India made a promising start by taking a first-half lead but its defence fell apart later as the team lost the fourth hockey Test 1-5 to Australia and conceded an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series, in Adelaide, on Saturday.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh's brace went in vain as India lost 4-5 to Australia in the final game and handed the five-Test hockey series 1-4 to the world No. 1 side, in Adelaide, on Sunday.
Will Mohammed Shami open the bowling for India in Asia Cup?
Former Australia captain Ponting believes Australian players are more suited to English conditions and will have more of an edge than India.
Pakistan legend Wasim Akram said the Indian fast bowling unit should not get 'carried away' with the new ball.
Blake Govers slammed a hat-trick as Australia routed India 7-4 in a high-scoring second hockey Test in Adelaide on Sunday.
IMAGES from the first Test played between South Africa and India in Centurion on Tuesday
The Indian cricket team think-tank's urge to play more all-rounders in recent years has got a lot to do with the current crop of top-order batters not rolling their arms over unlike some of their illustrious seniors from the bygone era.
A desperate India seek to restore parity against South Africa and remain consequential in the World Test Championship.
It is very difficult not to respect Mohmmed Shami for his mastery over his craft.
Tendulkar also felt that Leach doesn't vary his pace a lot which will be required on tracks offer turn.
Images from Day 4 of the first Test between Bangladesh and India, in Chottogram, on Saturday.
'A Dukes ball is still good quality, Kookaburra is still good quality. Whatever limitations a Kookaburra might have (seam goes flat), the quality is never compromised'
India and Bangladesh will play their first-ever Day/Night Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata beginning on Friday.
Images from the ICC Men's ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday, October 14.
Five of the Australian goals were field efforts while three were from the penalty corners. Australia earned eight PCs as against five of the South Africans.
India's lone goal came from the sticks of Dilpreet Singh in the 34th minute.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav registered his career-best match figures as India quickly wrapped up Bangladesh's second innings for a comprehensive 188-run win in the first Test.
Siraj's elevation as a Test bowler has happened in the wake of some great performances for Hyderabad and India A at the first-class level.
With the WTC final set to get underway shortly after the IPL, India skipper Rohit Sharma said the players' workloads will be closely monitored.
"If we would have ended the day at 4 or even 5 wickets, things would have been better. I still feel if we get 350 in the first innings, it will be a good score on this track as there is a turn (on offer) and we have three spinners.
Conway, who is among the three uncapped players in the 20-man squad, feels the camp back home in Lincoln ahead of the tour was ideal. New Zealand play with the Kookaburra at home.
'We had two good practice sessions, actually four, but two with pink ball -- one during the day and one under lights. It was actually exciting'
Akashdeep equalised for India in the 11th minute after Hardik Singh made a wonderful interception to create the opportunity.
Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik believes the time is ripe for Ravichandran Ashwin to make his first appearance of the series in he fourth Test at The Kia Oval, commencing Thursday.
Australia has by far been the most dominant team in CWG, winning all six golds till date.
Ahead of the WTC Final next month, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting opened up on India and Australia's chances for the big game.
'Rahane has so much experience, he shared them with us, offered us tips on how to bat'
India bounced back in style to beat title holders Australia 3-1 via a shoot-out after both the teams were locked 2-2 at the end of regulation time.
Australia scored the first goal of the game in the first quarter, having started the final on a dominating note.
In order to raise the ever dwindling number of spectators in the stadium, the BCCI is all set to host its first-ever Day/Night cricket Test with pink ball when New Zealand tour India later this year. "We have decided that we will play one Day/Night Test match with pink ball against New Zealand later this year. Before that Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the Day/Night Test match," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur told a select gathering of mediapersons at the BCCI's headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. Thakur said that the main objective of the Duleep Trophy will be to check how the pink kookaburra behaves under the light in sub-continental conditions. "While we have not zeroed in on the venue, there are lots of factors that need to be taken into account. Things like dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink kookaburra on Indian pitches. These things we will get an idea during the Duleep Trophy," said Thakur.
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The Kookaburras had pulled ahead twice in the game, thanks to goals by Tom Wickham, but the Netherlands managed to equalise through goals by Mink van der Weerden and Jeroen Hertzberger.
On Saturday, in the second T20 International against England at Edgbaston, he was at his best, taking three wickets for 15 runs as India outclassed England by 49 runs to seal the three-match series after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
'Under lights, with the late swing, it is challenging for batsmen'
As the 16th edition of the glitzy Indian Premier League is set to unfold, let's take a look at the driving force of the T20 league and what's in store in this edition.
'In Australia, you will get extra bounce but there will only be lateral movement till the kookaburra seam doesn't flatten. It won't be like England where the ball swings all day. Once you get adjusted to the bounce, batsmen can hit you all day'
In hockey, the women's team continued its inspiring run with a silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
