'With the top-order finding it easier for a while in limited-overs cricket, it is those in the middle-order who need backing from a captain'
India were scheduled to begin their tour of Australia with a closed-door warm-up match against the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A at the WACA in Perth from November 15 to 17.
He steered the team away from trouble and kept grinding. His innings of 80 consisted of 6 fours and 2 maximums.
Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the lone bright spot with a record haul of 32 wickets.
While India dominated visiting teams on spin-friendly wickets to put together 18 consecutive series wins at home in last 12 years, the choice to play on turning tracks against New Zealand backfired in Pune and Mumbai.
For the team management, it is a choice between a younger man's (Sarfaraz) flamboyance and fearlessness versus a seasoned campaigner who has been a Test captain and is part of the national set-up for a decade now.
The Indian team management informed shortly before resumption of play on Friday that Pant will remain away from action.
Defending champions Australia delivered a commanding performance to bowl out Pakistan for 82 and then cruised to a nine-wicket victory, virtually sealing a spot in the women's T20 World Cup semifinals, in Dubai on Friday.
K L Rahul eases concerns surrounding his fitness ahead of the first Test against Australia, starting in Perth, by batting comfortably in the nets on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma may just avoid being swayed by the proverbial outside noise and stick to the number six slot for at least the third Test against Australia, starting this weekend.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar is confident that the stylish K L Rahul can excel on Australian tracks, just like he did in South Africa last year.
The Delhi pacer is likely to make his debut in the Mumbai Test.
Rahul will come in place of Baba Indrajith, who scored 9 and 6 and didn't look comfortable at all against pace and bounce, which wasn't exactly 125 clicks.
Reddy, rookie speedster Harshit Rana, Devdutt Padikkal, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna and Dhruv Jurel are on their maiden Test tour to Australia.
Pakistan's head coach for limited-overs format Gary Kirsten has returned home with the board set to announce the successor to captain Babar Azam in white-ball formats later in the month.
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Ruud van Nistelrooy will take over on an interim basis.
Rohit Sharma has virtually ruled out Mohammed Shami from the upcoming Test tour of Australia, saying that the pacer's recovery from an ankle surgery has been hampered
India's batting is a major concern with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling for runs ahead of the tour of Australia.
The Kerala government announced on Wednesday that the Argentina national football team, led by legendary player Lionel Messi, will visit the state next year for an international friendly match, which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed as a tribute to state people's passion for soccer.
Shaw's lack of attendance at crucial training sessions, particularly after poor performances, coupled with a lax approach to fitness, has alarmed the Mumbai team management and led to tough choices.
'I can't express my feelings right now. It's unbelievable. Can't imagine scoring back-to-back hundreds, that too in SA. Right now, I can't express my feelings.'
Rohit and the team management will also have to keep some of the young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel wrapped in cotton wool after experiencing some early success in top-flight cricket.
'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.
Sri Lanka pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka will miss August's three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against India due to injuries
Rishabh Pant has "no injury concerns" and is set to keep wickets for India against New Zealand starting in Pune on Thursday, said head coach Gautam Gam
'You can only break through the doors or force the selectors to pick you for the Indian team by scoring runs consistently in domestic cricket and that is what he has done in the last so many years.'
Former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik believes the onus for the Test series loss to New Zealand rests with the senior Indian players.
Former cricketer Anil Kumble reacted to India's disappointing defeat to New Zealand in the second Test of the series in Pune, stating that India's batting has let the hosts down.
'We want to look at the future and try and make sure we get the right guys in as well.'
'What is the use of talent if that player plays so many Tests and averages below 35 after a few years of being in the Indian team?'
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Hardik Pandya on Thursday posted a video of himself bowling with the red-ball during a training session in England.
'If you want to demote K L Rahul in the batting order, it is better if you don't play him in the Test team.'
It is understood that the selectors are looking to bring more variations into the pace attack and hence a left-arm seam and swing bowler could be added to the bouquet of pacers vying for a Test cap.
This crushing defeat is a major wake-up call for Team India. They now face the real possibility of losing a home series for the first time in over a decade, warns Harish Kotian.
Sarfaraz became the first cricketer to score a double century for Mumbai in the Irani Cup, solidifying his reputation as a formidable batsman.
Babar Azam announced that he will be stepping down as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is likely to take his place
India's star batters have lost a lot of confidence over the years by playing on rank turners, with their home averages taking a beating and affecting their careers adversely, feels former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
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