India captain Rohit Sharma is confident that his team will bounce back from the eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru.
Sourav Ganguly believes Rishabh Pant is on course to become an all-time great in Test cricket.
Virat Kohli feels that opposition bowlers want him to go hammer and tongs every time he comes out to bat, but he prefers adapting to match conditions without any predetermined strategy as he did in his unbeaten century against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match on Saturday.
'There will be a lot of spice to the contest -- there is a reason India is the only team other than England against whom Australia is keen to play a five Test series.' 'I'll watch, as I suspect most fans will -- but this one time, I'll watch with considerable trepidation and, from a fan's point of view, with the hope that the team finds its feet and that right quick,' notes the distinguished cricket commentator Prem Panicker.
Delhi Capitals senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin spoke to head coach Ricky Ponting on the controversial issue of 'Mankading' in which the bowler runs out the batsman at the non-striker's end if he sets off for a run before the ball is bowled.
New Zealand's senior batter Ross Taylor believes playing India in their own backyard is one of the toughest challenges for any side but refused to give insights about their plan to tackle premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin during the upcoming Test series.
'Rohit Sharma is an outstanding person. He understands every single person in the team, he knows what each one of us likes and dislikes.'
In an IPL match in 2010 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru, Ravichandran Ashwin was taken to the cleaners by Robin Uthappa and Mark Boucher. He had two bad games and was subsequently dropped from the squad. "It felt like a hard slap," says Ashwin.
Asserts he has 'performed well abroad in the last 18 months'.
'The holes that CSK will try to fill are ones of captaincy, which I believe Ruturaj Gaikwad is going to take over.'
Brad Hogg said Ashwin would be a great addition to Indian side in the 50-over format.
'He (Ashwin) will bowl to the same spot but the way it gets there and whether it hits the seam or hits the lacquer varies and the ball reacts very differently.'
Basking in the glory of becoming India's third highest Test wicket-taker, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that he feared his career would not survive the chaos unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
Eoin Morgan said the current Indian team ranks as "one of the greatest in their own conditions".
Veteran Indian spinner Ashwin scalped the wickets of Gulbadin Naib and Najibullah Zadran and gave away just 14 runs in his entire spell, as India's thrashed Afghanistan by 66 runs in a Group 2 match of the Super 12 stage in the T20 World Cup, at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday..
Should India bring in Ravichandran Ashwin and attack New Zealand with spin? Should they include all-rounder Shardul Thakur?
Ashwin came in at number eight and showed everyone how to bat on a deteriorating surface with an excellent century
Kohli wished Ashwin the best and urged him to continue doing what has been doing for the team in the recent past.
Australia coach Justin Langer on Tuesday said India have been distinctly well-planned and disciplined, especially in bowling, so far even as his side races to address its batting woes ahead of the third match starting in Sydney on Thursday.
Roundup of matches across the country in the ongoing BCCI Ranji Trophy
Brad Hogg hailed youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal and said that the best of him will be seen in the upcoming season.
Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson got the nod as the two wicketkeepers in India's 15-member squad.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri and senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have backed the Impact Player rule, stating that it leads to more close finishes.
Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday went past Harbhajan Singh to become the third highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket, reaching the mark in his 80th match.
Ashwin, who has an impressive Test record with 342 wickets from 65 matches, lost his place in the playing XI to Ravindra Jadeja when it came to playing outside the Indian sub-continent.
England vice-captain Moeen Ali expects The Oval pitch to turn a bit later in the Test, starting Thursday.
Veteran India off- pinner Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday rejected the perception that he is jealous of Ravinchandran Ashwin, saying the Tamil Nadu bowler is a "legend in making".
'He doesn't find a place in this playing XI. That is stunning. Astonishing'
I don't think Rohit has been superior as captain, his bowlers did the trick: Graeme Swann
Sri Lankan bowling great Muttiah Muralitharan says the quality and depth in Indian cricket's white ball eco-system is so good that the country has created an unimaginable talent pool in T20 format.
'Over the stumps is one angle I have used effectively over the last 36 months.'
Asked if the controversy has affected him, Ashwin answered in negative.
Mike Atherton feels India's spinners will win it for them
India vice-captain Rohit Sharma says R Ashwin's presence in the playing XI is always an advantage as the seasoned off-spinner is on the lookout for wickets at all times.
Australia captain Tim Paine's efforts to distract Ravichandran Ashwin on the fifth and final day of the third Test in Sydney on Monday failed terribly as the India off-spinner gave him a befitting reply.
India's bowling coach Bharath Arun said that English batsmen are "wary of Ravichandran Ashwin's abilities" on tracks with "assistance" but a call on the senior off-spinner's inclusion will only be taken on Thursday morning ahead of the fourth Test.
Smith roared back to form as his 131, single-handedly steered Australia to 338
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that the Indian fans are waiting to put 'Bazball' to bed during the five-Test series against the Three Lions from January 25 onwards and said that Indian spinners and batters will outplay those of England on turning tracks.
'Even scorecards in T20 matches read better than the one we saw in Ahmedabad.'
Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has joined India counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin in defending Ahmedabad's spin-friendly pitch where India thumped England inside two days of the day-night third Test on Thursday.
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