Saransh Jain, the 33-year-old Madhya Pradesh all-rounder, made his India Test debut against Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Kuldeep Yadav, a testament to his consistent domestic performances.
Keshav Maharaj hails Manav Suthar as a rare left-arm spin talent, praising his control and variations while backing him to carry India's Test spin legacy.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to make his return to Test cricket against Sri Lanka, a team he has historically performed well against, bringing significant experience in both batting and bowling to the Indian squad.
Manav Suthar, a left-arm spinner, delivered an exceptional four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the first Test, attributing his success to a pre-series training stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. His performance, including dismissing Dinesh Chandimal with his first ball, was crucial in keeping the Lankans in check despite a strong partnership. Suthar also highlighted the learning experience from bowling alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Russel Arnold believes the hosts will struggle to add another frontline spinner to their playing XI for the second Test against India without upsetting the team's overall balance, especially given their batting struggles.
National selectors are set to convene in New Delhi to finalise India's ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming home series against West Indies, with Rishabh Pant's potential white-ball return and Hardik Pandya's fitness being the primary discussion points.
India successfully chased down a formidable target of 406 runs against the West Indies in the second ODI, with Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma's exceptional batting performances leading the team to a historic victory.
India retained a firm grip on the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, despite Sonal Dinusha's unbeaten 85, with the hosts still facing the prospect of a follow-on after rain and bad light ended play early on day three.
Prasidh Krishna's hostile spell and Manav Suthar's two wickets helped India keep Sri Lanka under pressure on Day 3, despite 50's from Pasindu Sooriyabandara and Sonal Dinusha in Colombo on Tuesday.
Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja led India's bowling attack on Day 3 in Galle.
India is on the verge of a comprehensive series-sweeping victory against Sri Lanka in the second and final Test, despite a defiant 115-run partnership between Pasindu Sooriyabandara (92) and Kamindu Mendis (55) in Sri Lanka's follow-on innings.
Naman Dhir's batting flexibility and useful off-spin could address a missing role in India's ODI setup, with Irfan Pathan highlighting his potential following a standout domestic T20 campaign.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal blasted a quickfire 61 from 46 balls before Mohammed Siraj smashed a match-winning 27 not out from 13 balls to power India to a six-wicket victory against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in the warm-up match.
Indian spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has suggested introducing free-hits in Test cricket to curb the increasing problem of no-balls, a concern highlighted by Indian spinners overstepping 10 times in the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka. He acknowledged the issue and the efforts being made to rectify it.
Devdutt Padikkal struck his second century of the series, capitalising on Sri Lanka's early dropped chances to make 117 and steer India towards a strong first-innings total.
Manav Suthar's exceptional spin bowling, including a six-wicket haul in the second innings, led India to a comprehensive 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Galle, securing a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel has indicated that India might field three left-arm spinners - Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Manav Suthar - in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Devdutt Padikkal hit an unbeaten 142 as India recovered from an early setback to reach 357/6 against Sri Lanka XI in Colombo.
India's batting strength, highlighted by centuries from Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, is set to face the West Indies in the second ODI to seal the series. However, the team's pace-bowling combination remains a significant concern, particularly after the unsuccessful experiment with Nitish Kumar Reddy. The match is crucial for the West Indies, who are looking to keep the series alive and build confidence for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
India's squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka is expected to be announced next week, with fitness concerns surrounding pace leader Jasprit Bumrah.
India's three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting Sunday, is a vital preparatory stage for the ICC World Cup 2027. The series will focus on giving game time to young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and assessing the form of key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who is nearing a significant ODI milestone. The development of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is also a priority. The West Indies team, grappling with recent losses and financial issues, will aim to overcome these challenges and deliver a competitive performance.
Sri Lanka fought back with seven wickets from Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha on rain-hit Day 2 of the first Test, but Devdutt Padikkal's superb 167 powered India to 460-9.
With Kuldeep Yadav looking ineffective, India could look towards including off-spinner Saransh Jain in the playing XI in the second Test in Colombo, especially looking at three left-handers in the Sri Lankan top seven.
India captain Shubman Gill on Friday spent considerable time fine-tuning his game against that variation at the team's training session ahead of the upcoming second Test against Sri Lanka, in Colombo.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has become the country's highest run-scorer in ICC World Test Championship history, surpassing Shubman Gill, and also overtook MS Dhoni as India's highest run-scorer as a designated wicketkeeper in away or neutral Tests.
Sonal Dinusha's maiden Test hundred sparked Sri Lanka's fightback in Galle, but India retained firm control after bowling out the hosts for 284 to secure a 178-run lead.
Prasidh Krishna was rewarded for his relentless effort in India's Sri Lanka Test series win, taking seven wickets and earning the Impact Player of the Series medal.
Ravindra Jadeja became the seventh Indian bowler to reach the coveted mark during the fourth day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif criticised captain Shubman Gill for not giving spinner Kuldeep Yadav enough longer spells during the first Test against Sri Lanka, suggesting a lack of faith.
Maestro Virat Kohli and skipper Shubman Gill displayed their mastery in 50-over format with virtuoso hundreds as India subdued the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir indicated that top batters might be rested from white-ball cricket to prepare for Tests during the upcoming New Zealand tour. He emphasised the importance of Test cricket, the challenge of multi-format players, and discussed preparations for the 2027 World Cup, highlighting the crucial roles of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, and praising Shubman Gill's captaincy.
Ravichandran Ashwin crowned Sachin Tendulkar India's greatest cricketer in his all-time bracket, while making surprise calls by choosing Sehwag over Dhoni and Bumrah over Virat Kohli.
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir's standing in red-ball cricket faces a crucial test as the team embarks on a two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded the team's productive warm-up victory against Sri Lanka, highlighting strong performances from both batters and bowlers, including Shubman Gill's quick 44 and Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 142, which set a positive tone for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Manav Suthar's 10-wicket haul against Sri Lanka showcased his skill, meticulous preparation and growing maturity, marking him as India's potential next spin leader.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik has emphasised the need for consistency and a clearly defined role for Kuldeep Yadav in the Test side, especially as Ravindra Jadeja approaches the end of his career. Kartik believes Kuldeep, despite being a match-winner, has not received the sustained backing needed to flourish in Test cricket under previous regimes.
Ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket team underwent an intense net session in Colombo.
Sri Lanka Cricket XI's batters made India's bowlers toil as they piled up 363/8 on Day 1 of the Warm-up match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo on Friday.
India have held a significant stranglehold on the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka at lunch on Day 4 in Colombo on Wednesday.
India have never looked so vulnerable in Test cricket in recent times. They need a complete reset of their approach to Test cricket, and perhaps a new coach with fresh ideas could revitalise Shubman Gill and his boys.
