The BCCI had mandated all international players, except for seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, to play in tournaments such as Ranji and Duleep Trophy when they are not busy with national commitments, the move highlighting the board's emphasis on the role of domestic cricket.
After the accident and the kind of rehabilitation that he had to go through, this knock will be right up there, says Rishabh Pant's coach Devender Sharma.
Late last month in Kolkata, Shami expressed a desire to first play for Bengal before making his return to the national team. He also participated informally in motivational and fitness sessions with state players.
In order to raise the ever dwindling number of spectators in the stadium, the BCCI is all set to host its first-ever Day/Night cricket Test with pink ball when New Zealand tour India later this year. "We have decided that we will play one Day/Night Test match with pink ball against New Zealand later this year. Before that Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the Day/Night Test match," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur told a select gathering of mediapersons at the BCCI's headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. Thakur said that the main objective of the Duleep Trophy will be to check how the pink kookaburra behaves under the light in sub-continental conditions. "While we have not zeroed in on the venue, there are lots of factors that need to be taken into account. Things like dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink kookaburra on Indian pitches. These things we will get an idea during the Duleep Trophy," said Thakur.
Ashwin proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Not only did he contribute significantly with the ball, claiming crucial wickets, but he also played a pivotal role with the bat, scoring a valuable century.
Agni Chopra domination of bowlers, which has seen his average touching Bradmanesque-levels, has come in the Plate League so far, and Agni nourishes the dream of getting into Elite League with Mizoram.
'The most important thing is that they will always have my back. Aim to make it a happy and secure dressing room.'
India batsman Ajinkya Rahane is excited at the prospect of playing with pink ball in the Duleep Trophy tournament later this year.
Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai will play against Rest of India in the Zal Irani Cup from October 22-26.
So, what are the options that India can look forward to?
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead a full strength India squad for the two-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies in the United States on August 27 and 28.
The national selection committee on Thursday picked up a fourth string 14-member Board President's XI squad for the warm-up game against Australia, making it clear that Yuvraj Singh is now not a part of even the top 74 cricketers in the country.
Cheteshwar Pujara's love affair with the English summer continued as he scored his second List A ton in three games.
The middle-order batsman will play in the Central - North Zone Duleep Trophy match in Aurangabad frm November 4.
Chasing 409 to win the Duleep Trophy, East zone were 213 for three in the second innings on the fourth day of the Duleep Trophy cricket final against North Zone.
Faiz Fazal and Jalaj Saxena hit half-centuries to keep Central Zone in the contest after South Zone had taken the first innings lead of day three of Duleep Trophy final at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, on Friday.
The 39 year-old has played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is for South Africa with a total of 544 international wickets.
'Obviously, he brings a lot of good things to the Test side. Not only from the batting point of view, but from the keeping point of view as well.'
During Monday's net session, Bumrah repeatedly made short work of the batter often sending his off-stump cart-wheeling for fun
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, which had decided to host its first day-night Test against visiting New Zealand, has acknowledged that it could not go ahead with the plan without testing the waters in the Duleep Trophy.
There was poor communication and complete mismanagement between the stadium authority and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). Rain had affected the buildup to the Test, the first between the two nations, with New Zealand not being able to complete a single practice session properly.
Kolkata and Ahmedabad will host the knockout stages of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and Vijay Hazare Trophy, respectively, while BCCI will conduct two Irani Cup ties in a single domestic season.
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly backed Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan and said the 25-year-old should be given an opportunity to prove himself.
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.
'It's all about, I think, going out in the middle and playing your game, playing with freedom. That is very important. I'm really happy for him.
'We need to respect our players. Our players are as good as anybody.'
The below-par Test record of Rohit Sharma is expected to be the focus of discussion when the selection committee, headed by Sandeep Patil, picks the Indian cricket squad for the home Test series against New Zealand . Despite Rohit's poor form in the Tests, he has the confidence of captain Virat Kohli, who feels that the ODI specialist should be given a longer run to prove himself in the Test format.
Bowing to pressure from Youth Congress activists for its statements against Union Minister Shashi Tharoor over the Duleep Trophy final in Kochi, the Kerala Cricket Association tendered an apology to him for "hurting his sentiments".
Ashwin went on to cite examples of other domestic stalwarts like Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhimanyu Easwaran.
All you must know about the young batting sensation now on the verge of playing for India
Gill was recently announced skipper of 2022 IPL champions Gujarat Titans
Mukesh is one of the few players in recent times to have made it to the Indian limited overs squad without ever having played in the IPL.
Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's adaptability between formats and temperament make him stand out among his peers at the highest level, believes his childhood coach Jwala Singh.
Bawa, hero of India's U-19 World Cup winning campaign, is a fast medium bowler and left-handed hard-hitting middle-order batter.
In a big setback for North Zone ahead of the Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone, captain Harbhajan Singh has been forced to sit out due to viral fever as Gautam Gambhir will step in to lead the team, in Mohali, on Wednesday.
A record 37 teams, including seven debutants from the northeast, participating in the Ranji Trophy beginning on Thursday pose a massive logistical challenge for a cricket board going through administrative chaos.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja could do with a break, which will allow India to try out new players in the Caribbean.
'When a finger spinner bowls, the ball is released with seam so that there is turn and bounce. When you are bowling the googly, the seam will be scrambled and very difficult to pick'
