Royal Challengers Bengaluru made an auspicious start in their latest bid to lift a maiden Indian Premier League trophy
Lionel Messi's much-hyped visit to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday lasted 22 minutes, just enough to underline everything that is wrong in Indian football and the state administration's mismanagement.
'Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket-taking option was if you bowl at the stumps...'
Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is not scheduled to play serious football on the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025'.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the tough Eden Gardens pitch despite losing to South Africa in 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.
The Proteas arrive high on confidence, having fought out a hard-earned 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under challenging conditions.
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane expressed disappointment with the Eden Gardens pitch, lamenting the lack of assistance for spinners after his team's second loss at home.
Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's touchdown in Kolkata in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted his side was "surprised" by how quickly the Eden Gardens surface "deteriorated" after a dramatic second day in which 15 wickets fell and the opening Test swung sharply in India's favour.
India, South Africa pretty close on bowling, batters will face big test in getting runs: Amla
The Hindi word bauna is commonly used for those suffering from dwarfism, but its also used as a taunt for someone who is simply short in height.
Simon Harmer led South Africa's lion-hearted bowling effort as the Proteas registered a thrilling 30-run victory against India inside three days of the low-scoring opening Test.
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.
Cheteshwar Pujara refuses to believe India's recent poor record at home is because of transition.
India have long curated home tracks that accentuate turn, but the assumption their own batters would master such conditions no longer appears safe following their defeat in the opening Test against South Africa.
Rishabh Pant back in full flow as India step up nets ahead of SA opening Test
The track is historically a high-scoring one and the outfield is quick. But on a red soil surface, the ball grips and can surprise the batters.
'Here the wicket is hard and the outfield really fast. If you are desperate, if you try to bowl those magic balls, you'd end up bleeding runs.'
India will look to reprise their home template of big first-innings totals and sustained spin in the short two-Test series against South Africa beginning in Kolkata on Friday.
Jurel's consistent batting has made him a strong contender for a place in the playing XI as a specialist batter.
Daryl Mitchell becomes only the second player from New Zealand to hold the top the ICC ranking for ODI batters.
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."
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant is understandably delighted to have made a difficult comeback from the latest injury setback.
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.
'This is not just my moment, it belongs to every girl who dreams of making it big in cricket.'
The former CSK stalwart also noted that Axar Patel's consistency over recent years positions him as a natural leader within the DC core. But the trickier decision, according to Raina, concerns veteran opener Faf du Plessis, who endured a lean run with just 202 runs from nine games.
K L Rahul takes over the captaincy after regular skipper Shubman Gill missed the series because of a neck injury.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test against India in Kolkata due to a rib injury, is in awe of his team's ability to rebound from setbacks.
Sourav Ganguly, who previously served as BCCI president from 2019 to 2022, replaced his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly.
Skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the choice between a spinner and an extra seamer for the first Test against South Africa is nothing short of a "conflict".
'My motivation is to stay fit and be available for Indian team.'
Sourav Ganguly believes India's biggest selection dilemma ahead of the upcoming Test series against South Africa could centre around one man - Dhruv Jurel.
Application required in Test cricket was missing, says Kumble after India's batting collapse
The senior Indian seamer had previously returned seven wickets in their previous match against Uttarakhand, and he now has 15 wickets in just two matches.
Kohli's 55th IPL half-century laid the platform before skipper Rajat Patidar hit a quickfire 34 off 16 balls to help RCB kickoff their campaign on a positive note.
South Africa's stunning three-day win over India at Eden Gardens has drawn reactions from some of cricket's biggest names, with AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Dale Steyn celebrating the historic result while Kevin Pietersen used the collapse-filled Test to launch a scathing critique of modern batting.
The first T20I between India and England at Eden Gardens was a significant event for multiple reasons.
Ganguly lauded Gill's leadership during India's tour of England, noting the challenge of captaining at a young age in such conditions
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.
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