India made two changes for this must-win game, with Gurkeerat Mann and Rishi Dhawan handed debuts on account of their all-round capabilities. Ravichandran Ashwin and Manish Pandey made way for them in the playing eleven.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against the West Indies?
India skipper Virat Kohli was effusive in praise of Ravchandran Ashwin after the off-spinner became only the fourth Indian, and sixth spinner in the world, to take 400 Test wickets.
India opener Shubman Gill's reign at the top of the ODI batters' list was short-lived as he was replaced by former Pakistani skipper Babar Azam in the ICC Player Rankings issued on Wednesday.
With Kohli and Rohit misfiring, the pressure has mounted on opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and India's middle order to put the kind of scores on the board their bowlers can defend.
'Going into Brisbane, India need a tight strategy for Travis Head and they need to get Akash Deep in and maybe Ravindra Jadeja for Ashwin.'
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continued to be the best-placed Indians in the batting chart, while off-spinner Ravichandra Ashwin held on to second spot among bowlers in the latest ICC Test Player ranking, release on Wednesday.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel picked up five wickets to help India grab a handy 49-run first-innings lead on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.
a red-ball warm-up game will be the most welcome distraction for Virat Kohli and his men as a precursor to the two-match Test series starting next week.
A fit-again Jasprit Bumrah was recalled to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup along with fellow pace bowler Harshal Patel, but spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the tournament because of injury.
India's wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha and middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma have made significant gains and climbed up latest ICC Test rankings for batsmen.
Who do you should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka?
Root rescues England with controlled century in India
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 5:
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
India bowled England out for 218 and cruised to 135/1 in their robust reply to seize early control of the fifth and final test.
Gill, Rahul, Pant and the irrepressible Yashasvi Jaiswal will now have a chance to script the next glorious chapter in Indian cricket.
Australia laboured to a modest 263 all out on the opening day of the second Test against India in New Delhi
Anil Kumble lauded skipper Rohit Sharma for his leadership in the longest format of the game, pointing out how the 'Hitman' has managed the youngsters in the team and has been "proactive" with his resources.
Images from the T20 World Cup Super 12s match between Namibia and India, Dubai, on Monday.
The Royals batting looks decent but there is the issue of consistency and lack of depth that could be telling as the tournament wears on.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and New Zealand in Kanpur, on Saturday
England's James Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja of India were found not guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct by Gordon Lewis AM, the Judicial Commissioner.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing for the fifth Test against England?
India will need to be ruthless and tactful in equal measure while dealing with an unpredictable England when the third chapter of a riveting Test series begins in Rajkot on Thursday.
Ashwin termed Sri Lanka's tour of 2015 as a landmark for Indian team for their come-from-behind 2-1 series win. "In 2015, we were sandwiched into the middle of a leadership takeover. Virat had just taken over in Australia and we came here having played one Test in Bangladesh. We had set ourselves a lot of goals for each other and I would say we have achieved them and come out with flying colours over the last couple of years as a group"
'I see them as well rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep Trophy.'
Under fire, Dhoni's men will look to plug all loopholes as the in-form Bangla tigers aim for a clean sweep
Former opener Gautam Gambhir backed Ravichandran Ashwin's return to the One-Day International squad ahead of the World Cup, saying a finger-spinner like him could be as effective as a wrist-spinner in English conditions.
The Indian team, set to play the second Test against Australia from Friday, had to switch hotels in New Delhi.
Sunil Gavaskar has backed 'Viratball' to counter England's much talked about 'Bazball'
Ben Stokes added 91 runs with the last 3 wickets to help England post 246.
The game on Friday had enough positives for India, mainly the performance of Mohammad Shami and Suryakumar Yadav, but few questions still need to be answered ahead of the World Cup, beginning October 5.
Keaton Jennings impressed on his debut for England with a century but off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin brought India back with a late three-wicket burst on the opening day of the fourth cricket Test in Mumbai on Thursday. - Scorecard England were going strong by taking tea at 196 for two but India reduced the visitors to 288 for five at stumps as Ashwin removed Moeen Ali (50) and Jennings (112) in space of three balls and later got rid of Jonny Bairstow (14). Ben Stokes (25) and Jos Buttler (18) were the unbeaten batsmen at close after an unfinished stand of 39 on a track that would be difficult to negotiate with passage of time.
Images from Day 5 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park in Kanpur, on Monday.
In all likelihood, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane would get another chance but over the past two years, his inconsistency has hurt this team badly.
Ollie Pope embodied England's 'Bazball' making a 196 filled with sweeps, reverse sweeps and reverse scoops during the first Test, and India head coach Rahul Dravid admitted they will have to counter the unorthodox approach to make a comeback into the series.
Kane Williamson moved up a rung to join his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli
# Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara shared a stand of 108 -- India's second highest opening partnership against Australia at Feroz Shah Kotla -- after 121 between Nari Contractor and Pankaj Roy in December 1959.
