Young opener Shubman Gill and pacer Mohammed Siraj will make their Test debuts in the second Boxing Day Test against Australia, starting in Melbourne, on Saturday.
Set to play in the second Test against an in-form Australian team, KL Rahul had a long hit at the nets, and so did Rishabh Pant.
With David Warner and Will Pucovski ruled out of the first Test and looking at Joe Burns's worrying form, Australia can't afford to miss Green for the day-night fixture.
'A middle order that reads Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Pandya and Ashwin should provide the runs expected of that section.'
Operating like a well-oiled unit, Chennai Super Kings will start as overwhelming favourites when they clash with struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL match in New Delhi on Wednesday.
India will welcome back regular skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests in Australia to attend the birth of his daughter.
'Generally, I look to believe in myself. Nowadays when I get a chance to bat or bowl, I believe in myself and look to give everything I have.'
The purists might be worried about the impact of Twenty20 on players' technique, but India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja feels that the shortest format has had no effect of the cricketers' skills as they are well-trained to shift gears whenever required.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma on Saturday blamed his batsmen for the five-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener, saying they wasted a good start by throwing their wickets away.
Five Indian players to watch in the Test series against Australia, which begins in Adelaide on December 17:
Kohli (886 points) and Rohit (868 points) have gained two and three ratings points, respectively to occupy the top two positions in the batting rankings.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made it amply clear that he will wear his favourite yellow jersey for at least one more season and the 'Whistle Podu' army will certainly see him playing his "farewell game" at their beloved Chepauk.
A summary of Ranji matches played on Tuesday.
Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia at the SCG on Saturday and was taken for a scan.
India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, on Sunday, said it is very difficult to contain the duo of skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma when they are batting in full flow as the hosts chased down a stiff 323-run target with consummate ease.
Their fate still not in their own hands, India will again go for broke when they resume their battle for survival in the T20 World Cup in another must-win contest, against Scotland, in Dubai on Friday.
India will argue that they didn't take any undue advantage from the concussion substitute rule.
The former India spinner has also backed the underperforming left-arm Chinaman bowler to make the cut for the T20 World Cup squad.
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming took solace from finding the "right player" in Ruturaj Gaikwad as he dealt with the mixed emotions of notching up victories after being knocked out of the IPL play-offs contention.
In the absence of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul was named vice-captain of the ODI and T20I teams. He also makes a comeback to the Test team, as Shikhar Dhawan was named only in the limited-overs' side.
Signing off on a positive note, in what has been an exceptional year for the Indian cricket team, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja promised that they will try to shed the "poor travelers" tag in 2017.
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 wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Sunday said he likes to "reflect on the errors" when things doesn't go his way as he is geared up for the first two Tests against England, starting in Chennai from February 5.
Jadeja had sustained a thumb injury while batting in the first innings of the Sydney Test and was eventually ruled out for six weeks.
India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who will be pitted against his former Chennai Super Kings skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in the Indian Premier League later next year, believes bowling to India's limited-overs' team captain will be a big challenge.
Marnus Labuschagne rode his luck to a home-ground century as Australia exploited India's injury woes and punished their poor fielding to reach 274 for five at the close of a steamy opening day of the series-deciding fourth and final Test, in Brisbane, on Friday.
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings head into the match after identical seven-wicket wins over Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively.
According to PTI, the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma has asked the duo to regain form by playing Ranji Trophy.
Australia were 133 for six at stumps on Day 3 of the second Test against India in their second innings, a lead of two runs, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
England pace spearhead James Anderson, who had an ugly spat with Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the first Test, was today booed by the Indian fans at Trent Bridge during the third ODI.
Former Australia batsman Dean Jones feels that the 37-year-old stumper, and not Vijay Shankar, should bat at No 4.
The only improvement India's fielding coach R Sridhar has targeted is greater accuracy with direct throws.
Expressing his displeasure over Virat Kohli's behaviour, legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Indian skipper for engaging in war of words with Ben Stokes after the England all-rounder's dismissal on Day One of the ongoing third Test in Mohali. The incident took place during the 44th over in the post lunch session on the opening day when Stokes, who had played the spinners well till that point, was foxed by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and stumped by Parthiv Patel.
Ajinkya Rahane's India have a mountain to climb, even if a draw would be enough to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy two years after their breakthrough 2-1 win in the 2018/19 series in Australia.
Debutant Shreyas Iyer was guts, aggression and flair rolled into one during an unbeaten knock of 75, which was nothing short of a baptism by fire, as India ended on 258 for four on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday.
Double centurion Agarwal, meanwhile, climbed to the 11th spot after his player-of-the-match effort of 243 in India's only innings. The 28-year-old has reached 691 rating points after scoring 858 runs in his first eight Tests.
A summary of Ranji Trophy matches played on Thursday.
For Kohli, who led India to their first Test series victory in Australia but skipped the second half of the New Zealand tour, the series will be the last chance to identify the batsman to fill a middle order spot in an otherwise settled side.
Rising Pune Supergiant skipper Steve Smith on Thursday came out in support of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has struggled for runs in the first three games of this year's Indian Premier League.
A series win will be an ideal confidence booster for India before the visitors hit Test match mode.
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