South Africa coach Shukri Conrad was overwhelmed to see his spinners rule the roost in the first Test against India at the Eden Gardens, signalling to him that the Rainbow Nation is no longer an exclusive "fast bowling country" and hoped that a lot more slow bowlers will emerge.
It was an evening soaked with pride, nostalgia and emotion at Eden Gardens on Saturday as Bengal's first-ever World Cup-winning cricketer Richa Ghosh was felicitated in a grand ceremony that brought together Sourav Ganguly, Jhulan Goswami and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on one stage.
Jadeja completes 4,000 Test runs, enters elite all-round club
Fondly remembering for his memorable spells at Eden Gardens, the former cricketer expressed gratitude towards the city and its people, saying he would forever cherish his bond with Kolkata.
'I try to give my best in each and every format... Rest, question-answer sessions -- whoever wants to play, they can play. I'm happy as far as I'm able to contribute and try to learn new things.'
With Bumrah leading the charge, India prised out five wickets in the second session to snuff out South Africa's hopes of reaching the 200 mark.
Devdutt Padikkal is turning the Vijay Hazare Trophy into a compelling audition for higher honours, registering his third century in four matches to keep his name firmly in the India ODI conversation.
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.
Shubman Gill retired hurt after suffering a neck sprain while attempting a slog-sweep off Simon Harmer on the second day of the first Test against South Africa, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Aaditya Thackeray's googly to ICC: Why host T20 WC final in Ahmedabad and not Mumbai?
The Indian team management has kept the media guessing but Rishabh Pant is set to become India's 38th Test captain.
The South Africa bowling coach is also hopeful of off-spinner Simon Harmer, one of the heroes of the the visitors' memorable win in the first Test at Eden Gardens, playing in the final game of the short series while also ruling out any issue with his fitness.
'I want to be conventional and also blend with out-of-box thinking. Want to have nice balance...'
South African captain Temba Bavuma on Sunday said his game is built around an unshakeable defence, which stood him in good stead on a disintegrating Eden Gardens track, where 38 wickets fell inside eight sessions.
The Proteas arrive high on confidence, having fought out a hard-earned 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under challenging conditions.
'Jassi bhai just told me that the wicket-taking option was if you bowl at the stumps...'
India head coach Gautam Gambhir mounted a strong defence of the tough Eden Gardens pitch despite losing to South Africa in the first Test.
'My motivation is to stay fit and be available for Indian team.'
India, South Africa pretty close on bowling, batters will face big test in getting runs: Amla
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 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.
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.
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.
Jurel's consistent batting has made him a strong contender for a place in the playing XI as a specialist batter.
Rishabh Pant back in full flow as India step up nets ahead of SA opening Test
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.
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.
'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.'
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.
New Zealand vs Pakistan women's WC game abandoned due to rain, SA qualify for semis
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.
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant is understandably delighted to have made a difficult comeback from the latest injury setback.
Messi's last visit with the Argentina team to India was back in 2011, when they faced Venezuela in a friendly match at Kolkata's iconic Salt Lake Stadium.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Tuesday announced plans to invest $17.5 billion in India to help build infrastructure and sovereign capabilities for the country's AI-first future, marking the third major AI-driven investment in the country in the past two months. Microsoft said that the $17.5 billion (around Rs 1.58 lakh crore) investment builds on the $3 billion (around Rs 26,955 crore) funding announced earlier this year, which the company is on track to spend by the end of CY (calendar year) 2026.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly will begin a new chapter in the administration after he filed his nomination for the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
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.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, turned heads with a heartwarming family visit for the IPL game against the Lucknow Super Giants.
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."
Sourav Ganguly believes India's biggest selection dilemma ahead of the upcoming Test series against South Africa could centre around one man - Dhruv Jurel.
