Chris Gayle blasted one of the fastest half-centuries in Test cricket history to steer the West Indies to an emphatic 10-wicket victory over New Zealand in the second Test in Trinidad on Friday.
Led by skipper Virat Kohli, the Indian Test squad sans opener Lokesh Rahul and coach Anil Kumble arrived in Kolkata along with the New Zealand team ahead of second cricket Test starting on Friday. Rahul has been ruled out of the match because of a hamstring injury while Kumble is slated to join the team on Wednesday morning ahead of their practice session at Eden Gardens in the afternoon, local manager said.
Ben Stokes provided the gloss and Joe Root the glue as England recovered from a terrible start to reach 354 for seven at the close on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's on Thursday.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who tormented the New Zealand batsmen with his five-for, said it was Kane Williamson's dismissal by R Ashwin in the morning session which proved to be a game-changer for the hosts. Ashwin bowled a peach of a delivery to clean bowl the Kiwi captain as India reduced the visitors from overnight 152 for one to 238 for five by lunch on day three of the first Test at Green Park.
Ahmed Shehzad hit a career-best 176 while Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq struck unbeaten centuries before Pakistan declared their first innings on 566 for 3 wickets in the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Out-of-favour India opener Gautam Gambhir feels spinners will decide the fate of the upcoming three-match Test series between India and New Zealand, starting in Kanpur on September 22.
? Australia's players feared another backlash from New Zealand fans after a contentious no ball decision went in their favour in the final over of the first day's play of the first Test on Friday.
Kane Williamson staged a fight-back along with opener Tom Latham (36), and Ross Taylor (26) as New Zealand reached 140 for 2 (42 overs) at close of play on Day 2 of the 2nd Test at the WACA in Perth on Saturday.
Pakistan are two wickets away from a comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the first Test after the tourists slumped to 174-8 in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between India and New Zealand in Kolkata, on Friday.
The Decision Review System was again mired in controversy on Saturday (November 28) during the second day's play between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide after Nathan Lyon was controversially given a reprieve off an appeal for a catch despite HotSpot clearly indicating an edge.
Joe Burns scored his maiden Test century and his opening partner David Warner his 14th as Australia finished the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in a dominant position on 264 for four with a lead of 503 runs on Saturday.
Martin Guptill has been recalled to the New Zealand Test squad for the two-match tour of England after the top-order batsman finished top scorer at the recent 50-over cricket World Cup.
India continued to enjoy the upperhand in the second and final Test against New Zealand despite a fighting unbeaten century from home team captain Brendon McCullum, who led a spirited fightback on an absorbing third day in Wellington on Sunday.
Opener David Warner put New Zealand's bowlers to the sword with a masterful 163 and Usman Khawaja scored his maiden Test century as Australia dominated the opening day of the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, on Thursday.
The fitness of Ben Stokes remains an issue. The all-rounder did not bowl in the first Test due to a back problem and could play again as a specialist batsman ahead of Vince.
Going by the nature of the pitch on eve of the three-day game, senior player Ross Taylor said he does not expect the ball to turn much at Kotla, but is aware it won't be the case in the three-Test series, starting in Kanpur on September 22.
Ahead of the India-New Zealand series, Rajneesh Gupta looks at the Black Caps' Test records.
Kumar Sangakkara completely changed the complexion of the second Test against New Zealand with an outstanding double century as the visitors finished the second day with a 113-run lead.
Picking up where he left off in the first Test in Brisbane, the opener scored 244 not out for his third century in three innings as the hosts dominated New Zealand's bowlers as ruthlessly as they had in the 208-run victory at the Gabba.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the top 5 players who helped India perform superbly in Tests in 2016.
Debutants Namibia got themselves out of a difficult situation in a low-scoring game to record a memorable four-wicket win over Scotland in their opening Super 12 match in the ICC T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights all the important numbers of the Australian team from World Cups.
Riding on Rohit Sharma's fluent 82, India emerged stronger in the battle of attrition against a gritty New Zealand to take complete control of the second cricket Test by grabbing a 339-run lead, on day three of the second Test at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
World Champions Australia thrashed India 4-0 to reclaim the Azlan Shah Cup hockey title in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Saturday.
With spin expected to have an impact on the outcome of the opening Test starting in Kanpur on Thursday, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is hoping that the lessons learnt during the World Twenty20 in India will help his side's spinners counter the hosts. New Zealand had reached the semi-finals of World T20 and Mitchel Santner (4/11 in 4 overs) had recorded the best figures for a Kiwi spinner in Twenty20s en route to their knock out stage appearance. Those figures had come for a winning cause against India in Nagpur and he was well supported by Ish Sodhi, who took three wickets in that match. These two spinners -- Santner and Sodhi -- will challenge the Indian batting line-up in this Test series.
With the semi-final spot assured, Pakistan might look to rest a few players and give others opportunities in the inconsequential match.
A formidable Indian cricket team is likely to revel in home conditions, as they prepare to host and dominate New Zealand in the first Test in Kanpur, from Thursday, heralding the beginning of a long 13-match home season.
England's bid to win the second Test against New Zealand and level up the series was hindered by bad light on Monday when play was abandoned early with the hosts 42 without loss chasing an unlikely 382 for victory.
The decision not to review a leg before wicket appeal on Australia's captain Steve Smith was the right one at the time as there was significant doubt from even people off the field, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has said.
India's Kohli, Rohit, Bumrah unmoved
The New Zealand innings provided the tenth instance in Test cricket history when four batsmen scored hundreds in the same innings.
Batting was a challenge on an atypical Eden Garden wicket said Ajinkya Rahane but also conceded that he and Cheteshwar Pujara were guilty of not making their partnership big enough.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shahryar Khan believes the Lahore Lions' successful participation in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20 will open the Indian Premier League doors for the country's players.
Neil Wagner claimed a five-wicket haul from a fiery spell of fast bowling as New Zealand reduced hosts Zimbabwe to 120 for eight at tea on day one of the first Test at Queen's Sports Club on Thursday.
India's chief coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday asserted that the team has not asked for a rank turner for the first Test beginning on Thursday besides saying that that focus this long home season will only be on cricket irrespective of the conditions. "It is the first match of the home series, I knew the first question would be about the pitch and also the last question," said Kumble ahead of the season opener, drawing an instant laughter from the packed press conference.
India's marauding cricket team will be aiming to reclaim the No 1 spot in ICC rankings when it takes on an unsettled New Zealand in the second Test starting, in Kolkata, on Friday.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara eye top 10 places while Ravindra Jadeja jumps to career-best third position among Test all-rounders.
IMAGES from the Day-Night Test, the first played between New Zealand and England at Auckland on Thursday
