IMAGES from the Champions Trophy final played between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Opener Mayank Agarwal described the Basin Reserve wicket as 'tricky', adding it was very difficult to negotiate for India's batsmen on Day 1 of the first Test against New Zealand, in Wellington, on Friday.
After losing the 50 overs World Cup to England in a controversial contest two years ago, New Zealand -- a country of just 5.1 million people -- finally won its first world silverware in cricket. Arguably, the biggest trophy of them all. The World Test Championship.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead expected India would be more competitive in the second match in Christchurch.
Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Rachin Ravindra and Hamish Rutherford were released from the initial 20 player squad.
New Zealand steam roll England in third T20I
New Zealand wrapped up a record innings and 134-run victory over West Indies before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test in Hamilton on Sunday after finally breaking a rearguard action from Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph.
Virat Kohli is intense and aggressive on the field but off it he is nice and welcoming, according to his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate New Zealand pacer Kyle Jameison. The lanky pacer said the Indian skipper is extremely passionate about winning.
Saini's 76-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja kept India in pursuit of a 274-run target but the former's dismissal crushed team's hopes.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between New Zealand and India in Christchurch on Saturday.
Disappointed by the performance of India's seam trio, some Indian cricket fans made Bhuvi a trending topic, discussing just how much and why Team India is missing his services in this all-important WTC final.
Mayank Agarwal scored his fourth Test half-century as India inched to 78-2 at tea on the third day of Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. The visitors, who had not lost any of their seven previous International Cricket Council World Test Championship matches, were 144-4 at the close of play at the Basin Reserve, still 39 runs behind and staring at their potential first defeat.
Former Australian captain, Ian Chappell, one of the game's biggest analysts for many years now, believes India has been well served by fast bowlers such as Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
Agarkar said Team India has always found out ways to emerge victorious even in crunch situations.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Saturday was added to Surrey's squad for the County Championship fixture against Somerset, starting on July 11 at the Oval in London.
'You want someone like an X-factor, like Maxwell, and at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where it's flat and small, so he can have that impact.'
Images from Day 6 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Wednesday.
New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a Test series in nearly a century of trying and will rarely have a better chance to break that drought than in two matches against a severely depleted side starting on Sunday.
Images from Wednesday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and SunRisers Hyderabad, in Chennai.
Ashwin's lone victim was Tom Lammonby (42), who was bowled by the veteran India spinner.
With the ball still in play and Mushfiqur 'wilfully' pushing the ball away, he had to be sent back to the dressing room after scoring 35 off 83 balls.
They pushed themselves hard to win the title and it was only fair that the newly-crowned world Test champions New Zealand pushed the 'boat out a little bit' more while celebrating their momentous triumph before heading back home.
New Zealand's debutant pacer Kyle Jamieson says with his height, he "can afford to go a fraction fuller", especially at the Basin Reserve which has extra bounce.
Virat Kohli's top-ranked team, with 360 points in its kitty, is certainly the favourite on paper but the Black Caps under Kane Williamson are experts at wearing down opposition with their patience
When New Zealander Daryl Mitchell was bought for a whopping Rs 14 crore by Chennai Super Kings during the IPL auction, he was wrapping presents for his daughter's birthday at his home and his heartbeat increased when his name popped up on the screen.
Images from the IPL match between Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Chennai.
Rahul Dravid gave Green Park's groundstaff, led by Shiv Kumar, Rs 35,000 for preparing a sporting pitch for the first Test against New Zealand.
Williamson, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner, along with the team physiotherapist, were unable to secure an exemption to travel to Britain until May 11 so will remain in New Delhi until then.
Joe Root scored his fastest Test century while Ollie Pope struck a superb 145, as England launched a stirring fightback to reach 473/5 at the close of play on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand on Sunday.
Sehwag took a funny jibe at the ICC for hosting the World Test Championship final in the UK
Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme made themselves unavailable for selection due to the prospect of further time in bio-secure bubbles and Managed Isolation.
Royal Challengers Bangalore would look to build on the momentum when they take on a struggling Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League match in Dubai on Wednesday.
Trent Boult revealed his gameplan against Kohli after third day's play
Virat Kohli's split second indiscretion became his undoing as he went for a needless pull-shot to a well-disguised short ball.
Shubman Gill feels that bad light robbed them of a chance to have a crack at Ross Taylor
New Zealand World Cup campaign on shaky ground as losses, injuries pile up
Pace spearhead Trent Boult has been omitted from the white-ball squad a few months after being released from his national contract.
The 31-year-old Williamson also sat out the two-Test home series against Bangladesh last month due to the niggling elbow issue.
But with the Kiwis set to play a total of 14 Tests during the current cycle, Mitchell knows his side have plenty of work ahead before they think about a potential place in the World Test Championship final at Lord's in the middle of 2025.
Aaron Finch scored 79 from 55 balls to propel Australia to a 50-run win over New Zealand in the fourth Twenty20 and level the five-match series 2-2