Jasprit Bumrah doesn't seem to be a long-term captaincy option given his nagging fitness concerns.
But the 32-year-old with 302 Test wickets didn't deny that it was indeed a great opportunity to gear up for the big battle against India.
Konstas revealed how his cousin died of leukemia and his grandpa of bowel cancer, and expressed hope the match at SCG would continue to raise awareness about the disease.
Kane Williamson's team became Test cricket's first official world champions
What went wrong for India in the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand?
India finished top of the ICC World Test Championship standings after crushing England by an innings and 25 runs in the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad on Saturday, to claim the series 3-1.
The India series starts on August 4. Vaughan reckons England must get better at playing the "long game" on good wickets.
Australia's success in Christchurch sets up home Test series against India
New Zealand captain Tim Southee said playing two Tests at Galle, known as a spinner's paradise, was always going to be challenging.
Cameron Green's participation in the upcoming marquee five-match Test series against fierce rivals India was on Friday thrown into doubt after a back injury ruled him out of the ongoing tour of England.
Only seven matches in the history of Test cricket have been abandoned without a ball being bowled.
In the first Chennai Test against Bangladesh, Pant scored a magnificent century and returned to Test side with a bang.
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.
Williamson agreed that getting Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara out early did set it up nicely for them.
Jaiswal has made a reputation as one of the most ferocious Test openers in a long time, capable of scoring fast and big both.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday.
Skipper Rohit Sharma chose not to place batters under the cosh for the series defeat against New Zealand
Shah, the leading run-scorer for Afghanistan in Tests and ODIs, wanted to give the Kiwis, the inaugural WTC champions, a tough time.
Michael Clarke expressed that if star India batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fail to perform during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they could retire
Panesar feels the concept of WTC is a great advertisement of Test cricket and the former spinner went on to term the summit clash as an encounter similar to arch-rivals India and Pakistan playing a Test match or the Ashes.
Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma ignore each other on match eve
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.
Bangladesh remained in ninth position and behind Pakistan despite gaining 13 rating points.
'I know Indian conditions quite well, the turf is a little bit more red here and in terms of that, it is generally a more spinning condition. So, expecting the ball to spin more than the first Test'
New Zealand have already booked their spot for the inaugural WTC final, leaving India, England and Australia vying for the other.
The ICC has also allocated a Reserve Day to make up for any lost time during the regular days of the Final, scheduled to be played from 18 to 22 June, with 23 June set aside as the Reserve Day.
Australian quick Josh Hazlewood expressed that India's rare series whitewash at home to New Zealand could "awaken a sleeping giant" as they prepare to take on the ICC World Test Championship table-toppers in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November 22 onwards.
Off-spinner Nishan Peiris picked up a six-wicket haul on debut as Sri Lanka crushed New Zealand by an innings and 154 runs.
India last won a major ICC tournament back in 2013 -- the ICC Champions Trophy.
India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Thursday said the team planned to bowl only bouncers to Travis Head irrespective of the outcome.
While India are on top of the World Test Championship (WTC) table, the Bangladesh skipper believed that it will all boil down to how they perform during those five days and result can come even in the last session.
To express solidarity with those affected, Team India will wear black armbands, the BCCI said in a statement.
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.
The Indian players got down to business on Friday with an intense session in the nets under the watchful eyes of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Here's a wrap of all major international episodes in 2024.
Ashwin's age is certainly a factor that is being kept in consideration.
Former captain Daniel Vettori termed New Zealand's 3-0 Test series win on Indian soil as his country's greatest achievement while ex-batter Ross Taylor said he did not think of a clean sweep even "in our wildest dreams".
Kohli highlighted that the nuances of the format cannot be fully utilised through just one match, and especially when it's to determine the world champions of Test cricket.
Images from Day 4 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Monday.
The ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand in Southampton will be held in the presence of 4000 spectators, Hampshire County Club head Rod Bransgrove said.
