Sheelpa Kothari

Raina ready to grab opportunities

The presence of a number of talented batsmen forced Suresh Raina to be confined to the reserve bench during the Australian tour, but the left-hander says the healthy competition for a middle-order slot had made him "mentally stronger" to regain his place. The 21-year-old Raina, whom former coach Greg Chappell rated very highly, said being out of the team had helped him mature as a player and he was better prepared to "grab the opportunities" now.

India 'A' win series against South Africa

The second four-day match ended in a draw following abandonment of final day's play due to heavy rains in Dharamsala.

Anand, Humpy shine in 2006

Viswanathan Anand and Koneru Humpy catapulted Indian chess to new heights while Parimarjan Negi also made his presence felt in the year gone by.

Parimarjan comes of age

Focus on Sehwag, Kaif at Indore

Negi closes in on second GM-norm

Mery Kom provided the sparks in 2005

All play but no work for queen Mery