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.
India head into the third Test with momentum after dampening Australia's Christmas cheer with a dominant eight-wicket win in the second match in Melbourne.
Under pressure to retain his place in the Test XI, Cheteshwar Pujara overshadowed Rohit Sharma by scoring a solid hundred as India Blue made full use of a placid track to amass 362/3 against India Red on the first day of the Duleep Trophy final in Greater Noida.
Young opener Shubman Gill and pacer Mohammed Siraj will make their Test debuts in the second Boxing Day Test against Australia, starting in Melbourne, on Saturday.
Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten hundred but India captain Virat Kohli believes it was Tom Latham's 48-ball 69 that took away the momentum from his side in the high-scoring first ODI against New Zealand, in Hamilton, on Wednesday. After being whitewashed 5-0 in the T20I series, New Zealand returned to winning ways with a splendid four-wicket victory that gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Mumbai Indians have an eight-match winning streak against Kolkata Knight Riders with an overall 18-5 head-to-head record.
Rahane repeated his answers in a loop which was all about 'playing to your strengths and backing each other'.
Their play-off chances hanging by a thread, Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Mumbai Indians with a prayer on their lips in a must-win Indian Premier League game for them on Sunday.
The 28-year-old all-rounder figures prominently in India's World Cup plans. Shankar has showed that he is a capable batsman, having scored 45 off 64 deliveries in a match-winning 98-run stand with Ambati Rayudu after the top-order collapse in the final ODI in New Zealand.
India Red entered the final of the Duleep Trophy after the rain-affected game against India Blue ended in a draw with entire fourth day's play being washed out due to inclement weather and wet outfield. With only 78.2 overs of play possible through out the entire four days, both teams got a point each and Yuvraj Singh's 'Red' team with seven points from two games ensured that they are through for the summit clash.
Rohit Sharma will certainly leave a gaping hole at the top of the order, something that skipper Virat Kohli wouldn't have fancied at the onset of a gruelling two-month tour.
The Indian team management released pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar besides all-rounder Gurkeerat Singh Mann from the Test squad to enable them to play their next Ranji Trophy matches for their respective state sides on Saturday.
Rohit Sharma will lead a second string Indian team, comprising leading performers in domestic (Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 and IPL) tournaments, for the Twenty20 tri-series in Sri Lanka, starting March 6. S hikhar Dhawan will be his deputy in the side that has as many as six changes.
>With 40 out of 70 IPL 2022 games completed, the crucial playoff spots are slowly starting to take shape. Shailesh Karkera finds out how teams may fare in the crucial second half of IPL 2022.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 34.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Match 25.
Rohit made a return to the Indian team for the Pink Test to be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground
590 cricketers -- including 370 Indian players and 220 overseas players -- will go under the hammer during the two-day mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13.
The West Indies A top-order put up a gutsy show to force a draw despite another five-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem as India A won the unofficial three-'Test' series 2-0.
Ayodhya is decked up for the bhoomi pujan that will be attended at the Ram Janmabhoomi by 175 people, who figure in a select guest list of seers and politicians topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This was Shorey's highest first-class score in 45 matches, with his previous best being 145. The double-century will do more good to his already healthy batting average of 48.49.
The variety in Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowling attack will pose a few tricky questions for Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will fight for survival when they lock horns in the Indian Premier League in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
It is an perfect stage for India's mercurial skipper Virat Kohli, who loves to bring his A game to the fore when the chips are down.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh, in Indore.
India gets new face in pace attack
The India team sent out a message saying Ashwin was after all to be included in the squad and a decision on whether he played would not be made until the first morning of the match on Thursday.
Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun had a close look at the pitch which wore a dry look, indicating that it would have something for the spinners.
On the other hand, the Royals have managed to win only one of their three fixtures. They lost to Chennai Super Kings in their previous match to slip down to the sixth spot. Sanju Samson and his men will be eyeing a second win.
Rajasthan Royals may need to rejig their Indian line-up slightly when they try to pull their IPL campaign out of the current rot against a supremely confident Mumbai Indians,
Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers hit half-centuries to overshadow Chris Gayle's unbeaten 99 as Royal Challengers finally snapped their six-match losing streak with a eight-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab.
Prithvi Shaw smashed 48 off 35 balls to lay the foundation for India's chase.
Rohit Sharma continued his sensational run as the Test opener with his third hundred of the series, allowing India to regain control of the proceedings after a top-order collapse on Day 1 of the third and final Test against South Africa.
Heads rolled in the Chhattisgarh police administration on Tuesday with the government suspending Bastar Superintendent of Police Mayank Shrivasta and shunting out Bastar range Inspector General of Police Himanshu Gupta, in the wake of the Maoist attack on Congress leaders.
There will certainly be some distinct home advantage for Australia along with the experience of playing more Day/Night Tests.
The mighty Mumbai Indians have been the team to beat in IPL history and the Sri Lankan great says they have worked hard on building a "culture of success".
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test?
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle list IPL 2020's 50 Most Valuable Players up to Game 46.
Among those who impressed were Shubhman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant.
Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore have won only three games out of 10 in IPL-12 so far.
