Mahendra Singh Dhoni made the players feel comfortable by backing them, while Virat Kohli's aggression and uncompromising standards proved vital in moments of crisis.
India will be bolstered by the return of former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - both of whom have retired from Test cricket - adding more depth and experience to the side.
Rishabh Pant back in full flow as India step up nets ahead of SA opening Test
'The will to work and commitment to put in work is as high as it has ever been.'
Virat Kohli's elder brother Vikas Kohli took a veiled jibe at India Coach Gautam Gambhir as the team continued to struggle on home soil in the longest format.
While Arshdeep Singh is still waiting for his big red ball debut, he's already a star in a different arena -- social media. His latest Instagram reel is peak Arshdeep: Full of humour, chaos, and charm.
Virat Kohli has two hundreds and a fifty in his last three innings, while Rohit Sharma has a hundred and two fifties in his last four outings.
Team India skipper Shubman Gill is unlikely to feature in the second Test against South Africa, with Cricket Association of Bengal sources confirming that he is not travelling to Guwahati with the team on Wednesday.
India captain Shubman Gill was on Friday released from the Test squad ahead of the second match against South Africa starting Saturday.
Team India touched down in Manchester on Sunday ahead of the must-win fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
Captain Shubman Gill will travel with the Indian team to Guwahati for second Test against South Africa, starting on Saturday, but his participation is still not confirmed.
A record-extending 52nd ODI century by Virat Kohli and a rapid 57 from Rohit Sharma paved the way for India's victory in the series-opener in Ranchi.
Palash Muchhal took to Instagram on Friday to share a heartwarming video of his proposal to cricket star Smriti Mandhana.
Indian batting icon Virat Kohli hailed the national women's team for the first-ever ICC Women's World Cup win, saying that they deserve all the applause for their historic feat, which saw "years of hard work come to life finally".
Smriti Mandhana's haldi ceremony transformed into a lively gathering filled with colour, laughter and camaraderie, as her Team India mates joined her to mark the special occasion.
India have slumped to 142 in the FIFA rankings -- their lowest in nearly a decade.
India spinner Varun Chakravarthy was on Thursday named the captain of Tamil Nadu for this seasons' national T20 tournament for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning on November 26.
'So much pride you have brought for us all.'
Domestic veterans Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar and Rinku Singh could keep the team management interested going forward in Test cricket.
It sure is a dream come true for these band of fearless, aspirational girls!
Reddy took Thakur's place in Birmingham after the first Test
Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing first Test against South Africa after he continues to be under observation in a Kolkata hospital for a neck injury.
India won their maiden Women's World Cup title with a 52-run victory over South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
'Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket-taking option was if you bowl at the stumps...'
How India's players enjoyed their time in Wednesday's training session.
Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Mukund, who represented India in seven Tests from 2011-17, said: "I think Shubman has it in him to become an all-format captain, but I do not think India should have an all-format captain anymore."
The gathering also saw all-rounder Washington Sundar being given the 'Impact Player of the Series' award, handed to him by senior player Ravindra Jadeja.
It was a moment of immense pride and emotion for the family of Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as she led Team India to their maiden ICC Women's World Cup title, defeating South Africa in the final at Navi Mumbai.
Nine-year-old Arshi Gupta of Delhi Public School, Faridabad created history by becoming the first-ever female racer to win a National Karting Championship title.
The India vs England Test series 2025 wasn't just cricket -- it was grit, growth and glory wrapped in whites.
Indian cricketers asked to stay indoors after suspicious packet found in heart of Birmingham
All-round performances from Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma were the crowning jewels for the team in the title clash.
President Droupadi Murmu met the World Cup-winning Indian women's cricket team at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, where skipper Harmanpreet Kaur presented her a team jersey signed by all the players.
Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes said that Team India does not need to prepare turning wickets as they can bowl out their opponents with their pace line-up and having another spin-friendly wicket for the second Test against South Africa will be a "big test of their ability".
Gill stretchered out with neck injury; ''just bad timing'', says Morne Morkel
All eyes were on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who participated in the training session, though his availability for the match is a big doubt.
Dhumal believes 'Ro-Ko' is here to stay in the 50-over format and also appreciated Hitman Rohit's batting masterclass in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against Australia, during which he was awarded the Player of the Series.
Team India wasted no time in getting their preparations underway as they kicked off their first training session at Lord's a few hours after their arrival in London on Saturday.
'Coaches, captains are constantly being asked a lot of questions. It almost, after a point, feels like you are being questioned as to "Why did you make this change? Why did he play in the XI? Why is it that the opposition got 200 and we couldn't even get 120? Why are their bowlers getting more spin?"' 'These are questions that we never get asked throughout the year, right? Because the coaches who are there know what's going on. You are only answerable to the coaches and the selectors, who have all played cricket and understand the nuances of the game.'
Towards the end of the video, backup wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma perfectly summed up the frosty challenge clutching his hoodie tightly around his ears and showing off his thin gloves.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances