Rohit Sharma has certain choices to make in the best interests of the Indian team heading into the fifth and final Test against Australia.
Mitchell Starc said Australia had left the Perth debacle behind by shutting the "outside noise" following their heavy defeat in the series-opener.
Deepti Sharma did the star turn with career-best figures of 6/31 before doing her bit with the bat as India completed a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies
Travis Head conceded that he was immensely fortunate to survive a fine spell from Jasprit Bumrah on the Day 2 of the third Test in Brisbane on Sunday.
The depth of fast bowlers at South Africa's disposal was no better evidenced than on Thursday as Corbin Bosch and Dale Paterson took nine of the 10 wickets to dismiss Pakistan for 211 on the opening day of the first Test at Centurion.
His effort along with Sadeera Samarawickrama's (108 off 89 balls) maiden ODI ton saw Sri Lanka post a massive 344 for nine in their 50 overs.
Gavaskar didn't mince words while pointing out the repeated failures of the team's batters, who failed to cross the 200 mark six out of nine times during the series.
Since Head Coach Gautam Gambhir will travel to Australia with the Rohit Sharma-led Test team on November 10, he will not be available to coach the T20I team for the series that will go on till November 15.
Rohit, who had missed the first Test, dropped down to the number six spot in the pink ball Test after KL Rahul excelled at the top in the series opener in his absence.
Seamer Dane Paterson took a career-best 5-71 and Temba Bavuma was unbeaten on 48 as South Africa closed the third day
Kohli is struggling for big runs of late and his last Test century was against the West Indies at Port of Spain in July 2023.
Images from Day 1 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Australia captain Pat Cummins said it is a "privilege" to have a bowler of Mitchell Starc's calibre at his disposal.
'Found a ponnada in the appropriate India colours to honour him with!'
The Vidarbha batter boasts an incredible average of 752 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with five centuries from seven games.
Talking to broadcasters after the India innings, Starc said he did not really visualise Jaiswal's dismissal.
'Never understood how he was dropped after a triple century.'
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya will not be available for the league stage matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy because of personal reasons, but he will join Baroda if they progress to the knockouts.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the first Test played between India and New Zealand, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Rahul along with wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel flew early to Australia, and will appear for India A in the second four-day game at the MCG.
India opener KL Rahul made a leap of 18 slots, after his Player-of-the-Match effort that helped India defeat South Africa by 113 runs in the first Test, to reach No. 31 among batters in the latest ICC Test rankings.
Opener Smriti Mandhana's elegant century went in vain as India lost to Australia by 83 runs in the third Women's ODI to suffer a 0-3 series whitewash
India were thoroughly exposed in their 10-wicket loss in the second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy with the match ending in less than two-and-a-half days as Australia bounced back to level the five-game series 1-1.
'There are a lot of players who have been performing well even before him, so there is a routine or process that I think that the management has come up with, so it is important to follow that. He has been performing consistently well, so I believe his time will come soon.'
India were scheduled to begin their tour of Australia with a closed-door warm-up match against the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A at the WACA in Perth from November 15 to 17.
'I took pills for the cramps. I feel the recent scores helped me in this innings. The wicket was tacky and two-paced, I just wanted to capitalise on the start and I was able to do that.'
Gus Atkinson took a hat-trick as England stayed on course for a dominant victory in the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday, reaching 378 for 5 at the close of play on Day 2 with an imposing lead of 533.
It is understood that the Test squad will be leaving from Mumbai few days after the series and just like it happened during the last tour of South Africa, the BCCI could have a four-day game between India and India A, which people in the know of things feel will provide Rohit Sharma's men with quality match simulation.
Since 2022, he has scored 514 runs in Tests from 12 matches (21 innings) at an average of 25.7, having registered three half-centuries and a century.
Out-of-form skipper Rohit Sharma's batting position will be in focus against a dangerous Australia
At the end of the first day of play, it is the home side that is firmly in control, and India that is now reduced to chasing the game.
West Indies openers Shai Hope and Evin Lewis smashed 136 off the first nine overs to put the hosts in the driving seat, with captain Rovman Powell's 38 steering his side to their highest-ever successful run chase in the Caribbean with six balls to spare.
Varun Chakravarthy credited the intense domestic grind and the role clarity provided by new head coach Gautam Gambhir as vital in helping regain his lost form.
England skipper Jos Buttler hammered a superb 83 off 45 balls to steer his side to a seven-wicket victory in the second Twenty20 international against West Indies.
Rahul will come in place of Baba Indrajith, who scored 9 and 6 and didn't look comfortable at all against pace and bounce, which wasn't exactly 125 clicks.
The former South African quick explained the pre-set plan against Head, though it eventually fell flat on its back.
Shashwat Rawat led India A's dramatic recovery with an unbeaten 122 to steer them to 224 for seven on day one of the Duleep Trophy tie against India C in Anantapur on Thursday.
Nitya Pandya led India Under-19's charge with a fluent 94 as the hosts finished at 316/5 on the opening day of the second youth Test against Australia.
Rohit Sharma on Sunday emphasised on building his team around "strong bowling options" in order to take the conditions out of the equation as they gear up for the challenges that lay ahead in the run-up to the World Test Championship.
England stormed to the T20 series victory over West Indies with two matches to spare in St Lucia on Thursday after a nervy final-over three wicket win in the third T20 International.
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