Royal Challengers Bangalore will expect more runs from their batters and discipline in 'death' overs bowling when they take on high-flying Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Rahane's comeback after 15 months was on predictable lines
Bumrah, 29, is recovering after a surgery to treat lower back stress fracture.
Washington will join Axar and KL Rahul at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for rehabilitation.
India's batters will have to counter a potent Pakistan bowling attack that can make an impact irrespective of the nature of the pitch.
India's white ball players have that imposing alpha-male like presence out there in the middle even if their best player Kohli is on the wane.
The selectors had announced the squad for the first two matches but Thakur has been ruled out of the five-ODI series after sustaining a right adductor tendon injury.
India batting coach Vikram Rathour said that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is working closely with the medical team and the decision on his inclusion will be taken ahead of the start of the match on Friday.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Siraj have been added to the squad as injury replacements but they do not figure in the World Cup-bound squad, as of now.
Rohit Sharma blazed his way to the joint fastest century in T20 Internationals, reaching the three-figure mark off just 35 balls in the second T20 International against Sri Lanka in Indore on Friday.
'I am very happy at the end of the day. 199 runs is not easy to get but yeah missing out on a double hundred obviously hurts. But I will go back home happy that I got a 199 crucial runs for my team'
Speaking at the post-match presentation, where he was named 'Man of the Match' Rohit said he was surprised by his own batting.
Injured Rohit Sharma's availability for the second Test against Bangladesh, starting in Mirpur from December 22, will be known in a day or two, stand-in India captain KL Rahul said on Sunday.
Pakistan does not have any injury concerns but they are one of the most undercooked ODI sides at the moment. Since the 2019 World Cup, the 'Green Brigade' has played just 29 ODIs, whereas India have played 57 matches in the same period. - Asia Cup 2023
"It is very hard for the bowlers nowadays especially with the impact player. You have eight or nine batters in a team and it becomes very hard. If you need 60-65 in the last four overs it is quite gettable nowadays.
India clinched the four-Test series against Australia 2-1 after the fourth and final Test ended in a draw in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Images from Sunday's IPL match between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab in Dubai.
India lost the Perth Test by 146 runs to allow the hosts level the four-match series 1-1.
With two senior pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar (thigh injury) and Ishant Sharma (side strain) all but ruled out, Navdeep Saini will certainly be the fourth pacer after Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav.
Ahead of their must-win clash against Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings' batter Liam Livingstone said he doesn't like being termed an anchor.
When vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was asked about the fitness of all players, he did say that Agarwal sustained a head injury.
Jasprit Bumrah will have to squeeze every ounce of energy from his already overworked body, while Ajinkya Rahane will hope to get one final chance to save his international career when India take on England in the fifth and final Test, chasing a historic series win, in Manchester on Friday.
Injured T20I captain Hardik Pandya is unlikely to be available for India's upcoming five-match series against Australia, starting November 23. The star all-rounder will require more time to recover from his left-ankle ligament tear.
The standout performers that allowed India to maintain their upper hand over England were young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Injured opening batsman Murali Vijay has kept his place in India's squad for the final two Tests against Australia, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya dropped out with a shoulder problem.
An unassailable lead has opened up the window for experimentation but there will be no letup in India's intensity when they face a heartbroken New Zealand team in the fourth T20 International, in Wellington, on Friday. Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are waiting for opportunities, with the former expected to get a look-in. Pant's call-up would depend on which batsman is left out, and whether KL Rahul will continue to keep wickets.
In a team that mostly includes aggressive stroke-players, the 22-year-old Rahul's fortitude makes him just the right choice. The fact that he played in Australian conditions in recent times, having opened for India 'A', will be an added advantage.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was left out of the first Test, is back in the mix as Shardul Thakur seems to have done his hamstring some damage during the training session at Lord's on Monday.
The returning Shikhar Dhawan will add more firepower to a ruthless India, who are faced with the problem of plenty, as they eye a clean sweep of West Indies in an inconsequential third and final ODI in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Former BCCI president and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association supremo N Srinivasan has made it clear that he would like star players Ravichandran Ashwin and Murali Vijay to play for the state during their upcoming Ranji Trophy quarter-final tie against Karnataka from December 23.
The primary aim for the Rohit Sharma-led India against minnows Hong Kong would be to get their combination right before the big game against Pakistan on Wednesday.
The talented Shreyas Iyer will be auditioning for the vacant number four slot when India take on West Indies in Sunday's second ODI of the three-match series.
We don't ask players overnight to bat at any slot: Rohit
Agarwal in a tweet shared a picture from India's practice session. He can be seen batting in the nets. "Doing what I love. Loving what I do," Agarwal tweeted.
Suryakumar Yadav received his maiden Test team call-up as he along with opener Prithvi Shaw were called up for India's upcoming Test series in England as replacements after three players were ruled out due to injury.
IMAGES from the T20 World Cup semi-final match played between India and England in Adelaide on Thursday.
The stage will also be set for Virat Kohli to score his first Test hundred since November 2019.
Steve Smith has branded India favourites to win the T20 World Cup after Virat Kohli's side outclassed Australia in a warm-up match on Wednesday.
Australia have been in good form in the five-day format and having won a one-day tournament in India last year will be confident and will be looking to do an encore as they face India in the first of the three-match ODI tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The convincing win gave India an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
