The Indian cricket team arrived in Vijaywada, the dusty town of Andhra Pradesh yesterday but the players were too tired to practice after their 17-hour journey from Jodhpur.
The West Indians are also here and they too skipped practice ahead of the seventh and deciding one-day international to be played here tomorrow.
With the Indians' baggage coming in late, the players had another reason to skip nets but coach John Wright said the cricketers were not up to it after their labourious journey.
Cricket's anti-corruption investigators must surely know, but the best indication how a series will pan out comes strangely from bookmakers.
Many in India's illegal, but thriving gambling industry had predicted even before the first ball was bowled that the one-day series between India and the West Indies will be locked 3-3 going into Sunday's final match.
Which is precisely what happened as hosts India snatched a series-levelling win in Thursday's sixth match at Jodhpur to keep the interest alive till the end.
"This series has been a bookmaker's dream," said Delhi businessman Rajat Vaid, a self-confessed punter who bets a rupee on every cricket match played anywhere in the world.
"The market was certain even before the first one-dayer it would be 3-3 after six matches. I don't know how they knew, but they knew."
Former West Indian great, Michael Holding, in his own understated fashion, added fuel to the growing fire of speculation by hinting all may not have been above board.
Writing in the Hindustan Times, Holding took a swipe at the West Indians for being shot out for 201 in the 47th over at Jodhpur.
"It was imperative that the lower order, led by Ridley Jacobs, concentrated on occupying the crease for 50 overs," he wrote.
India's tour of New Zealand
Sachin Tendulkar, who has been a notable absentee during India's one-day series against West Indies, will be fit enough for the two-month tour of New Zealand.
The world's number one cricketing icon will join a side who will also welcome back the rapidly-improving left-arm seam bowler Zaheer Khan.
Tendulkar's hamstring and Zaheer's shin have both responded well to treatment and India should be at full strength for the tour.
India will play two Tests and seven one-dayers on their tour. The first Test, in Wellington, is on 12 December.
The New Zealanders have only recently resolved a major pay row which saw players threatening to go on strike.
England in Australia
England's catastrophic injury toll took a further hit when it was revealed Michael Vaughan may not bat in the second innings in Adelaide.
The Yorkshireman suffered a painful blow on his right shoulder from a Jason Gillespie bouncer during his brilliant 177 on Thursday.
He was given the all-clear after an X-ray at a local hospital but was still in too much pain to take his place in the field.
England coach Duncan Fletcher revealed: "There could be a slight problem with him batting.
"At this stage he is struggling just to turn his arm over and is pretty sore still. He couldn't throw a cricket ball at this stage."
Miscellaneous
Shane Warne has overtaken Harbhajan Singh as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket this year.
Warne claimed four for 93 in England's first innings of the second Ashes Test on Friday to move to 485 career Test wickets.
The 33-year-old champion leg-spinner now leads all Test bowlers in 2002 with 61 wickets in nine matches, ahead of fellow spinners, India's Singh (58 in 11) and Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan (55 in eight).
Warne has been the leading bowler in three of the last nine years - taking 70 wickets in 1993, followed by 72 in 1994 and 68 in 1997.
With the chance to bowl in another five Test innings against England before the end of the year Warne has the opportunity of surpassing those bests of recent years.
He is taking a wicket every 41 deliveries this year, well ahead of Harbhajan (57) and Muralitharan (73), and his average of 19.21 remains outstanding for a spinner.
Retired West Indian fast bowler Courtney Walsh holds the world record for most Test wickets with 519 in 132 Tests.
Pakistan in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe will be without three first-choice bowlers for the one-day internationals against Pakistan in Bulawayo on Saturday and Sunday.
Star bowler Heath Streak is still unavailable after dislocating his shoulder in a traffic accident during the Champions Trophy in Colombo in September.
Fellow quickie Douglas Hondo also misses out through a shoulder injury while Travis Friend has a stress fracture of the leg.
"They are three of our main bowlers, and we are definitely missing their contribution," Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive Vince Hogg admitted.
There is also concern over the fitness of batsman Mark Vermeulen, who dislocated a finger while fielding in the second Test in Bulawayo.
