'When it comes to playing spin, the only way, spend time playing against it for hours and hours and hours.'
Virat Kohli has succumbed to spin three times in the first two Tests, while scoring just 68 runs in four innings.
The first Test, beginning in Chennai on Thursday, is expected to be played on the red-soil trampoline which often offers good purchase to pacers, but the black-soil composition is more likely to assist the spinners.
Rohit has managed just one half-century in his last eight innings in which he has tallied 104 runs. Kohli's freefall in Test cricket continues. He has fallen to spin three times in the first two Tests. Ashwin, usually, dominant at home, managed just six wickets in the first two Tests at an average of 43.
Virat Kohli's form in focus as India eye ODI clean-sweep over England
With the emergence of their battery of fast bowlers, India have turned the tide at Lord's with two of their victories coming from their last three Tests -- in 2014 and 2021.
New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson said his side have every chance of derailing India in a major final once again.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru played in Ahmedabad on Sunday
South Africa's coach Russell Domingo lists reasons for South Africa's batting collapse on Day 1 of the second Test against India in Bangalore on Saturday. Harish Kotian/Rediff.com listens in...
Electing to bat, India's batting line-up came undone against South Africa's pace battery on a bouncy Perth wicket as they were reduced to 49/5 before Suryakumar Yadav played the rescue act.
Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the lone bright spot with a record haul of 32 wickets.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh?
India are once again at the crossroads, with the team again searching for middle order options ahead of the World Cup.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the second T20 International against England on Sunday?
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.
When India lost the Wellington Test by 10 wickets, was it the worst defeat for Virat Kohli's team? Rajneesh Gupta has the answers.
A look at the XI Best Spells of the league stages of IPL 2024.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the first Test against Australia?
Australia's left-arm spinner Ashton Agar on Friday said wrist spinners will have a big role to play in the five-match ODI series against India starting on Sunday.
Virat Kohli became only the third Indian to score a hundred on his captaincy debut as the visitors responded resolutely to Australia's mammoth first innings total by reaching 369 for five on the third day to leave the first cricket Test evenly poised at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
South Africa middle-order batsman JP Duminy said the Proteas need to go back to the drawing board and re-work their plan to tackle the Indian wrist-spin duo.
Images from the Asia Cup T20 cricket match between India and Pakistan on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium, in Delhi, on Friday.
Rediff.com rates the Indian players' performances in the ODI series.
India's carefully devised plan to triumph in England seems to be coming undone with injuries to their key bowlers.
Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar criticised India for their 'over-confident approach' during their shock defeat against New Zealand in the World T20 opener at Nagpur on Tuesday. The Men in Blue had been expected to edge out the Kiwis, who were without their retired skipper Brendon McCullum, as India began their campaign as warm favourites to win the tournament for a second time. But the start-studded Indian batting line-up was undone by NZ's spin trio - Nathan McCullum, Ish Sodhi and man-of-the-match Mitchell Santner - to be bundled out for just 79, their fifth loss from five completed T20 internationals against the Black Caps. Gavaskar said India's batsmen had to take the blame for the loss. Chasing just 127 to win, only three Indian batsmen managed to get into double figures, including three of their top four batsmen dismissed inside the first three overs. "You've got to show a little bit of respect to the opposition," Gavaskar said during commentary. "If the (target) was 160, then I understand that the first ball you face from a bowler, you look to score a few runs because you cannot really afford a dot ball.
In the 35 Tests Kohli has led as captain, he has fielded 35 different playing 11s. Sure, the chopping and changing worked in the sub-continent because the home conditions masked the deficiencies in constantly chopping and changing the playing 11, says Chetan Narula.
A humdinger on cards as South Africa chase first series win in India
Harish Kotian/Rediff.com rates the Indian players in England.
India frittered away a solid start as a middle-order collapse saw them reduced to 291 for 9 on the opening day of the first cricket Test against New Zealand despite half-centuries from Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara in Kanpur on Thursday.
Can 2018 top its predecessor in Sporting Glory?
Vernon Philander's brilliant all-round show played a major role in South Africa's recovery against India on the second day of the first Test.
'Of the 32 captains who have led India in Test cricket, only four have been pure bowlers -- Ghulam Ahmed, Venkatraghavan, Bishan Bedi and myself.' 'The captain must lead with only one idea in mind -- to win the game. The draw mentality is partly because captains lacked confidence and partly because they want to protect their record. If you don't think winning is the point of the game, there is little point in even entering the field.' 'As the Monekygate controversy raged, I received a message from Bishen Bedi, no stranger to controversies himself. "As a captain," he wrote, "take a decision you will be proud of when you look back on history".' Anil Kumble, cricketing legend, on the Art of Captaincy.
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