The second and final Test starts in Guwahati from Saturday with India trailing 0-1 after the defeat on a challenging Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata.
Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday lauded current head coach Gautam Gambhir for his conviction during the gruelling England tour and asked his detractors if they would now "stand up and salute him" for the 2-2 draw.
Virat Kohli smashed record-extending 52nd ODI to guide India to a 17-run win in the series opener, getting India off to a winning start in their three-match series.
'When you are playing on spin-friendly pitches, you need to prepare differently.'
Varun Chakravarthy said head coach Gautam Gambhir has instilled in the Indian team a mentality that leaves no room for mediocrity and where losing is not an option.
Nitish Kumar Reddy made waves with a quick-fire 43 in the second Test, even without bowling a single delivery, as head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized the focus on experience over overs.
Fans thronged the airport to catch a glimpse of the 38-year-old, who stopped graciously to sign autographs and pose for selfies before heading home.
Afghanistan keeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has no hesitation in admitting former KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir as the "best coach" that he has played under.
'Can Gautam Gambhir almost look at being serious about picking 20 wickets as much as he feels about depth in batting?'
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Jitesh Sharma, who has emerged as India's preferred wicketkeeper-batter in T20 format with less than two months left for the World Cup, has played down his 'competition' with Sanju Samson in the squad, saying it only brings out his "A-game" to the fore, strengthening the side.
Gautam Gambhir termed the convincing win over Pakistan a "good one" but "more importantly", he felt it was the team's way of showing solidarity with the families of the Pahalgam terrorist attack victims.
How India's players enjoyed their time in Wednesday's training session.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
'We knew it won't be easy to hit how much you may connect. Plan was to bowl smartly and when a batter is set, force him to hit on the bigger sides than small sides.'
'He backs players he likes but lets go of those he doesn't.'
The IPL consistently rewards smart squad building, tactical flexibility, and balanced team composition over individual star power. So what exactly are franchises paying for when the bidding war begins?
As India gear up for the T20 World Cup at home, the selectors have backed a squad built on impact, and versatility.
MCG to Barsapara: Gambhir and Pant might be feeling a sense of deja vu
Rishabh Pant's place in the playing eleven is far from guaranteed, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are locked in a tight contest for the additional all-rounder's slot as India confront several selection dilemmas ahead of the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi.
Ashwin has clarified that his decision to retire from the game was a personal call
While the white-ball trophy cabinet kept getting heavier, Team India's fortunes in Test cricket swung wildly between hope and despair in 2025.
After taking a dig at former India skipper Rohit Sharma on his fitness, Congress leader Shama Mohamed, on Wednesday, again sparked controversy, drawing a religious angle to cricketer Sarfaraz Khan's omission from the India and India A squads announced recently by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh finds it a bit unfortunate that the future of legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli is being decided by "people who have not achieved much" but he nonetheless expects the duo to carry on till the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Karun Nair was all praise for India head coach Gautam Gambhir for giving the players a "lot of encouragement and support" during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
This happened following India's practice session that saw both India's senior batters hit the nets at the Optus Stadium.
The others to arrive after a delayed flight were K L Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy along with some members of the support staff.
Ignored by the national selectors for T20 set-up, Yashasvi Jaiswal sent another stern reminder to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee with a blistering 48-ball century as defending champions Mumbai crushed Haryana by four wickets in a high-scoring Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League B match, in Ambi, Pune, on Sunday.
Ravichandran Ashwin exposed India batters' lack of quality to battle ball tweakers by claiming that if legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar or past domestic heroes Amol Muzumdar, the India women's team head coach and Mithun Manhas had played against spinners on such a track, the Test would have gone to four days, unlike India's harrowing 30-run defeat against South Africa at Eden Gardens.
Marco Jansen demolished the Indian batting line-up with a six-wicket haul before South Africa extended their lead on Day 3 of the second and final Test.
The Indian team's heavy reliance on all-rounders will be tested by a plucky Australia in the second ODI but the spotlight will continue to stay firmly on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom would look to turn back the clock with series-saving knocks in Adelaide on Thursday.
India will look to address several lingering selection puzzles when they take on South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday in the first ODI of the three-match series, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the set-up for a short audition that could well shape their 2027 World Cup fate.
Sai Sudharsan and Dhruv Jurel faced spinners while wearing only one pad to counter the turning deliveries, a method that comes with an element of risk, in Kolkata on Monday.
'For him, win or defeat never mattered, he always told us to give our best and never worry about the results.'
Sidhu hit back at an X handle for falsely attributing quotes to him.
The problem with Surya has been his limited range of strokes and always trying to play behind the square using the pace and bounce of the deliveries
With the scars of last year's home series whitewash against New Zealand still raw, preparing rank turners may invite risk.
Matthew Sandery, head curator at the Dubai international stadium, was spotted near Gautam Gambhir and Sitanshu Kotak, but did not ask them to keep away. Incidentally, the BCCI, being the hosts, can even suggest the kind of wicket they would need for the match.
Shubman Gill on Thursday said he would look to imbibe the 'calmness' that his predecessor Rohit Sharma brought to the dressing room
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances