In the wake of Virat Kohli's paternity leave (the to-be father will leave for India after the opening Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy), it was reported that Gavaskar was not granted permission to undertake a short trip to India

Kohli will return home after the first five-day Test in Adelaide that ends on December 21 to be with his wife Anushka who is due for delivery sometime in January.

Australian coach Langer insists his team will not cross the line but there will be banter during India series

To be in contention for the third Test which begins January 7 next year in Sydney, Ishant, who has regained bowling fitness, will have to board a plane almost immediately, the report further said

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the schedule for the series planned in February-March while speaking at an online event.

Not just adding Steve and David back into it, which is a hell of a lot of runs to add back into a side, but I think every other cricketer in that team has improved in the last 18 months as well and we've been playing some really good cricket

The Board President also talked about the much-hyped tour of Australia by the national team, which completed its quarantine period on Tuesday in Sydney. India start their tour of Australia with the first ODI on November 27

Smith, who missed the last India-Australia series in 2018-19 due to a ball-tampering ban, will be itching to go out there and prove a point

That's what Australian batsman Steve Smith feels will happen to Team India in the absence of injured Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli, who will be returning home on paternity leave

Smith also said that Test cricket allows a batsman to form partnership unlike limited overs cricket, meaning that even if you are barraged with short balls you can wait

With regular skipper Virat Kohli opting to play just the first Test of the four matches so as to return to India for the birth of his child, Ajinkya Rahane is most likely to lead the side in the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

After that, India will begin the defence of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the pink-ball Test in Adelaide from December 17

India and Australia are slated to square off against each other in three ODIs, three T20Is, and four Tests. The tour will commence with the three-match ODI series, beginning on November 27

These last six months have been quite challenging in itself, getting used to these bubbles and trying to get used to not having family with me," he said

Speedster Mohammed Shami reckons India pace battery's ability to bowl consistently at 140 kmph-plus combined with their varied skill sets makes them dangerous Down Under

The duo played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Zampa, who is in Australia's limited-over squad for the upcoming ODI and T20 series against India starting on Friday

Both Rohit (left hamstring) and Ishant (side strain) are at the NCA undergoing rehabilitation, but the BCCI is yet to announce when the duo would reach Australia

The extra training period during lockdown gives the bowlers ample opportunity to work out what length is applicable in Australia and batsmen to become accustomed to the unusual steep bounce

The limited-overs series will begin with the three ODIs from November 27. Limited tickets to the first ODI at the SCG, however, remain with approximately 1,900 public seats left

The Indian cricket team is currently in Australia for a full series that includes three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals followed by a four-Test rubber. The tour will start with the ODIs here on November 27