The short turnaround time from the high of winning a controversy-marred Asia Cup notwithstanding, Shubman Gill's India will be outright favourites against a struggling and under-strength West Indies when the teams face-off on a green-top in the first Test in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Responding to India's squad selection for the home series against West Indies, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan opined that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could have been rested for the series in order to groom a young fast bowler.
Australia held their nerve in a tense chase, edging past India by two wickets to seal the series 2-0 despite a late fightback from the visitors on Thursday in Adelaide.
The decision to allow Virat Kohli to complete his fitness in London has sparked a debate within the cricketing circles on whether this was a one-off allowance to a player of his stature.
Sarfaraz might have to try batting at No.3 for Mumbai to remain in scheme of things
England stayed calm under intense pressure to beat India by 22 runs on a final day of simmering tension and drama in the third Test at Lord's on Monday and move 2-1 up in the series.
Team India touched down in Manchester on Sunday ahead of the must-win fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
All eyes were on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who participated in the training session, though his availability for the match is a big doubt.
Fresh from a hard-fought 2-2 draw in England, Shubman Gill's men will be eager to translate their overseas resilience into home dominance.
Ahead of the 2nd Test starting on Wednesday, July 2, former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin had some advice for Gill, as the visitors look to level the five-match Test series.
The Indian squad, which is expected to comprise 16 members, will be one of the trickiest ones in recent times as there is a debate around who the new captain should be.
India equal England's first-innings score of 387 with Test in balance
As India gear up for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, former captain Ajinkya Rahane has raised a tactical alarm: the team's all-rounder-heavy approach might be hurting their chances.
Joe Root's patient unbeaten 99 led England to 251-4 on an attritional and compelling first day of the third Test against India at Lord's on Thursday.
Indian spinners will have a tough fourth day in office with the pitch getting slower, thereby making batting way easier, admitted assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate after the end of third day's play in the third Test against the West Indies in New Delhi on Sunday.
Images from Day 5 of the third Test between England and India at Lord's on Monday.
Gill, Rahul score fifties in intra-squad practice match against India A ahead of England Test
"We will have an advantage...": BCCI VP Shukla on India's new-look squad for England tour
For their next assignment in the ICC World Test Championship cycle, the two-time WTC runners up will aim to grab maximum points across those four home clashes. Here are five key questions the side must answer prior to their next Test match-up.
Ghaati does not understand how to harness Anushka Shetty's electrifying screen presence, complains Arjun Menon.
Going into the penultimate game of the rubber, the pressing question is whether to tweak their conservative approach and bolster the spin department by playing left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav at the cost of a spin all-rounder.
An injury-plagued India could be forced to depart from their preferred template when they takes on a reinvigorated England in the fourth Test starting in Manchester on Wednesday.
England's scoring rate of 2.91 runs per over during the second session was the second-slowest in a home Test in the Bazball era, only behind their 2.72 per over effort against New Zealand at Lord's in 2022.
Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Shubman Gill were among India's Test regulars in action during the second day of the intra-squad match against India A.
The series, to commence on June 20, will be played at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
Washington Sundar's double strike pegged England back in the afternoon session, leaving them struggling 175/6 at tea on Day 4 of the third Test, at Lord's.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the third Test match between England and India at Lord's, London, on Thursday.
Drawing on his own experience, Harbhajan recalled India's bold decision to field two spinners at Headingley in 2002, when he and Anil Kumble bagged 11 wickets between them on a green top.
With the series nicely poised at 1-1 going into the third Test, the narrative built around both the teams has changed significantly following India's 336-run routing of England at Edgbaston.
"He is going to be our strike bowler": Sachin Tendulkar on Jasprit Bumrah ahead of Leeds Test against England
After India captain Shubman Gill had scored another masterful century at Edgbaston, India fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj blew away England's top order.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was "disappointed" on missing a century by a whisker, but amazed by Test captain Shubman Gill's "incredible" effort that powered India to a comfortable position at the end of the opening day of the second Test against England, at Edgbaston, on Wednesday.
Handed the reins of a depleted Indian side in his maiden stint as Test captain, the 24-year-old has been tasked with breaking a 17-year drought without the experience of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli by his side.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the third Test match, played between England and India at Lord's, London, on Saturday.
Gill second successive ton as skipper takes India to 310 for 5
After a poor show by the lower-order batters in the first Leeds Test, Team India scripted a memorable comeback at Birmingham - one for the history books
Shubman Gill played a masterful captain's knock with his second century of the series on the opening day of the second Test
Shubman Gill walked out at Edgbaston with questions swirling around his captaincy - and answered them with his bat
'It felt like you had to force the ball through, which in England were are not used to -- you usually get rewards for your cuts and clips.'
The BJP's constitution mandates that the party should complete the process of electing block, district and state chiefs before it elects its national president.
