With Kohli and Rohit misfiring, the pressure has mounted on opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and India's middle order to put the kind of scores on the board their bowlers can defend.
A roundup of Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy matches on Friday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia in Perth?
'Prayed for KL to smash it to all corners, have a great World Cup and silence his critics like me.'
Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka started off their pre-season campaign in style as they beat Bangladesh 'A' side by four wickets on the third and final day in Mysore.
Kohli, returning from London after a short family break, joined the training after half an hour, Rohit seemed more relaxed after isolating himself for three weeks.
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch said that Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant, two left-handed wicketkeeper-batters will be extremely important for their respective sides during the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer led from the front on his debut for Punjab Kings with a scintillating knock, while Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler fought bravely for Gujarat Titans.
Rohit Sharma's request to the BCCI for a break from white-ball cricket in South Africa despite being offered T20 captaincy has been accepted, while Jasprit Bumrah has been named his deputy for the two Tests starting December 26.
Shubman Gill dispelled all doubts about his thumb injury with a stylish fifty even as skipper Rohit Sharma kept cards close to his chest by coming in at No. 4 in India's curtailed pink-ball warm-up game against Prime Minister's XI in Canberra on Sunday.
Miller smashed three sixes in a row to book their place in Sunday's final on their home ground in Ahmedabad.
4th medium pacer and backup batter among areas India must prioritise before World Cup, says Dinesh Karthik
Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
The nets session is an outcome of his recovery process at the NCA, where he gradually increased the workload and followed a designer fitness regime.
Rajasthan Royals' director of cricket and head coach Kumar Sangakkara said on Friday that the availability of a full-strength bowling attacking is a real confidence booster for the team at a time when many sides are struggling with their overseas recruits.
You need to be more creative in Cape Town as wickets are a lot more flatter and partnerships will stretch and that's traditionally as someone who knows it will be tougher Tests,' said South African legend Allan Donald.
India captain Rohit Sharma including mainstays Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja have placed in the highest category of BCCI central contracts.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first T20 International against Ireland on Friday?
Reddy, rookie speedster Harshit Rana, Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna and Dhruv Jurel are on their maiden Test tour to Australia.
Both Prasidh and Avesh Khan lack variety and innovation as they keep pitching the ball at the same length. Both bowl in late 130s or early 140s but consistently pitch it back of the length and the nature of Indian tracks make it a cannon fodder for batters.
All eyes will be on Captain Shubman Gill and Coach Gautam Gambhir to lead the Indian Test team into a bold new era.
Bharat shone during his 158-minute stay in the middle
India's young bowling unit will have to push behind the timid show in the series opener and find its flow against a forceful Australian batting line-up in the second T20 in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma reportedly delayed his departure for the UK for personal reasons.
Unbeaten fifties from opener Yaseen Valli and Jean du Plessis helped South Africa 'A' earn a draw against India 'A' on the fourth and final day of the first Unofficial Test.
'After the eight-over mark, we felt the wicket was a good one. In our view, we were ten (runs) short. It was a good pitch; it tends to get better here.'
Jasprit Bumrah took 6/61 as India crushed South Africa by seven wickets to level the two-match series 1-1.
Karnataka stopped the Vidarbha juggernaut in the title clash at Vadodara on Saturday. Goud said Karnataka's transformation was helmed by captain Agarwal, who had a wonderful outing as the leader and a batter.
Easwaran compiled an unbeaten 151 off 212 balls, and laced his innings with 12 fours and a six on the third day of the match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the second ODI against Australia in Indore on Sunday with Prasidh Krishna replacing him in the playing XI.
With big ticket events around the corner, the Indian team is eagerly waiting for the comeback of some of their injured players.
Here's your chance to help the selectors pick India's squad for the World Cup.
IMAGES from the Day 2 of the first Test between South Africa and India, at Centurion, on Wednesday.
'Bumrah is not the right option for captain.' 'All the pressure to deliver is on his shoulders. So taking on the mantle of captain will be added pressure.'
The cupboard is bare and it will take some time to prepare another cracking line-up that can match the aura of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.
'India need to prepare a good fast bowling unit in 2024'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the World Cup match against the Netherlands?
India will hope for better weather and a chance for the team's young batters to show their mettle in Sunday's second T20 International against Ireland in Dublin.
Images from the IPL 2022 Qualifier 2 Match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore from the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Friday 27th May 2022
