'Smith needs to show a lot of faith and patience with his spinners and get the field right, with a nice balance of attacking and defending' 'This tour of India has been a big focus for Cricket Australia for some time now and the preparation has been meticulous'
'I had said earlier that Ajinkya Rahane would be looked at as a third opener but that situation can change because he has batted at No. 4 in a World Cup (in 2015) before. These conditions are such that you get to play fast bowling throughout the innings so he becomes a strong candidate for No. 4'
India will look to crush a South African revival before it becomes a threat to their pursuit of a maiden ODI series triumph here when the two sides clash in the fifth one-dayer, on Tuesday.
The emergence of young Jasprit Bumrah as a potent death overs bowler has come as a huge relief for Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who complimented the Gujarat lad for being equally effective with the new ball.
India completed a 3-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka on Sunday following their five-wicket victory in the final Twenty20 International at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Dinesh Karthik said the Indian team's uncapped players are not 'perturbed' anymore and their experience of playing in the Indian Premier League will hold them in good stead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting in Cuttack on Wednesday.
A lot of Indian cricketers have been doing their bit, ranging from making financial donations to helping people procure essential medical care.
What does Tendulkar miss the most about not being an active player? "I miss the laughter, the seriousness, the celebrations."
Gilchrist said home conditions would make Australia hard to beat when the World Cup starts next October.
If K L Rahul could adjust to opening the batting in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, it will provide much-needed balance to the side, says assistant coach Sanjay Bangar, citing history when Rahul Dravid excelled in a similar role.
Karthik's gem of a cameo got him 29 off 8 balls with two boundaries and three sixes -- the last of them which will be forever be etched in the memory.
Winning while not at their best is a major positive to take for Mitchell Starc, after Australia made it two victories from two by beating West Indies by 15 runs.
On Friday, one thing was crystal clear -- Team India has plenty of choices but the 2 R's can co-exist in the playing XI without one being pitted against other.
Robin Uthappa said 'was innately not happy with something'. It was at this stage that the 34-year-old began maintaining a diary before reaching out for professional help.
India captain Virat Kohli stressed on the importance of all-rounder Hardik Pandya's presence in the ODI side in order to get the ideal bowling combination for the World Cup.
'Important things like concentration, having a balanced mind, staying calm at all times, all these important things he learnt from his mother.' Arvind Pujara, the master batsman's dad, has been much praised for instilling the right values in his only child, but he tells Rediff.com's Harish Kotian that it was his late mother Reena who is majorly responsible for Cheteshwar's success.
The excitement of being in the Asia Cup final might be palpable in the Bangladesh camp but for India, Sunday's summit clash would be just another game in the tournament, says Team Director Ravi Shastri.
'Accept the phase that we are going through and understand the privilege that we have, just to be a part of the IPL. Everyone should accept that and not behave in a manner which situation doesn't require them to.'
Australia's new squad member Peter Handscomb will be thrust into the cauldron of Thursday's World Cup semi-final against England as replacement for Usman Khawaja, coach Justin Langer has said. Langer also confirmed that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis had passed a fitness test and was ready for Edgbaston while refusing to guarantee the mercurial Glenn Maxwell a place in the team.
Right now, our mindset is very similar, to go out there and enjoy our cricket, which we have done in the past few years, says Kohli at a press conference before the defending champions' departure to England for the Champions Trophy. Rediff.com's Harish Kotian listens in as the young Indian captain speaks.
Jasprit Bumrah's much-awaited comeback to competitive cricket was halted due to "over restriction mandate" from the Indian team management. The Indian team's support staff's unofficial guideline that Bumrah "shouldn't be bowling more than 8 to 9 overs" didn't amuse the Gujarat team management which wants to win a match.
Eyeing a maiden IPL title, the fancied Delhi Capitals will face another litmus test in the form of a Kolkata Knight Riders unit brimming with optimism when the two sides lock horns in the Qualifier 2 match in Sharjah on Wednesday.
The Pretoria wicket is likely to be similar, with perhaps not the same sideways movement of Newlands, and will provide another test of the Indian batsmen's bravery against a seam bowling barrage.
The ICC cricket committee has recommended three changes to the ODI fielding restrictions: the requirement to have two compulsory catchers in the first 10 overs be removed, the batting powerplay be removed and that five fieldsmen be allowed outside the circle from overs 41-50 instead of four.
Sachin Tendulkar has backed Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in India's five-Test series against England, saying the tricky left-arm wristspinner could prove quite a handful against Joe Root and his men.
Bangar said India could have been in a better position had Pandya and Ashwin applied themselves a little more. India were all out for 273 on Friday in response to England's 246.
The skipper, however, hinted that there would be a bit more lateral movement with the pink ball which can 'work in their favour'.
Stephen Fleming rued that their batsmen let it 'slip' despite having so much resources.
Gurkeerat Singh Mann was a surprise addition to the Indian squad for the second Test against South Africa in Bangalore, however, India captain Virat Kohli says the Punjab all-rounder could be in the reckoning for an unlikely Test debut.
The biggest positive would be Hardik's inclusion and the way he shaped up in these three Test matches, said Virat Kohli.
India skipper Virat Kohli said his team has strengthened its lower middle-order and that has eased the pressure on Mahendra Singh Dhoni to finish off the games.
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has said that his team is keen to give a good account of itself and tell "world cricket what we can do" in the one-off Test match against India, to be held in Hyderabad next week.
India captain Virat Kohli lauded a "complete performance" by his team after they thrashed West Indies by an innings and 92 runs inside four days in the first Test in Antigua on Sunday.
Quinton De Kock said former captain Faf du Plessis' comeback after being rested for the Australia series, will hold the visitors in a good stead in the upcoming ODIs.
A hapless Indian bowling attack was smashed all over the park by South African batsmen in the fifth and final ODI, which the home side lost by 214 runs, but captain MS Dhoni defended them, saying that the Wankhede wicket was "too true" to offer any assistance to them.
Our selection was wrong, says Aussie spin great Shane Warne.
'On paper he's not the captain. On the ground he's the captain for Virat I think'
Consistent death bowling from a Bumrah and spinners picking up wickets in the middle overs is why the average run-rate in the last few years hasn't exploded the way one would have expected, says Dhruv Munjal.
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