After scores of 14 and 1, Virat Kohli is due for a big one and will be hoping to spend more time in the middle when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Mumbai Indians in the IPL in Dubai.
Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to continue with their risk-taking approach despite mixed returns when they on Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai on Friday.
"Now he played after nearly two years again and has been dropped again. Would love to know the rationale," said Harbhajan, one of the four Indian bowlers to have taken 400-plus wickets.
Former Pakistan fast bowler and current United Arab Emirates coach Aaqib Javed feels that Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah will "find it difficult" to sustain for long without injury in international cricket with his unusual action.
Middle-order batsman Suresh Raina made a comeback to the team fold after the newly appointed senior selection committee announced their India squad for the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, in New Delhi, on Thursday.
Ponting said at the end of the day it comes down to individual preparation.
Khawaja and Green were the bedrock of Australia's innings
Images from the third day's play of the second Test between India and New Zealand being played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore
Ashwin moves up to joint fourth, Iyer jumps 10 spots to be 16th
Had KKR throws run out Dinesh Karthik, perhaps RCB may have lost the game.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the WTC Final between Australia and India, played at The Oval, in London, on Friday.
India will now lock horns with South Africa for three Tests and three ODIs, beginning December 26.
India find themselves in a spot of bother against Australia in the third Test at Indore.
David Miller, Sai Sudharsan, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, Shubman Gill? Whose batting sparkled most?
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the third Test against Australia?
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be without captain Virat Kohli for at least the initial phase of the Twenty20 tournament as the India skipper recovers from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the series-sealing final test win over Australia in Dharamsala.
The careers of senior pros Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma are on the line when the selectors pick the Indian Test squad for the coming tour of South Africa.
Umesh Yadav has expressed his surprise at the ultra-defensive strategy employed by the South African batsmen in the fourth and final Test but reminded them that one cannot last an entire fifth day by "just blocking" deliveries.
Gujarat Titans pace bowler Mohit Sharma conceded it was hard to replace a bowler of the calibre of Mohammed Shami as his team succumbed to a massive 63-run defeat at the hands of reigning IPL champions Chennai Super Kings in Chennai.
Images from Day 2 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Friday.
The 2021 IPL, which was suspended in May owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in its bubble, will resume in the UAE from September 19.
With the series already in pocket, the Indian team management has decided to rest senior batsman Suresh Raina for the fifth and final ODI in Ranchi on Sunday.
India's Test specialists, including senior speedster Ishant Sharma, toiled hard at the nets on the second day of the short camp in Mumbai on Tuesday as they braced up for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
Regarded as the fastest Indian bowler, young Umesh Yadav reckons that he has been selected in the team for "sheer pace" and will never ever compromise on speed for anything else.
Itching to attain peak fitness ahead of the tough tour of Australia later this year, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan reckons the emergence of youngsters like Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron bodes well for Indian cricket.
With a massive pool of talent that have performed in the IPL and in other T20Is, Indian selectors have their task cut out when they meet to pick the squad for the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
India's bowling coach Bharath Arun made it clear on Tuesday that Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are first choices for Test matches, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are the preferred option for the limited-overs' format.
Ishant Sharma's lack of rhythm can be attributed to lack of game time and it would take a couple of Test matches for him to get back into the groove, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said.
Sanjay Bangar termed Umesh Yadav, who has been providing the team with breakthroughs at crucial juncture, as 'the most improved bowler' in the last one and half seasons.
India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey believes that his bowlers conceded extra runs in the last 10 overs of the day.
Under fire, Dhoni's men will look to plug all loopholes as the in-form Bangla tigers aim for a clean sweep
Rahane's comeback after 15 months was on predictable lines
IMAGES from the Ranji Trophy final played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Mumbai defeated Vidarbha by six wickets in their Super League Group B match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, in Indore, on Monday.
Opener Gautam Gambhir and middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh were axed while stumper Dinesh Karthik was rewarded for his good batting form with a berth in India's 15-member squad for next month's Champions Trophy cricket tournament in England.
South Africa remains one of the very few places where India have not won a Test series, and the Virat Kohli-led side is determined to end the wait this time around.
India's chief coach Anil Kumble has made it amply clear that opener KL Rahul would be making a comeback into the playing XI against England in the second Test starting on Thursday.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India selectors on Sunday included left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the Indian squad for the last two one-dayers of the ongoing series against Australia and dropped Ravindra Jadeja.
Scroll down for images from the training session held on Wednesday.
