Help Captain Kohli and Head Coach Shastri pick India's XI for the Rajkot Test.
As India go in to the four-match Test series against Australia that commences in Adelaide on Tuesday, here is a factbox.
New Zealand pacer Trent Boult is hopeful that achieving game fitness rather than bowling in the nets will put him in 'good stead' in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final against India.
The victorious New Zealand cricketers will carry the ICC World Test Championship Mace on a week-long, nationwide tour of the country, starting on July 26, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Wednesday.
A series win in Australia will certainly put Kohli on a higher pedestal even though the quality of the home team's batting line-up suffered adversely due to the bans of former skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner.
'I have no plans of cloning myself in the near future, either.'
Shubman Gill is all set to open with Rohit Sharma after he was named in India's 15-man squad for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, in Southampton, from June 18.
Images from Day 5 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Tuesday.
The Ireland squad will arrive in England and set up their base at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton on July 18, before facing world champions England in three ODIs at the same venue.
Laxman accompanied Team India as its coach during its two T20I match series against Ireland,
India and New Zealand will battle it out for the prestigious title at Southampton on June 18.
India skipper Virat Kohli operates at 200 per cent and has the unbelievable ability to inspire his teammates to do the same, reckons stylish batsman KL Rahul.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine has apologised to New Zealand for writing the Black Caps off before their World Test Championship triumph against India.
ECB England off-spinner Dom Bess described James Anderson as the greatest English player of all time after the 38-year-old moved within two wickets of becoming the first pace bowler to claim 600 Test victims.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is excited to face India in the ICC World Test Championships (WTC) final next month as he considers showdowns against Virat Kohli's men to be a 'fantastic challenge'.
'No, I can't pretend I am as good as gold, because I am not. It would be wrong to act like everything's OK.'
Rain washed out an entire day's play for the second time in the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton on Monday, diminishing hopes of a result in the India vs New Zealand contest.
Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill thwarted New Zealand's plans with a gutsy batting display in tough conditions.
'It's a very special feeling, the first time in our history we've come away with a World title,' said New Zealand skipper Kane Wiilliamson after victory over India in the WTC final on Wednesday.
Paceman Jofra Archer's breach of bio-secure protocols could have been a "disaster" and ended up costing the board tens of millions of pounds, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director of cricket Ashley Giles has said. England dropped Archer from the second Test against the West Indies following the breach, announcing the decision only hours before the start of the match on Thursday.
Ro will have his wish fulfilled with 4,000 fans permitted to attend the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton from June 18 to 22.
Kyle Jamieson wrecked India with the ball and opener Devon Conway compiled a half-century to put New Zealand in a commanding position in the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in Southampton on Sunday.
Deep down, Kohli perhaps well understands that in the most challenging of conditions, his team needs more than just his sheer force of will to succeed. It requires that extra skill, tenacity and temperament. His jigsaw is near-ready; he just needs to find the final pieces, observes Dhruv Munjal.
The series is even more important for Kohli as it would also define his legacy as a leader having already established himself as world's premier batsman.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee said their World Test Championship triumph will take at least a couple of weeks to sink in.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer will, however, go through a second COVID-19 test and will join England's behind-closed-doors training camp on Thursday, provided he tests negative.
Former players Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel believe pace bowler Mohammed Shami will the hold the key for India with the ball in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand.
England's James Anderson is the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
'Ishant has had multiple stitches on his middle and fourth finger in his right hand. However it is not very serious'
India head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday said the ICC World Test Championship final should be a best-of-three affair in the long run and not a one-off match like his side is set to play against New Zealand in the inaugural edition.
'Rather than worrying too much about results, it's about trying to stick to a brand of cricket that we want to be proud of playing. I guess that's something that came out in the 2015 World Cup and it's flowed on from there.'
Shastri has been serving as the head coach of the Indian team since 2017, having got an extension after the 2019 ICC World Cup.
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris feels India opener Rohit Sharma might find it difficult to negotiate the swinging ball during the ICC World Test Championship final against the Kiwis, beginning in Southampton on June 18.
Trent Boult, who has played 73 Test for New Zealand, said he expects a bit of banter between the rival players since they are all familiar with each other due to the Indian Premier League.
After a 117-day absence, international cricket returned in familiar fashion on Wednesday as rain and bad light restricted the first Test between England and West Indies to 17.4 overs and the hosts closed a frustrating day on 35-1.
"It's been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way. But all good things must come to an end and the timing feels right for me."
Both bowlers had contracted the dreaded virus during the currently-suspended IPL earlier this month.
ICC acting CEO Geoff Allardice said that would be possible only 'in a perfect world'.
