As many as four world-class match-winners are expected to bid adieu to the game one by one in the next couple of years and Gautam Gambhir is in an unenviable position as head coach.
The national selectors on Sunday retained the Indian team, which hammered Bangladesh by 280 runs in the opening Test here, for the second and final match in Kanpur.
Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was referring to Pakistan's victory against India in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in England in 2017, when they claimed a crushing 180-run victory.
Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, is reportedly using individuals under the influence of drugs or posing as mentally disturbed to infiltrate India and deliver messages to terrorists in prisons. Officials have reported over 10 such cases since July, with individuals entering from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and being sent to prisons in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Security agencies suspect these individuals are couriers tasked with relaying communication to jailed terrorists. The ISI's tactic is believed to be a response to the increased use of technology in communication, which leaves behind electronic footprints. This method of infiltration has also been linked to drug smuggling operations. The ISI's current tactic is reminiscent of its past use of "sawari operators" on the Samjhauta Express for covert operations, which were effectively curtailed by authorities.
The source, however, disputed Fakhar's tone and said one of the newly inducted selectors, former captain Azhar Ali had spoken to length with Babar on Saturday and explained to him the decision to rest him for the two Tests.
How the India Test regulars and discards fared over the first two days in the opening round matches of Duleep Trophy.
The national team, captained for the bulk of those years by Misbah Ul Haq, hosted its 'home' games in the United Arab Emirates and remained relatively successful until fixtures trickled back onto Pakistani soil in 2018.
The Duleep Trophy is set to return to its traditional zonal from next year after the state units gave a thumbs down to the four-team concept introduced this season.
Images from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played between India and New Zealand, in Mumbai, on Saturday.
Rahul will come in place of Baba Indrajith, who scored 9 and 6 and didn't look comfortable at all against pace and bounce, which wasn't exactly 125 clicks.
The left-arm wrist spinner, who grabbed three Kiwi wickets, patted Rachin Ravindra for making a splendid hundred.
Sarfaraz said that he was under no pressure as captain before the mega-event.
'Bumrah is not the right option for captain.' 'All the pressure to deliver is on his shoulders. So taking on the mantle of captain will be added pressure.'
A summary of the opening day's play in the Elite Group Ranji Trophy matches across the country.
Having conceded a lead of 259, England were all out for 195 in the second session on day three of the contest.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the third Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
India were sitting pretty on 473/8 in 120 overs at stumps on the second day for an overall lead of 255 runs.
'There will be a lot of spice to the contest -- there is a reason India is the only team other than England against whom Australia is keen to play a five Test series.' 'I'll watch, as I suspect most fans will -- but this one time, I'll watch with considerable trepidation and, from a fan's point of view, with the hope that the team finds its feet and that right quick,' notes the distinguished cricket commentator Prem Panicker.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been included in the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh.
The likes of Yashaswi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Reddy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna are on their maiden Test tour of Australia.
Despite the challenging build-up, Gambhir said he is "extremely confident" of retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The players will hope to be as confident as they prepare for the fight to keep their World Test Final chances alive.
Jurel also reflected on the aura that Virat Kohli emanates.
Samit Dravid, son of former India head coach and captain Rahul Dravid, was on Thursday roped in by Mysuru Warriors during the player auction
India set England a huge target and then skittled the tourists out for 122 to romp to a 434-run victory in the third Test and go 2-1 up in the five-match series on Sunday.
India's batting is a major concern with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling for runs ahead of the tour of Australia.
'They have a fine spin bowling attack and some good players who have done well for a long time.'
Javed Miandad feels Sarfaraz Ahmed was better suited to lead the Test team in Australia
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
'The IPL provides a different ladder in terms of recognition.' 'If you do well, you will obviously get noticed and it enhances your selection into white-ball formats.'
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane along with the uncapped duo of Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan are in the running for a place in the Indian Test team.
Seniors Rohit Sharma,Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin received exemptions for the Duleep Trophy, starting in Bengaluru on September 5.
He along with Sunrisers' bowling coach and spin legend Muthiah Muralitharan were seen engaging in an intense planning from the dug-out when Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were batting in full-flow at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday. Sunrisers batting coach VVS Laxman may be disappointed with his team's defeat in the first game of IPL 9, but the legendary Indian batsman had special praise for U-19 star and RCB finisher Sarfaraz Khan. Laxman also feels that it was Sarfaraz, who took the game away from them, when the 'enormously talented' Mustafizur Rahman had pulled it back by dismissing AB and Watson in quick succession. Here is what Laxman had to say after the match.
'It's one thing to talk about it, but actually we went out there (in Bengaluru) and played some fearless cricket.'
India arrived in Bengaluru seeking a big win over the 2021 champions to improve their chances of making a third successive final in June 2025, but will now need to battle to keep alive their run of 18 straight home series victories since 2012.
Captain Rohit Sharma and middle-order batter Ravindra Jadeja smashed defiant hundreds to drag India out of the doldrums and into a comfortable 326 for five on the opening day of the third Test against England on Thursday.
Fifteen year old Mumbai youngster Sarfaraz Khan smashed 101 off only 66 balls to help India colts record a four-wicket victory over South Africa in their round robin league encounter of the U-19 Quadrangular tournament in Visakhapatnam.
Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and pacer Mohammed Siraj too faced local bowlers and significant amount of throwdowns.
India stormed into the ICC Under-19 cricket World Cup quarter-finals after producing a clinical all-round performance to wallop New Zealand by 120 runs in their penultimate group D encounter, in Mirpur, on Saturday.
Moved by the youngster's stories and the emotions surrounding it, Rohit said he was "lost in their debuts".
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch said that Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant, two left-handed wicketkeeper-batters will be extremely important for their respective sides during the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
