Harish Kotian/Rediff.com explains why skipper Virat Kohli is backing his opening batsman to carry on the good form in the next two Tests of the series.
While Shastri in his inimitable manner was clear that YoYo test is here to stay, Kohli said that one should look at it as a "hard call" that benefits the team rather than being emotional.
India's batting megastars will be desperate to clear the cobwebs from their head in pursuit of a second successive World Test Championship final berth as they take on Australia in the series-deciding fourth Test in Ahmedabad from Thursday.
India's cricketers will barely have a week's respite after the conclusion of the ongoing Indian Premier League, as they will leave for Bangladesh in the first week of June for a one-off Test and three-match One-Day International series.
Ramiz Raja part of ICC working group formed to review cricket in Afghanistan
Sachin Tendulkar heaped lavish praise on Virat Kohli after the Indian captain slammed a record-breaking double century in the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Hyderabad.
Gautam Gambhir yet again made a scathing attack on former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi and Chetan Chauhan for trying to block Navdeep Saini's entry in the Delhi Ranji team after the fast bowler made an impressive debut for the country in the first T20 International against the West Indies on Saturday.
The trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav were almost unplayable in the two matches.
Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim said they have improved "individually as well as a team" over the last few years and gave his side a 50-50 chance in the one-off Test against India starting in Fatullah from Wednesday.
Rahmat Shah became the first cricketer from Afghanistan to score a century in Test cricket, during the one-off Test against Bangladesh, in Chattogram on Thursday.
It will be the first Test appearance in almost two years for the 33-year-old, who had taken time off from the longer version of game while continuing to dominate bowlers in limited overs.
Vettori has not been a part of any Day/Night Test but he feels batting during the twilight period will be challenging.
Usman Khawaja hit an unbeaten century to give Australia the upper hand on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test against India in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
India were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 231 in the first innings, in the opening session on Day 3, of the one-off women's Test against England in Bristol, on Friday.
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Wednesday.
Great players have the knack of conquering the odds, and on Sunday Kohli crossed a major hurdle with the fighting spirit of a champion.
The root cause was trying to play defensive game even when he felt set.
Shafali smashed 96 in the first innings and made 63 in the second innings, to become the youngest woman and fourth overall to score twin half-centuries in her debut Test
Harbhajan Singh surpasses Wasim Akram's Test scalps to climb to 9th in list.
West Indies spinner Fabian Allen on Wednesday moved into the top 10 of the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after featuring in his team's fine showing in the ongoing five-match series against Australia.
Correct decision was made: Ponting on Green's catch to dismiss Gill
With KL Rahul struggling to find his form, the Irani Cup can help Mayank Agarwal find his way back into the national team.
CA said it was disappointed with broadcaster's comments and would deliver a 'full and compelling summer of cricket'.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer got his maiden Test call up as he was included in England's squad for the Ashes series opener against Australia.
India head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday said the ICC World Test Championship final should be a best-of-three affair in the long run and not a one-off match like his side is set to play against New Zealand in the inaugural edition.
The West Indies team has been based in India for the last one month
Taskin Ahmed said that on a flat track like the one on offer, in Hyderabad, a bowler needs to adopt a patient approach and wait for the batsmen to make mistakes.
The four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy that promises a lot of twists and turns, engrossing sub-plots and probably career-defining performances.
If Australia win all four Tests against India, and South Africa beat Pakistan 3-0, then South Africa will take over the No. 1 spot, ahead of Australia by a fraction of a point.
Bangladesh's seasoned cricketer Shakib Al Hasan said his side would like to put its best foot forward in the upcoming one-off Test against world number one India.
'To be fair to curators, they hardly got time to prepare the wicket. They had a Ranji season here and it was pretty late that it was decided the game will be shifted from Dharamsala. They did not get enough time.'
Bangladesh closed to within 263 runs of victory at stumps on day four of the one-off test match against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club
Medical seats for under-graduates and post-graduates remaining vacant in the NEET era, together with the Centre 'freezing' the number of medical colleges and seats in (Dravidian) Tamil Nadu and the launch of the PM's 'Vishwakarma Scheme' for the nation's craftsmen, are all seen as a bid to further reverse the state's progressive socio-economic agenda of and its achievements of the past hundred-plus years, argues N Sathiya Moorthy.
Factbox on the four-Test series between India and Australia, which starts at Pune on Thursday:
The team's remarkable rise has been cricket's biggest fairytale story in recent times but Afghanistan risk isolation following the country's takeover by the Taliban in August.
According to reports, Mahmud held talks with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and decided to carry on for the upcoming series against India.
'Rahane has so much experience, he shared them with us, offered us tips on how to bat'
West Indies dropped Bravo for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in November and Holding reckoned the England tour was a missed opportunity for the top-order batsman trying to revive his stop-start career.
England have recalled Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's next week, but paceman Jimmy Anderson misses out with a shoulder injury. Uncapped Middlesex seamer Roland-Jones Ball was named in their 12-man squad, announced on Thursday.
India captain Virat Kohli was the star attraction at the BCCI Annual Awards function as he received the prestigious Polly Umrigar Trophy (Cricketer of the Year) award for two consecutive seasons.
