'There will be a lot of spice to the contest -- there is a reason India is the only team other than England against whom Australia is keen to play a five Test series.' 'I'll watch, as I suspect most fans will -- but this one time, I'll watch with considerable trepidation and, from a fan's point of view, with the hope that the team finds its feet and that right quick,' notes the distinguished cricket commentator Prem Panicker.
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.
Shubman Gill's thumb fracture is certainly a "jolt" for India ahead of the series opener against Australia
New Zealand can become only the second team to inflict a series whitewash on India in their backyard.
World No. 3 Coco Gauff and No. 2 Iga Swiatek of Poland won their respective opening matches of the Orange Group at the WTA Finals Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Sunday.
Posting photos of himself in a hospital bed, Shami said, 'Just had a successful heel operation on my achilles tendon!'
'Guys like Rishabh Pant have got a muscle memory and the thirst for victory.' 'He was such a key player last time he played there and the Australian public loved him as well, because of the nature of the way he played his game.'
The outings of Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna will be the primary focal points of India A's four-day match against their Australian counterparts
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against New Zealand?
Jasprit Bumrah led the Indian attack from the front in the second Test against England. Following a sizzling six-wicket haul in the first innings, Bumrah returned to pick up three to guide India to a series-levelling win.
Gurnoor Brar has been drafted in specifically to get some simulation for the high-arm action of Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana
The 39 year-old has played 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is for South Africa with a total of 544 international wickets.
Since making his debut in 2017, the highly rated Kuldeep Yadav has featured in just 13 Tests in seven years.
Shastri hails Siraj for overcoming every hurdle in Australia
India's newly-forged coach-captain combination of Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav will look to make instant impact against a Sri Lankan team in disarray.
Australia's success in Christchurch sets up home Test series against India
Indian speedster Mohammed Siraj is celebrating his 30th birthday and marking the special day, the right-arm seamer took fans on a tour of his hometown.
The new red-soil pitch at Chepauk perfectly aligned with Indian team's vision to give more practice to their pacers ahead of the all-important tour to Australia.
Roundup of matches across the country in the ongoing BCCI Ranji Trophy
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh?
Skipper Rohit Sharma asserted that the 'three hours' on Day 2, when they collapsed for a lowly 46 in the first Test against New Zealand.
The Indian will have yet another uphill task at hand when he takes on Axelsen, the baby-faced badminton giant, who has terrorised his opponents in the last few years.
Chahar, Kuldeep to miss 3rd ODI
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.
For India's current head coach, the Test series defeat against New Zealand at home, a first in 12 years and after 18 victories on the trot, would be a bitter pill to swallow.
Robinson dismissed Virat Kohli thrice in England and he is again looking forward to challenging the Indian great's 'ego'.
Washington Sundar justified his selection with a career-best 7/59 to bowl out New Zealand for 259 on Day 1 of the second Test in Pune.
Uzbekistan lives comfortably in several centuries but is also a forward-looking nation, Deepa Gahlot discovers on a visit to this Central Asian country.
Sanju Samson, a strong contender for the US and Caribbean tour, faces competition due to his usual batting position at No. 3 for Rajasthan Royals.
Mohammed Shami said his prime focus is to achieve optimum fitness keeping in mind the upcoming five-match Test series against England.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh?
'I think it's a very healthy trend. It's an embarrassment of riches.'
Ricky Ponting advised star batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to stop trying hard to rediscover their best and pushing themselves too hard and just focus on watching the ball and scoring runs.
IMAGES from the fourth day of the first Test between India and Bangladesh at the Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday
The four wickets that India prised out in the third session, on balance, swung the game back in their favour, says Prem Panicker .
India will secure a series victory with a win against England in the third Test beginning in Ranchi on Friday but they must do so without their pace spearhead against a touring side looking to uphold their aggressive style of play.
For India, the biggest disappointment was the poor showing of their senior most players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Escorted by four fighter jets, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare one-day lightning tour to the Middle East during which he visited Saudi Arabia after a short trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Rohit has managed just one half-century in his last eight innings in which he has tallied 104 runs. Kohli's freefall in Test cricket continues. He has fallen to spin three times in the first two Tests. Ashwin, usually, dominant at home, managed just six wickets in the first two Tests at an average of 43.
