'If I had to make a call whether to head back to India and finish the tournament, it would be an easy decision. It's a no from me. Lives and safety are the most important thing, not pay cheques.'
Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
The Pakistan Cricket Board in a bid to attract more crowds to the Test match have for the first time announced free entry for several enclosures.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed a T20-style 86-ball 113, while Vedant Trivedi made a patient 140 as India Under-19 took a commanding 185-run lead against Australia Under-19 on Day 2 of the first Youth Test.
Opener Musheer Khan (112) and veteran Siddhesh Lad (100 not out) hit centuries to rally Mumbai to 289/5 on Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match against Himachal Pradesh.
India's Test stars flopped with the bat as the hosts folded for a lowly 194 in 52.5 overs in their first innings, on Day 2 of the unofficial second Test against Australia A.
As India chase history at home in Navi Mumbai, while Laura Wolvaardt's South Africa will look to script their own fairytale, by finally breaking their run of heartbreaks at ICC events.
Ashwin wants this "unexpected hero" to surprise against Pakistan during Asia Cup
Jadeja reduces South Africa to 93/7 in second innings, India smell big win
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha took firm control of the Irani Cup, seizing a healthy first-innings lead and then consolidating it with a solid batting effort in their second essay against Rest of India at the VCA Stadium, in Nagpur, on Friday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in New Delhi on Friday.
In reply, India were 144 for 7 from 40 overs at the draw of stumps with Henil and Deepesh batting on 22 and 6 respectively.
'It's also a great opportunity for myself and it's good to pass on a little bit of knowledge to the younger guys who haven't played as much Test cricket. And I am also learning from them.'
South Africa will aim for their first Test victory in India in more than 15 years.
Ignored Karun Nair hits 2nd ton to take Karnataka to 319/3 against Kerala in the Ranji Trophy.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and South Africa, in Kolkata, on Friday.
Here's a roundup of all Ranji Trophy matches played on Day 1 on Wednesday.
India U-19 completed their clean sweep of Australia U-19 in the latter's backyard with a seven-wicket win in the second and final Youth Test, in Mackay on Wednesday.
India captain Shubman Gill admitted that dropped catches and a total which was just adequate cost his side dearly as Australia clinched the ODI series with a disciplined all-round performance in Adelaide on Thursday.
West Indies trounced Nepal by 10 wickets in the inconsequential third and final T20 International to avoid the humiliation of a series sweep.
Siraj was named the 'Impact Player of the Series' in Team India's dressing room honours.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh on Friday etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets in T20 internationals.
Sunday's final can be called the ultimate stress-test day for every cricket fan's heartbeat.
From hitting the winning runs against Australia in the semifinal to taking the catch of in-form South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt in the title clash, Amanjot played her part in India's winning campaign.
Pat Cummins captured the sentiment perfectly, calling this potentially the 'last chance' for fans Down Under to witness these legends in action. With both stalwarts set to be 39 and 40 respectively by the 2027 World Cup, every appearance carries added significance. Ro-Ko have been the heartbeat of Indian cricket for over 15 years. Their return brings an emotional lift to the team and raises expectations for the series against the world champions.
Mohammed Siraj's commitment to a team-first approach sets him apart from the others and the pacer has demonstrated strong leadership qualities, said former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
Australia held their nerve in a tense chase, edging past India by two wickets to seal the series 2-0 despite a late fightback from the visitors on Thursday in Adelaide.
Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka and open their campaign against Bangladesh on October 2, followed by matches against India (October 5), Australia (October 8), England (October 15), New Zealand (October 18), South Africa (October 21) and hosts Sri Lanka (October 24).
India A left-arm spinner Manav Suthar picked up three wickets to leave Australia A reeling, on Day 1 of the second unofficial Test.
Underdogs Nagaland showed they are made of sterner stuff as their batters fought tooth and nail all day to score 365/5 and frustrate Tamil Nadu who would be fancying their chances of enforcing a follow-on after a mammoth 512-run first-innings total in a Ranji Trophy Group A match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Spinners of both sides will have a significant role to play considering that Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the only specialist pacers who will be seen in action in Sunday's match.
Sutherland, Gardner sparkle as Australia outplay England by six wickets
When there was constant criticism, Harman and Smriti kept the team together: Neetu David
'The only thing is I said that make sure that be brave enough. At the most, what will happen, you know. But be brave enough to face it.'
Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran made double hundreds as Karnataka gained upper hand over Kerala on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match.
The islanders, led by Charith Asalanka, have quietly built a formidable unit combining top-order solidity with middle-order power and a spin attack tailor-made for UAE conditions.
In the league stage, South Africa suffered two heavy defeats and their batting came apart against spin in both games.
Prabhsimran's blazing ton, Iyer-Parag fifties guide India A to 2-1 series win over Australia A
Perhaps, another Ranji title with Mumbai will be a fitting send off for Ajinkya Rahane.
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