Only a handful of active cricketers know the feeling of winning a Test series in India. One of them is England captain Joe Root, who had debuted in the 2012-13 series which England won 2-1, the last time India were beaten in a series at home. As Root returns to India for his third tour - and for the first time as captain - all eyes are on him to lead the English challenge with the bat.

Root comes into the series with scores of 228 and 186 in Sri Lanka from earlier this month, where the visitors won 2-0; according to his team-mate Jos Buttler, for England to succeed in India, Root's application against spin combined with his form will play a major role against a side that's searching for its 13th straight Test series win at home.

"Joe's always has a brilliant game against spin," Buttler said on a conference from Chennai, where England are in a six-day quarantine before the first Test. "He's one of the best exponents of the sweep shot and he picks length brilliantly, which is a big strength playing against spin. It's very hard keeping dot balls against him because he manages to rotate the strike so well.

"He did that really well in Sri Lanka and one of the biggest things was his hunger to bat for a long period of time. I think he showed great application to bat both mentally, tactically and physically. To bat for so long and back it up across two Tests. He's in great form and that's a good place for him to be in. And for the team to learn from him.

"Joe was on that tour [of 2012-13] and he made his debut on that tour. He'll have some fond memories and learnings from how that team was successful. That was one of the best England teams we had. This side is at a little different stage of that journey, but certainly getting to that point and trending in that direction."

Buttler also said that batting for long periods would be key for England, having learnt the hard way the last time both sides played in Chennai. England made 477 after winning the toss in December 2016 but still lost by an innings. He admitted that the England batsmen need to learn quickly on what totals are considered satisfactory on Indian surfaces, compared to England where scores in the range of 300 are deemed competitive.

"There are times when the ball seams and swings in England and a big first-innings score can be 300," Buttler said. "But in India, if it's a fantastic batting wicket then a good score in the first innings is 600-650. Root was a good example of us doing that in Sri Lanka with a double hundred and a 180. He showed us that you have to make the most of your first innings.

"When we played India here four-five years ago, we scored 470, but India scored over 700 with Karun Nair scoring a triple-hundred. So it's a great education about what comprises of 'big first-innings runs' in India and having the mindset and application in doing that."

As for his personal goals as a wicketkeeper-batsman in Asia - a role he has played in only two series previously - Buttler was well aware of the challenges that Indian surfaces pose.

"Keeping wickets is a big challenge, the way it deteriorates for five days, less carry for the seam bowlers than what we know in England or South Africa or Australia," Buttler said. "You need to stand closer, and the chances are very quick-reactive chances. And obviously, the challenge standing up to the spinners, with the pitches turning. But it's also a great place to keep wickets because you feel like you're always in the game. Wicketkeeping in spinning conditions is a lot of fun."

On the topic of squad rotation, which England will be doing heavily through the all-format tour by resting certain players after the first two Tests, Buttler said it was unavoidable given the Covid-19 scenario and the additional stress it puts on players. While acknowledging that the issues for international cricketers appear insignificant when compared to those affected by the pandemic, he said that players spending prolonged periods in bio-bubbles and away from their families come with their own drawbacks which could have adverse effects on them.

Another drawback due to the six-day mandatory hotel-room quarantine is that England will have only three days of practice before the first Test - starting February 5 - against a side high on confidence after winning 2-1 in Australia without many senior players. But Buttler says that's where the Sri Lanka tour played an important role.

"India will be very confident after the Australia tour and have a fantastic team but we come here with confidence from Sri Lanka, having played in conditions similar to India," he said. "Considering we'll have only three practice days, it's good we're a bit battle-hardened from the two Tests against Sri Lanka. India against England is a fantastic series. It's one of the premier cricket series around the world."

Big picture

After a lot of uncertainty, the 2020-21 Indian domestic season approaches its first major milestone - the successful completion of the T20 tournament for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy without any hiccups, after having to organise bio-bubbles for 38 teams, of which two are standing: Tamil Nadu and Baroda.

Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu have rewritten their batting template for white-ball cricket. Abhinav Mukund, one of their most prolific red-ball players, doesn't feature in a young squad. M Vijay opted out of this season, allowing them to give two young openers in C Hari Nishanth and N Jagadeesan - both proven performers at the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) - an uninterrupted run.

B Aparajith plays the role S Badrinath did so successfully: stem damage if wickets fall in clutches and keep the innings together, while Dinesh Karthik, KB Arun Karthik and Shahrukh Khan play the big roles in the second half of the innings. They have shown continuity with the bowling too, keeping faith in M Mohammed, M Ashwin, R Sai Kishore and Sonu Yadav. They have been so efficient that it's hard to imagine this is a team without several first-choice players: Washington Sundar, Vijay Shankar, R Ashwin, and T Natarajan.

Baroda: Baroda have been growing as a domestic force over the years, their rise mirroring that of the progress of the Pandya brothers and Deepak Hooda. But those men, the ones who make the team as good as it is, are not around.

Much of their build-up was chaotic. Hardik wasn't available to start with. Then, their designated vice-captain Hooda left the camp after a tiff with Krunal. Then Krunal himself had to leave the camp after two games following the death of the Pandyas' father. But the team devoid of any star power has punched well above its weight under the leadership of Kedar Devdhar, the third-highest run-getter so far this season with 333 runs in seven innings.

Whenever they have had their backs to the wall, they have found ways to wriggle out. In the quarter-final, for example, they nearly miscalculated a straightforward chase and found themselves needing 15 off the last three balls, despite being only two down. They found a saviour in Vishnu Solanki, who went 6, 4, 6 to seal victory. In the semi-final, Devdhar made a plucky 99 not out on a tricky surface with variable bounce to set up a target for the bowlers to defend. They need one last hurrah from someone to cap off a dream season.

Form guide

Tamil Nadu: WWWWW
Baroda: WWWWW

In the spotlight

R Sai Kishore is making it a habit of delivering frugal spells for Tamil Nadu with his left-arm spin. While he isn't classical, he does have an excellent arm ball, gets bounce owing to his height of well over six feet, and uses the crease and angles tactfully. He can bowl tight overs with the new ball, hold one end up in the middle and keep a lid on runs overall. Last season, he picked 12 wickets in six games at an economy rate of 3.86 - the best among bowlers who bowled at least ten overs. This year, his eight wickets in seven games have come at an economy of just 5.86. The Chennai Super Kings, who didn't play him in IPL 2020, have retained him. Performances like these could become hard to ignore for the team management.

Kartik Kakade only made his T20 debut for Baroda this season at 25. A late bloomer then, but he has a bit of Sunil Narine in his bowling, something that is sure to have been noted by the IPL talent scouts. He hides the ball while running in and then uses his fingers to flick them across to turn it both ways. In the semi-final, he also showed off his batting ability in striking a maiden T20I fifty in his first outing with the bat. With the ball, he has got five wickets in five innings at an economy of 6.70

Stats and trivia

• Tamil Nadu won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2006-07, in the pre-IPL era, before coming closest last season, when they were beaten by Karnataka in a last-ball finish in Surat. Dinesh Karthik, the only man standing from that triumph a decade-and-a-half ago, has been captain in each of the three final appearances.
• Baroda, in contrast, know how to get here, even though they may be the rank underdogs going into the final. They are two-time winners - in 2011-12 and 2013-14 - apart from having finished runners-up to Uttar Pradesh in 2015-16.
• The battle to be the highest run-getter of the season could decide who wins. Jagadeesan tops the tally with 350 runs, but Devdhar isn't far behind with 333. Both are openers too, and will fancy a good crack at the top.
• Left-arm seamer Lukman Meriwala's 5 for 8 against Chhattisgarh has been the best performance with the ball among all those who could potentially feature in Sunday's final. With 14 wickets overall, he has got the most wickets among those who should turn out on Sunday too. Overall, he is the fourth-highest wicket-taker this season. Three more wickets will help him pip Bihar's Ashutosh Aman for the top spot.

Quotes

"Heartening to see an understated team play with their heart. Baroda have played like caged tigers. Players, coaching staff - this is your win, be in the moment." Baroda Cricket CEO Shishir Hattangadi

"We're missing out on a lot of names, but the same time we have a good bunch of [young] players. Everyone is very hungry and wants to do well. We're all aspiring to become Indian cricketers one day and that's something that drives us. And Dinesh Karthik is someone with tonnes of experience and he has managed the team really well." Top run-scorer N Jagadeesan on Tamil Nadu's success so far

USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie had his house burgled during Juventus' Coppa Italia quarterfinal victory over SPAL on Wednesday, the Italian side confirmed to ESPN.

The thieves were able to leave with branded shoes and clothes, as well as several other objects of value.

Given the timing, the initial outlook is the robbery was planned with the knowledge McKennie would be playing for Juventus at that time. He alerted the authorities the following day when he returned home and forensic police have searched the rooms for any potential DNA.

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McKennie spent most of the 4-0 victory against SPAL on the substitutes' bench, where he was introduced as a replacement for Nicolo Fagioli in the 87th minute.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Juve since joining on loan from Schalke in the summer.

He has made 21 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals -- three of which have come in the derby win over Torino and away victories over Barcelona and Serie A leaders AC Milan.

Juve are seven points behind Milan with a game in hand, while they face a Coppa Italia semifinal against Inter Milan and a Champions League round-of-16 clash with FC Porto.

Shakib Al Hasan has been named in Bangladesh's 18-man Test squad for the two-match series against West Indies. Shakib had suffered a groin injury during the third ODI on January 25, and walked off the field without completing his fifth over. He returned to training on Saturday after a scan last week revealed no major damage.

Shakib had already made a successful return to international cricket following his one-year ban, completing a player-of-the-series performance against West Indies in the ODIs. This will be his first Test since the one-off Test against Afghanistan in September 2019.

Apart from Shakib, the national selectors have added Shadman Islam to the squad that was chosen for Bangladesh's last Test match, the one-off game against Zimbabwe last February.

Among the uncapped players are Yasir Ali, the middle-order batsman who was picked against Zimbabwe last year for the first time, and pace bowler Hasan Mahmud who recently made his ODI debut against West Indies. Yasir averages 51.33 in 51 first-class matches, and has scored eight centuries. Mahmud has taken 37 wickets in 14 first-class matches thus far.

The first begins on February 3 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, while the second Test is from February 11 in Dhaka.

Bangladesh squad: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Saif Hassan, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Shadman Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadat Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

West Indians 257 and 179 for 5 (Bonner 80*, Campbell 68, Hassan 2-32) lead BCB XI 160 (Naim 45, Hasan 30, Cornwall 5-47, Warrican 3-25) by 276 runs

West Indians had their best day on the tour on the second day of their three-day warm-up match against the BCB XI. After bowling out the home side for 160 with the help of Rahkeem Cornwall's five-wicket haul, they proceeded to post 179 for 5 at stumps and took their lead to 276.

Nkrumah Bonner, who had a wretched time like the rest of the batsmen during the ODI series, was unbeaten on 80. He struck 12 fours in his 131-ball stay, while John Campbell struck nine fours in his 68 off 98 balls.

The pair got together in the first over of their second innings, after Shayne Moseley fell for a duck, and went on to add 130 for the second wicket. Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers and Kavem Hodge fell cheaply but Bonner has Joshua Da Silva for company when they start the third day.

Saif Hassan was a surprise with the ball, picking up 2 for 32, while Khaled Ahmed, Mukidul Islam and Tohwid Hridoy picked up one wicket each.

Earlier in the day, offspinner Cornwall took the important wickets of Mohammad Naim and Yasir Ali. His haul also included Akbar Ali and Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Ahmed. Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican took out the middle order with his three-wicket haul, removing Shahadat Hossain, captain Nurul Hasan and Hridoy. Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joesph took the other two wickets.

The BCB XI's batting line-up is considerably strong, so the visitors would be pretty happy with their showing. Their batsmen, at least Bonner and Campbell, also have got runs under the belt.

USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie had his house burgled during Juventus' Coppa Italia quarterfinal victory over SPAL on Wednesday, the Italian side confirmed to ESPN.

The thieves were able to leave with branded shoes and clothes, as well as several other objects of value.

Given the timing, the initial outlook is the robbery was planned with the knowledge McKennie would be playing for Juventus at that time. He alerted the authorities the following day when he returned home and forensic police have searched the rooms for any potential DNA.

- Serie A on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)
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McKennie spent most of the 4-0 victory against SPAL on the substitutes' bench, where he was introduced as a replacement for Nicolo Fagioli in the 87th minute.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Juve since joining on loan from Schalke in the summer.

He has made 21 appearances in all competitions and scored four goals -- three of which have come in the derby win over Torino and away victories over Barcelona and Serie A leaders AC Milan.

Juve are seven points behind Milan with a game in hand, while they face a Coppa Italia semifinal against Inter Milan and a Champions League round-of-16 clash with FC Porto.

Six tennis tournaments played simultaneously at one venue during a pandemic - that is the feat Melbourne Park is aiming to pull off next week.

Men's world number one Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal lead the field at the ATP Cup, one of three men's events.

And top-ranked Ashleigh Barty plays her first match in almost a year in one of the three women's events.

Andy Murray will not compete in Australia because he tested positive for coronavirus shortly before he was due to travel, but Johanna Konta, Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie are among the Britons in action as the site of the opening Grand Slam of the year opens it doors to fans and players a week before the major event begins.

The pre-Australian Open tournaments would usually take place in other cities across the country, including Brisbane and Adelaide, but have been moved to one place.

Proceedings have been under the spotlight and provide a small taste of the logistics that organisers of the postponed Tokyo Olympics will face if their Games are to go ahead this summer.

Quarantine over, let the competition begin

Melbourne had one of the world's longest lockdowns last year and many locals have expressed concerns about the potential Covid risk posed by the Australian Open.

Unlike many European countries and the United States, which are fighting to contain the virus, Australia has not had a case of community transmission for 12 successive days and residents have regained many of their pre-Covid freedoms.

Tennis Australia chartered at least 15 flights to bring players and their entourages into the country earlier this month for a 14-day quarantine in preparation for the Australian Open, which was pushed back by three weeks.

Three flights had passengers who later tested positive for coronavirus, meaning that 72 players were confined full-time to their hotel rooms for two weeks.

One of the women's events next week - the Grampians Trophy - is exclusively for players who have been in 'hard' quarantine.

Britain's Heather Watson, who posted a video of her running 5K between the door and window in her hotel room, is among those competing in that tournament, which also features former Australian Open champions Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber, and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.

The remaining players who flew into Australia were also in quarantine but were allowed out for five hours of court practice a day.

While many players have spoken of their gratitude for having the opportunity to compete during the pandemic and posted light-hearted videos of innovative ways they have been training in their rooms, others have expressed frustration over quarantine conditions.

Tennis Australia says that while there are strict measures in place at the events - including social distancing, enhanced hygiene and cleaning protocols - the players will be able to stay at the accommodation of their choice and enjoy the city of Melbourne as they usually do now that the quarantine period is over.

There will be fans at the events although organisers say they still do not know exactly how many and have been planning for 25-50% capacity depending on the government regulations. Melbourne Park is being divided into three zones and fans will only be able to enter the one zone they have a ticket for.

Up to 30,000 fans a day will be allowed to attend the Australian Open.

Djokovic to lead Serbia's ATP Cup defence

The highest-profile men's event taking place is the ATP Cup, where Djokovic leads Serbia as they look to defend the title they won at last year's inaugural team event.

Djokovic has faced wide criticism for asking Australian Open organisers to relax quarantine rules for players. He later said his letter was "misconstrued as being selfish, difficult and ungrateful" and he had only "good intentions".

Nadal took an apparent swipe at his rival, saying not everyone felt the need to "advertise" how they were trying to help.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion represents a Spain side who are aiming to avenge their defeat by Serbia in the 2020 final.

US Open champion Dominic Thiem leads Austria, while ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev plays for Russia.

Britain, who agonisingly missed out on the semi-finals last year, did not qualify this time.

The event has been reduced to 12 countries from 24 last year. The 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three for a round-robin stage, with group winners advancing to the semi-finals.

Barty back and Williams warming up for history

Women's number one and home favourite Ashleigh Barty will play her first competitive match in 11 months after missing much of last season because of coronavirus concerns.

She is playing in the Yarra Valley Classic, which also features last year's Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova and Serena Williams.

Williams, who will be launching her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, and Barty were among a small group of leading players, including Nadal and Djokovic, who quarantined in Adelaide and played in an exhibition event there on Friday.

Meanwhile, three-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is in the draw for the Gippsland Trophy, where she is joined by world number two Simona Halep and Britain's Johanna Konta.

Which events are the Brits playing at?

British number one Dan Evans and compatriot Cameron Norrie are playing at the Murray River Open, where world number 18 Stan Wawrinka is the top-ranked player and Australian Nick Kyrgios is also in action.

With many of the world's best players involved in the ATP Cup, the fields at the two remaining men's events have been weakened.

Francesca Jones, who has qualified for a Grand Slam main draw for the first time, features in the Yarra Valley Classic, while Katie Boulter joins British number one Konta at the Gippsland Trophy.

British doubles players are in action too, with Jamie Murray and Joe Salisbury among those seeking some practice before the opening Grand Slam of the year.

Luka Doncic needed only one word to describe the state of the Dallas Mavericks after their seventh loss in nine games.

"Terrible," Doncic said Friday night after the Utah Jazz extended their winning streak to 11 games with a 120-101 rout of the visiting Mavs.

Asked to elaborate, Doncic expressed frustration with the poor effort the Mavs have often displayed recently. Dallas, which dropped to 8-11, has been defeated by double digits five times during the skid. The Mavs were dominated in both games of their trip to Utah despite the Jazz missing All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell because of a concussion.

"I never felt like this," said Doncic, who won championships with Real Madrid and the Slovenian national team before beginning his NBA career. "We've got to do something, because this is not looking good. We've got to step up and just talk to each other and play way better than this. It's mostly effort."

The Mavs' slump has coincided with a COVID-19 outbreak wreaking havoc on the team's rotation. Starting shooting guard Josh Richardson, starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith and backup center Dwight Powell returned after extended absences for the two losses against the Jazz. Power forward Maxi Kleber, who was starting before testing positive for the coronavirus, has yet to be cleared to play.

"It's just a tough stretch and we've got to play through it," said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, whose team finishes a back-to-back at home Saturday against the Phoenix Suns. "Right now, it's about sticking together and fighting our way through this thing."

Doncic, a preseason MVP favorite who is averaging 27.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.6 assists per game, criticized the Mavs' effort after both losses against the Jazz.

"I would say right now it's looking like we don't care, honestly, if we win games or not," Doncic said. "We just [need] more energy, more effort, dive for every ball, box out, everything. There's a lot of things we could improve, and I know we will. I know we will, and that's all that matters."

Utah outrebounded Dallas by 14 on Wednesday and by 16 on Friday. Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert was especially dominant during the two-game set, following up a 29-point, 20-rebound performance with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the second game. Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis, who is depended on to be Doncic's co-star, averaged 14.5 points and seven rebounds during the two losses, in which Dallas was outscored by a combined 42 points in his 57 minutes.

Porzingis certainly had plenty of company among Mavs players performing poorly. Dallas' largest deficit was 25 on Wednesday and 30 on Friday.

"We've just got to be real with ourselves," Mavs reserve forward James Johnson said. "Sometimes you don't hold yourself accountable, sometimes teammates don't hold you accountable, and we can't have that."

The Jazz, who have the NBA's best record at 15-4, have an average margin of victory of 15.6 points during their 11-game winning streak, the longest in the league this season. Utah has trailed in the fourth quarter for a total of only 57 seconds during the 11-game run.

"They're a great team," Carlisle said, "and we've just got to stay in the fight here."

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Even with the NBA's second-leading scorer sitting out, the Brooklyn Nets matched a franchise record Friday for the most points in a regulation game, dropping 147 on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 22-point win.

"We're getting there. ... We're slowly inching forward on both ends of the floor," coach Steve Nash said. "We struggled defensively at times, but we're getting more solid with our game plan defensively. Offensively, you're starting to see a little more flow. You're seeing James [Harden] able to manage the game like that and manipulate the defense."

By quarter, the Nets scored 36, 40, 39 and 32, building an early lead and consistently scoring throughout the game. They shot 57% from the field, hit 19 3-pointers and had 33 team assists.

With Kevin Durant sitting as part of a resting plan as he continues to work back from his Achilles injury, Kyrie Irving and Harden took the reins, combining for 50 points -- 25 apiece.

"We're catching a rhythm, obviously, offensively," Harden said. "But defensively as well. We're learning our strengths and our weakness and things we can get better at."

The Nets' offensive explosion has been steadily building, with 10 of their past 11 games featuring at least 110 points. But they've also been, to put it kindly, mediocre on the defensive end. The Thunder, who entered the game last in offensive efficiency, still put up 125 points while shooting 46.5% from the floor.

"There's a familiarity growing, on both ends of the floor. [But] we've got a long way to go defensively," Nash said. "It's not our forte or strong suit, but we've got to be clean with our game plan and talking and participating in our actions."

Harden and Irving spent various parts of the game orchestrating solo as Nash staggered their minutes. But there were also long stretches in which they played off one another, with Harden doing his usual isolation drive-and-kick thing, while Irving flashed his finishing ability in the paint.

"I'm always gonna say I won't take any day for granted. This doesn't happen often in history where you have this group together at this point," Irving said. "Some of the guys were starters on their respective teams last year; some of the guys are MVP candidates. And to have all of that collective talent and not get the most of it, we'd be doing ourselves a disservice. So we just want to continue to push each other and hold each other accountable."

Harden credited the overall communication improving among the group, with assignments, coverages and adjustments being called out clearly throughout the game. Irving and Harden were at the front of the scoring, but there was impressive balance to the game as well, with nine players total finishing in double figures.

"It's very satisfying anytime you get a win, but anytime the whole team plays well and you do some great things as a collective group, it definitely stands out of the rest," Irving said.

The Nets have won four straight and are 6-2 since making the trade for Harden. There have been some rough spots at times, with Harden going extended stretches less involved in the offense, or Irving's efficiency dipping, but the chemistry has been building, Nash said, and is something he only expects to improve.

"Offensively, I think guys are getting a feel and a rhythm for one another, how guys like to play, where they like the ball, how they like to move, cut and play off each other," he said.

Harden said the Nets are maintaining an eye on the process, noting that it's only going to get harder as the season progresses. As the games get bigger and the season gets smaller, there will be more of a spotlight on the Nets' chemistry and how they execute.

"We're gonna be challenged every night; we're going to get everybody's best shot," Irving said, "but what we're doing now is just finding the continuity to utilize the strengths we have."