell
An ill Tim Southee and superb debut from Kyle Jamieson helped New Zealand to a tense 22-run victory over India in their second one day international at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday and clinch the three-match series with a game to spare. India were dismissed for 251 in 48.3 overs with Ravindra Jadeja (55) producing a superb rearguard fightback after he came to the crease with his side in trouble at 96-5 and almost won the game in partnership with fast bowler Navdeep Saini (45). New Zealand had scored 273-8 in their innings with Ross Taylor following up his century in the first match in Hamilton with 73 not out.
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
Resurgent KKR face struggling RR, aim to break into top-4
It all starts in Guwahati on Sunday as the biggest city in Assam is slowly getting back to normalcy after protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
India are eyeing a 10th straight bilateral series win over the Caribbean side.
'I think it's a very healthy trend. It's an embarrassment of riches.'
A very exciting opportunity for new guys in limited overs format: Kohli
'Once he failed in the Australia series at home, there was very little chance for him but selectors didn't want to change things ahead of WTC final.'
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