It is an perfect stage for India's mercurial skipper Virat Kohli, who loves to bring his A game to the fore when the chips are down.
A look at the newly-laid dark coloured Chepauk track is an indication that unlike the strip used during the first Test, this one will offer turn earlier than expected.
The hamstring is absolutely fine, opener Rohit Sharma declared, allaying concerns over his fitness by returning to lead Mumbai Indians following a two-week injury lay-off because of which he was not named in India's squad for the tour of Australia.
He has now informed the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) of his availability.
There is talk that if India go for a four-pronged pace attack, with both Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane having a crack at the first Test.
The Indian team management has decided not to risk injured opener Rohit Sharma for the do-or-die tri-series game against England on January 30 and the final, in case India makes it.
The Indian team management, headed by coach Ravi Shastri, intimated the Committee of Administrators that the team will take at least 18 months to prepare for the Day-Night Test.
Jasprit Bumrah's much-awaited comeback to competitive cricket was halted due to "over restriction mandate" from the Indian team management. The Indian team's support staff's unofficial guideline that Bumrah "shouldn't be bowling more than 8 to 9 overs" didn't amuse the Gujarat team management which wants to win a match.
The Chennai Super Kings are all set to retain their core group including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja for the upcoming 11th edition of the Indian Premier League next year.
Mayank Agarwal finally found some form going his way and Rishabh Pant mixed caution with his customary aggression as India's warm-up fixture against New Zealand XI ended in a draw, in Hamilton, on Sunday.
Hassled by crowd behaviour during the second cricket Test in Sydney last week, the Indian team management is planning to demand higher security around the boundary rope for the remainder of the four-Test series.
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram criticised the Indian team management in England for not fielding Varun Aaron in the one-day series, saying that the young paceman has been "wasted" in the seaming conditions which should have suited his bowling.
Originally picked to play at the number four batting spot, Shankar has managed scores of 15 not out, 29 and 14 in his three matches in the World Cup.
Images from India's training session in preparation for Thursday's match against the West Indies.
While chances of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's inclusion in the playing XI look brighter by the minute, Kohli gave an open-ended reply to the various questions on possible team combinations.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly slammed the Indian team management for not looking after two of its best batsmen, K L Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, saying constant experimentation in the middle-order is hurting the 'top-heavy' side.
India's World Cup-bound bowlers could pick and choose matches during the second phase of Indian Premier League as part of the workload management programme, senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar said on Thursday.
It is believed that if Saini stays back, it will help bowling coach Bharath Arun to invest more time in the 26-year-old Karnal-lad
Pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have been rested for the third T20I against West Indies
One more factor that could go in Agarwal's favour is Shikhar Dhawan's prolonged bad patch and the need to have another back-up option, apart from K L Rahul, ready.
The Indian team management are 'not confused' about the composition of the World Cup squad despite their ODI series defeat against Australia as only one slot is up for grabs, said skipper Virat Kohli.
Zaheer Khan sees no harm in people having high expectations from the young left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the upcoming five-Test series starting August 1.
'It has been a really important last few series for me to set the benchmark at the No. 4 position, which all of us are competing for at the moment'
Iyer could be in competition with the likes of K L Rahul and Rishabh Pant over the next two ODIs against the West Indies.
Caught in the dope net, Asian Games bronze-medallist javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang on Sunday said the failed result is because of a declared medication he took for sore throat and he is confident of being cleared in the disciplinary hearing.
Former skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes Shreyas Iyer is better suited for the number four spot in ODIs than Rishabh Pant and should be given a permanent slot in the Indian middle-order.
Dinesh Karthik says the Indian team management has identified the role of a finisher for him at number six.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar's swollen ankle has the Indian team management worried ahead of the fourth Test against England, starting at Old Trafford on August 7.
Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari will battle for a place in the Indian team for the first Test.
The series is even more important for Kohli as it would also define his legacy as a leader having already established himself as world's premier batsman.
Considering Hardika Pandya's heavy recent workload, the decision was made to negate any possibility of a major injury concern, the BCCI said on Friday.
KL Rahul scored only 13 on his return from suspension but India A sealed the ODI series against England Lions with a comfortable 60-run win taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
India could bring in off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin if he is ruled fit with Sydney pitch expected to be spin-friendly.
In a desperate bid to get their team combination right, the Indian cricket team summoned Karnataka all-rounder Stuart Binny as the 16th member of the Test squad ahead of the second Test, starting Thursday.
Virender Sehwag reckons that India now only have around '30 per cent chance' of making a comeback in the three-Test series against South Africa after losing the opening encounter by 72 runs.
India will surely fancy their chances of an encore, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Sunil Gavaskar slammed the Indian team management for fielding an unchanged eleven in the dead rubber against Afghanistan, wondering whether the "fear" of bench players succeeding over current favourites prompted it to play the same team.
Marathon runner O P Jaisha on Monday alleged that Indian officials did not arrange for water and energy drinks during her race in the Rio Olympics run under scorching heat despite designated stations being given for the country, a claim denied by Athletics Federation of India.
With Shikhar Dhawan back in form in the shortest format, the Indian team management and captain Virat Kohli will have the headache of picking from three in-form openers
Former cricketers Chetan Chauhan and Maninder Singh tell Manu Shankar it's time for India to look beyond the struggling Ishant Sharma, and that Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshewar Pujara are best equipped for the conditions in New Zealand.
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