Ajinkya Rahane wants to take on the New Zealand pace battery with more intent in the second Test. He has a foolproof strategy, which includes countering the awkward angles which became a nightmare for Indian batsmen during the first Test at the Basin Reserve.
Prithvi Shaw's inclusion comes as a fresh lease of life for the explosive batter who found himself out of reckoning in the Ranji Trophy.
New Zealand's bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets to reduce India to 239 for seven on Day 1 of the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Friday. The 24-year-old from Christchurch, who replaced Ish Sodhi, dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (1) and Murali Vijay (9) in the first 50 minutes in his brilliant first spell of 6-2-14-2 as the Kiwis seamers utilised the grassy condition to full effect after Kohli opted to bat.
Virat Kohli has joined the growing list of celebrities, political leaders and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, to tweet on unity and farmers
Rohit, who didn't make it to the playing XI in the two-Test series in the West Indies, could be given another opportunity to revive his Test career, with the selectors looking towards him opening the innings.
Virat Kohli has expressed his full support for Rajat Patidar as the new captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), praising Patidar's consistency and discipline.
Pat Cummins' side stayed in control at the end of Day 2 of the WTC Final.
His century in the Perth Test during the 2018-2019 series is rated by many as his finest, which Virat Kohli also acknowledges as his best in Australia.
Who do you feel is India's best bat for the No. 3 slot in the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Thursday, August 20.
Debutant Rachin Ravindra and number 11 batsman Ajaz Patel survived intense pressure to help New Zealand draw the opening Test against India in Kanpur on Monday.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane along with the uncapped duo of Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan are in the running for a place in the Indian Test team.
Chasing a target of 283, India 'A' knocked off the runs in 39.4 overs.
Acknowledging the progress Zimbabwe has made in One-dayers, India's stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane says they respect the hosts and will not take them lightly in the three-match series, beginning on Friday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against New Zealand, starting on Thursday?
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli struck rousing centuries to drive India to 462-8 at stumps on Day 3, trailing Australia's mammoth first innings total of 530 by 68 runs with two wickets in hand, in the third Test.
India batter Shreyas Iyer was on Tuesday added to the Mumbai squad for their next Ranji Trophy game against Andhra to be played in Mumbai from January 12-15.
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
Batsman Ajinkya Rahane is expecting the Kanpur wicket to assist the Indian spinners and says the team's performance in the first Test will set the tone for a long home season, comprising 13 five-day games.
'If there was some problem, it could have been solved easily.'
Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, both struggling in the Indian Premier League, will be looking to turn their fortunes around when they face each other on Friday.
Middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari on Tuesday accepted that making a return to the Indian team is tough, and getting dropped at times could affect a player's mindset.
'We won't miss Virat and Rohit. I have faith in our young team.'
Rahane to lead India in one-off Test vs Afghanistan
Australia's mouthwatering clash with India sees the two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head in five tests over six weeks with the tourists eyeing a third straight series triumph Down Under.
Ajinkya Rahane said that the new players who have joined the ODI squad, have brought in fresh energy and helped in turning around India's fortunes in the ongoing one-day series against England.
Insisting that Indian players have played on worse tracks back home, vice captain Ajinkya Rahane termed the Wanderers' pitch as 'challenging' and not dangerous.
Rahane spoke about how he channelised his energies during his two-month stay in Southampton, playing for the Hampshire.
Australia's fielders spilled a few chances offered by Ajinkya Rahane as India took a 82-run lead by the end of Day 2 in the second Test.
The Decision Review System will be in focus when India take on England in the upcoming five-Test series and the home team's vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane on Monday said the side has made some plans on how to approach the controversial technology. "It's a completely new concept. We have to wait and see about DRS. We have been discussing about this from the last series (against New Zealand) and we have (formulated) some plans.
The clean sweep in the T20 series against Australia has lessened their dilemmas but selectors will debate.
It is learnt that Test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been kept on standby for the limited overs series against England in case Rohit Sharma fails to clear the 16.1 qualifying mark.
Kohli believes that both have been on the same page and know how this team functions.
Not too worried about sledging, stylish batsman Ajinkya Rahane, on Monday said the India team has plans in place for each of the Australian players and would look to play attacking cricket during the four-Test series, starting on Thursday in Pune.
Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal is likely to lead India 'A' in three four-day 'Tests' against New Zealand 'A'
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Shardul Thakur in the nets.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the WTC final against Australia?
India's captain Ajinkya Rahane on Monday said the racial abuse faced by his teammates Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj during the third Test against Australia in Sydney is not at all acceptable and should not happen anywhere in the world.
India needs to get the team composition right in the third and final Twenty20 International to prevent South Africa from recording a clean sweep, in Kolkata, on Thursday.
India's star batters have lost a lot of confidence over the years by playing on rank turners, with their home averages taking a beating and affecting their careers adversely, feels former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
