Virat Kohli is yet to arrive in Bengaluru and it is not clear when he will undergo the mandatory fitness test ahead of the new season.
With two days still to play, England are firm favourites to secure the win in Manchester, one that would seal victory in the five-match series with one test still to come.
India faces Zimbabwe in a crucial T20 World Cup Super 8 match, needing a big win to improve their net run rate after a heavy loss to South Africa. The team needs to address issues in the top order and consider strategic changes to the batting lineup.
Shubman Gill enjoyed a phenomenal run with the bat in England, piling up 754 runs at an average of 75.40 with four centuries.
Despite India's seven-wicket win in Delhi, Gambhir called the surface 'alarming' and stressed the need for more balanced wickets to keep Test cricket alive.
India will be hoping that Abhishek Sharma returns to his destructive ways and the other batters up their game against spin when the side takes the field for its final T20 World Cup league fixture against the Netherlands.
'Sundar is the front-runner behind Ashwin right now. He's done well in whatever limited opportunities he's got and I feel he will get his due first before going to anybody else.'
Who do you think should be part of the Indian team for the fifth Test against England?
Skipper Shubman Gill struck a sublime half-century, while off-spinner Washington Sundar returned with tidy figures of 3/15 as India outclassed Zimbabwe by 23 runs.
Rishabh Pant's place in the playing eleven is far from guaranteed, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are locked in a tight contest for the additional all-rounder's slot as India confront several selection dilemmas ahead of the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi.
Shubman Gill is the flavour of the season after his stupendous show in the recent Test series against England but he will face a contender in Axar Patel for vice-captaincy
Although fielding coach T Dilip said Patel looked "fine" after the match, the short turnaround between games poses a challenge for the all-rounder's recovery.
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill is "ready to start" ahead of the first T20I against South Africa of the five-match series, which will take place on December 9.
Fired-up England reduced India to 58/4 chasing 193 for victory in a highly-charged final session on day four on Sunday as a gripping third Test at Lord's.
India face a tough spin challenge from England in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Wankhede Stadium, as both teams aim for a perfect game in the high-pressure knockout.
The Namibia match could be a God-sent opportunity for an out-of-form Sanju Samson to get into run-scoring mode after a string of failures that saw him lose his place to Ishan Kishan, who is going through a purple patch.
India will take on the UAE in their tournament-opener on September 10 before facing arch rivals Pakistan at Dubai on September 14. Their third group match will be against Oman on September 19 before the Super Four stage.
Sai Sudharsan, a rising star, playfully dubs GT 'Gujarat Tamilians'.
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.
Siraj, who bowled 185.3 overs in five Tests, ended with 23 wickets and his nine-for in the final Test at the Oval earned India a memorable series levelling six-run win over England.
'It (the pitch) wasn't free-flowing. You felt comfortable, but the scoreboard wasn't going anywhere.'
Gill may miss ODI series due to unhealed neck injury; Rahul, Pant in line for ODI captaincy
Kuldeep was instrumental to India's success at the Asia Cup, topping the wicket-taking chart with 17 wickets. Chopra explained the rationale behind dropping the left-arm wrist spinner, attributing it to batting depth.
India and West Indies clash in a high-stakes virtual quarter-final on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
All-rounder Washington Sundar is likely to miss at least the next two IPL matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad after suffering split webbing in his bowling hand, head coach Tom Moody said.
Jasprit Bumrah was rested from the second Test at Edgbaston, as part of his workload management.
The track is historically a high-scoring one and the outfield is quick. But on a red soil surface, the ball grips and can surprise the batters.
'The quality of Bumrah is exceptional. What he has been able to do is just unbelievable so far'
'The atmosphere he has created in the team -- he has tried to infuse a culture of playing for the team and not focusing on personal milestones.'
India remained on course for a 2-0 series sweep after enforcing the follow-on but West Indies produced a much better batting display in their second innings to reach 173-2 on day three of the second and final Test in New Delhi on Sunday.
Sundar went on to play a knock of 62 runs in his debut Test
Senior opener KL Rahul has been left out of the India squad which will travel to Zimbabwe for an ODI series next month after COVID-19 delayed his return from a long injury lay-off, while Washington Sundar and Deepak Chahar made their comebacks.
He said he will never play football for warm-up before matches. "It was a weird accident that happened five or six years ago. I was playing football and broke my ankle. I will never play football in my life! There are so many things to do other than just play football."
India face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad as Suryakumar Yadav's side aim to become the first team to successfully defend the title.
India set to remain unchanged as team wants Reddy to settle in all-round role
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.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said India may have missed a trick by not playing Kuldeep Yadav at Lord's and Manchester, as quality spinners come to the fore on the last two days of a Test match.
While India left out Kuldeep Yadav for the second match in a row, Australia's leg-spinner Adam Zampa took a four-wicket haul and was named the man of the match.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan?
