Reigning Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha completed a coveted a grand double by winning the Irani Cup after outclassing Rest of India on basis of the first innings lead, in Nagpur, on Sunday.
Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and young opener Prithvi Shaw are unlikely to be picked for the remaining Tests in Australia as India look to ring in wholesale changes after the batting debacle in Adelaide.
Cheteshwar Pujara has made a comeback to India's Test team while youngsters Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh have received an India call-up as the selection committee on Sunday named the squad for the five-match T20I series against South African in June and the one-off Test against England in July.
Wriddhiman Saha's superior glovework may be given preference over Rishabh Pant's blazing blade in India's opening day-night Test against Australia, starting at the Adelaide Oval from Thursday.
All-rounder Hanuma Vihari says key for Indian batsmen will be to remain disciplined on a pitch which has got better for the fast bowlers.
Ajinkya Rahane has been retained in India's Test squad, to be led by Virat Kohli, for the South Africa series later this month.
The BCCI is trying to work out the logistics to smoothly transfer the squad from one bio-bubble in the UAE to another in Australia where they might have to go for a two-week quarantine unless the rules are relaxed.
Irfan and Yusuf have been providing COVID-related help.
England's highest successful run chase came in 2019 when they reached a 359-run target in an Ashes test against Australia on the back of Stokes's brilliant unbeaten century.
Wriddhiman and Hanuma Vihari are the two Test specialists who have been included in the 'A' squad to prepare for the two-Test series starting late August.
Responding to India's 246 for eight declared after a day of multiple rain interruptions, Leicestershire were primed to take a sizable lead over the tourists when Pant was in his element.
Bharat shone during his 158-minute stay in the middle
India would have been better served with a frontline spinner in their side, pace spearhead Mohammed Shami said.
KL Rahul gave a timely reminder to the Indian team management with a sublime first-class hundred against Select County XI on the opening day of the warm-up game in Durham on Tuesday.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
India's injury woes deepened on the opening day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Gabba on Friday as pacer Navdeep Saini was forced to come off the field after lunch following an apparent groin issue.
Pant, whose rapid 146 put India in the box seat, was more restrained in the second innings.
A couple of false COVID-19 positive reports in the India A camp created a mild flutter before the visitors ended up with yet another stalemate with South Africa A as the three 'Test' series ended 0-0, in Bloemfontein, on Thursday.
The 34-year-old was India's number one Test wicket-keeper until a career-threatening shoulder injury ruled him out of action for almost a year.
India captain Rohit Sharma advised young batters aspiring to represent the country to keep scoring runs in Ranji Trophy and not worry about selection as opportunities are bound to arise.
The careers of senior pros Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma are on the line when the selectors pick the Indian Test squad for the coming tour of South Africa.
The batsmen's inadequacies in adverse conditions were laid bare as India crashed to an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against a ruthless New Zealand side that wrapped up the opening Test in just over three days, in Wellington, on Monday. Starting the day on 144 for four, India were all out for 191 in 81 overs in their second innings, a shade better after their dismal 165 in the first innings, which eventually proved decisive.
According to PTI, the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma has asked the duo to regain form by playing Ranji Trophy.
India 'A' completed a convincing six-wicket win over West Indies 'A' on the fourth and final day of the first unofficial Test, in North Sound, Antigua, on Saturday.
Senior off-spinner Ashwin and speedster Mohammed Shami didn't bowl in the first innings but might bowl in the second.
Who do you should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweeted a short footage of the players batting in the nets and on display was a square cut, front foot defence, on-drive, a whack down the pitch -- it was all that and more.
'He doesn't find a place in this playing XI. That is stunning. Astonishing'
With India tottering on 98 for 5 on Day 1 of the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston on Friday, Rishabh Pant showed that he loves playing against England by registering his third century against them, his second in their backyard.
Rishabh Pant smashed a blistering 146 and forged a 222-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja to drag India back into the contest in the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Edgbaston on Friday.
At stumps on Day 3, India were 125/3 in their second innings to extend their lead to 257 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara (50 not out) hitting a gutsy half-century.
Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah on Saturday became only the third Indian to claim a Test hat-trick as he tore through the West Indies batting order, on Day 2 of the second Test, in Jamaica.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis will miss the remainder of his side's limited overs tour to Sri Lanka after injuring his shoulder in Sunday's 78-run victory that clinched the one-day international series.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya is one of the notable promotions to Grade A, which is worth Rs 5 crore, while rookies Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj got their maiden central contracts, worth Rs 1 crore, in Grade C.
In-form skipper Virat Kohli (64) and teenage prodigy Prithvi Shaw (66) were among the five Indian batsmen who struck fifties before the visitors were bowled out for 358 on the second day of the rain-hit practice game against Cricket Australia XI in Sydney.
Bandon Mein Tha Dum is about a team that hits rock-bottom, loses key players, has its global reputation shrink overnight, but despite all the setbacks, pulls off one of the greatest comeback victories in the history of international cricket, applauds Shailesh Karkera.
But Pant took the game away from the Lankans by going after the bowling as soon as he walked to the crease, bringing up his fifty with seven fours and two sixes.
At times, Rishabh Pant has confounded the Indian team with his brazen batting style but skipper Rohit Sharma on Monday said they are willing to accept the way he bats for his sheer ability to be a game-changer in matter of minutes.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the second Test between South Africa and India, in Johannesburg, on Monday.
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
