India's bid to win a 17th consecutive home Test series, however, hinges on the success of their three-pronged spin attack comprising Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2024 campaign is just one-match old, but it has already exposed their biggest chink. It's fragility in bowling, and they need better returns from bowlers against a confident Punjab Kings at an unforgiving M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Monday.
India, who have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, finished day two on a commanding 421-7 in their robust reply to England's middling 246 in the first innings.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against England?
The former England captain expects experienced pacer James Anderdon to be part of England's touring squad for the Test series in India early next year.
England stuck to their gameplan in the second innings, attacking the spinners at every opportunity as the Indians came undone and clearly looked bereft of ideas.
India will need to be ruthless and tactful in equal measure while dealing with an unpredictable England when the third chapter of a riveting Test series begins in Rajkot on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 1st Test played between India and England in Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Hardik Pandya has quit Gujarat Titans to rejoin his former team Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises.
For five consecutive policy reviews in 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) chose to hold rates, citing inflation threat. And when the prices did cool off a bit, it reminded all about the target to get the headline consumer price inflation at 4 per cent and the risks from food inflation. Heading into the new year, all eyes are on when RBI will cut the rates, especially after one of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members stressed on the need for such an action in the face of the US Federal Reserve's guidance for easing rates.
Hurt India eye sweeping changes in approach against England's 'Bazball' in second Test
How the IPL teams have shaped up after the auction.
Full list of players released, retained and traded by all ten teams in the IPL.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the third Test against England?
Australia blanked England while South Africa and Bangladesh showed their bowling prowess with mighty wins over Zimbabwe and USA respectively. In the 16th-place play-off, Afghanistan fought off a spirited USA side to win a low-scoring thriller.
Can the legendary James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowling together in what will clearly be their last Test in India stun the Indians on Thursday afternoon?
However, it remains to be seen how RCB will cope without players like Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood, who both have been sidelined for at least the first half of this IPL due to injuries. Australian Glenn Maxwell is also unlikely to feature in Sunday's game.
England were struggling at 53 for 3 in pursuit of an improbable 482 to win at the end of the third day
West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka will enter the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier high on confidence
India opener Rohit Sharma has progressed six places to a career-best eighth position in the MRF Tyres ICC men's Test player rankings after a fine performance in the low-scoring third Test against England in Ahmedabad.
India need a draw in the final Test, also in Ahmedabad from March 4, to reach the WTC final against New Zealand.
In March this year, Worldline India launched Vabox (Voice Alert Box): merchants will now get instant audio alerts on the settlement of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) payments via QR codes in languages of their choice when customers check out. "They needn't worry whether the amount has been credited to their account," says Gulshan Pruthi, the firm's executive vice-president. The French payments giant will roll out 500,000 Vaboxes in the initial phase.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has surpassed India's Virat Kohli in becoming the world No.1 T20I batter for the longest period of time after he maintained his top spot in the latest ICC T20 batting rankings.
Rohit's 162-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane dragged the hosts back into the contest, before England dismissed both in the final session.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com recounts the history of the Indian flag and how it has evolved over the years.
The hosts finished day two on 54-1 for an overall lead of 249 runs on a deteriorating track.
Top Indian men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a straight-game loss to seventh seeded English pair of Ben Lane and Sean Vendy 17-21, 14-21 in a last-8 match.
While a draw always seems a safe option in a game like this but Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri wouldn't like to play a defensive game which at times can be counter-productive.
Axar Patel claimed a career-best 6-38 as India bundled out England for 112 on Day 1
Pant's scintillating 101 propelled India to 294 for seven as the hosts took a crucial 89-run lead.
A virgin Motera pitch has become the big talking point as captain Virat Kohli looks to get the combination right with India looking to continue their momentum to trouble England in the day-night third Test match, starting in Ahmedabad, on Wednesday.
Images from Day 2 of the third Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium, in Ahmedabad.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 2nd Test played between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Friday.
'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.'
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between India and England, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai.
Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel took the game away from England with their fearless approach.
England have an overall lead of 136 runs without loss at stumps in their second innings going into Day 5 of the second Test against the West Indies.
While debate continues over the state of the Ahmedabad pitch and whether it is suitable for Test cricket, England shot themselves in the foot before a ball was bowled by opting for a pace-heavy attack on a spinners' paradise in the third match against India.
England spinner Jack Leach asserted that he would have liked the third Test against India to go longer than two days.
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