Indian probables to be picked on August 4

The national cricket selectors will meet on August four to pick the 25 probables for the month long conditioning camp to be held at Bangalore from August 14 prior to the home series against New Zealand from September 23 to November 18.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India executive secretary, Sharad Diwadkar said that the selectors would meet at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) office next month.

The Indians will be playing a two-match Test series against the Kiwis and a triangular one-day series with world champions Australia as the third team.

Australia's latest match-winner has sights on India

Australian cricket's celebrity of the moment, match-winning leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, said in Cairns he was itching for the opportunity to display his wiles on Indian wickets.

Named man of the match and player of the series for his 17 wickets after Australia wrapped up a 2-0 Test series victory over Bangladesh, MacGill said he was firmly focused on touring India late next year.

"India is a place where we really want to win and I think the desire is as great as anything I've ever experienced," he said.

"I definitely want to be part of that tour," said MacGill, grandson of late pace bowler Charlie MacGill, a first-class player who once dismissed the legendary Don Bradman.

"Watching from the sidelines, when we were beaten in India in 2001, was frustrating when you don't know how you'd perform in those conditions," MacGill said.

"I'd just want to know how I would bowl in India. I may not be any good, but I'd love to be given the opportunity to find out.

Australian captain Steve Waugh said last year in Sri Lanka that it was important to adopt a "horses for courses" policy when picking teams to play in the sub-continent.

MacGill said he could see no reason why he, leg-spinner Shane Warne and left-arm slow bowler Brad Hogg could not play in the same side.

"With Warney in the side and Hoggy as well it could be a great spin battery, and I think we would have a red hot shot at winning in India," he said.

Right time to quit the post: Hussain

A "tired" Nasser Hussain who stepped down as England Test captain after a four year spell in charge in Birmingham on Monday said "it was the right time to quit the post."

"I just feel it's the right time. I felt I was a bit tired and stale. Four years is a long time in this job," Hussain said after the drawn first Test against South Africa at Edgbaston.

"It can become very repetitive," Hussain added.

"I needed to see how far I could dig and I just wasn't good enough."

Hussain, who retains his place in what is an unchanged team, added: "I feel it is coming to a slight change in era.

England's new Test skipper, Michael Vaughan expressed shock at the timing of Hussain's decision.

"Like everyone else in the dressing room, I'm surprised by Nasser's decision to resign.

"He has been a hugely inspirational captain and no-one cares more about England than him."

"I had not expected the Test captaincy to come my way this summer but I feel ready for the challenge and I will be more than happy to have him (Hussain) in the dressing room alongside me as a senior player," the 28-year-old added.

Nevertheless, Hussain had forged a reputation as England's best tactical skipper since Mike Brearley in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

But he was guilty of a public relations blunder in the build-up to the first Test, saying there were splits in the South African camp and that the Proteas were "ripe for the taking".

Yuvraj Singh fails again

Yuvraj Singh failed to strike form in his debut County season, managing to score just 11 runs but was lucky to end up on the winning side as Yorkshire scored an 18-run victory over Kent in a National League tie in Scarborough.

Put in to bat, Yorkshire lost both their overseas batsmen, New Zealander Stephen Fleming and Yuvraj, and also Michael Lumb in a testing spell by Ben Trott. But neither Fleming nor Yuvraj were happy with the decisions. Chasing 198 for a win, Kent were bundled out for 179 in 43.5 overs with Vic Craven claiming four wickets for 28 runs.