Sachin Tendulkar has called it a "perfect recipe for disaster". Now India pacer Umesh Yadav has condemned the use of two new balls in One-day Internationals, saying it is killing the art of reverse swing while putting fast bowlers at great disadvantage.
The Indian bowling was a pleasant surprise in the recent World Cup but a bigger pool of genuine fast bowlers and spinners needs to be created for the team to be a consistent force in the future, feels the legendary Erapalli Prasanna.
Former Australia batsman Simon Katich said Australian batsmen did not apply themselves after getting starts in the just concluded Test series, that led to their downfall.
Sanju Samson registered the first century of IPL-12 but ended up on the losing side as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets, in Hyderabad, on Friday.
Images from the first T20 International between India and New Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday.
Do you feel Dhoni should bring in all-rounder Dhawan for Jadeja, or strengthen the pace attack by playing Ishant? Select your Indian team for the second match against Australia, in Brisbane, on Friday, January 15.
In a series in which, batsmen have dominated the bowlers with an unprecedented 3159 runs being scored, including 11 centuries hit by batters of both sides in the five one-day internationals. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah seems to have answered captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's distress call in the fifth and final ODI at Sydney. Conceding only 40 runs for his 2 wickets off his full quota of 10 overs, Bumrah impressed with his pace and discipline especially in the death overs, when Australia posted a mammoth 331-run target. But, was it sheer luck that led to the surprise debut of this 22-year-old fast bowler from Gujarat? As per reports, Bumrah- picked only for the T20I series in Australia was supposed to travel with the rest of players in the squad for shortest format and join rest of the team in Adelaide- the venue for first T20I. But due to unavailability of tickets, the Board of Cricket Control in India had to send Bumrah to Sydney.
Jolted by the loss to Australia in their opening match, India will look to plug its bowling loopholes and ensure a stronger batting display when they take on England in their second ODI tri-series match in Brisbane on Tuesday. Both sides will be looking to register their first victory in the tournament, the hosts having stolen a march on them with two successive wins.
Rubbishing the speculations that all is not well in Indian dressing room, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that these imaginary stories that have come out could be made into a movie by Warner brothers.
A vintage Yuvraj Singh blasted a quickfire half-century to help champions Sunrisers Hyderabad outclass Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 in the opening match of the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
Saurashtra left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat has been recalled, while India also have three first-timers in Washington Sundar, Basil Thampi and Deepak Hooda for the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka.
It will be another test for the Indian batsmen if the hosts have to bat first in a must-win contest, in Wednesday's second ODI in Mohali.
Pace spearhead Trent Boult led the way with three wickets after David Warner's brisk half-century laid the foundation as Sunrisers Hyderabad recorded a 20-run win over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League in Mohali, on Monday.
Jasprit Bumrah is of the view that the pitches in England used for white ball cricket are the "flattest tracks" he has ever bowled on, as there is rarely any movement in the air or off the pitch. The pacer, one of the most important components in India's set-up, busted the myth about English conditions and tracks during an interaction with the media in Southampton on Thursday.
Sunil Narine and Kuldeep Yadav sizzled with the ball as two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders rode on its spin attack to advance into the play-offs of the ongoing Indian Premier League with a 22-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar feels that Ishant Sharma should step up in a leadership role as the bowling unit has the skill set and ability to take 20 Australian wickets in the third Test starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Having returned to the team after recovering from injury, Sunrisers Hyderabad seamer Ashish Nehra confessed that he was a bit "rusty" against Rising Pune Supergiants, but expressed confidence of getting better as he plays more games in the ongoing IPL tournament.
With Jadeja almost clinching victory with a boundary and Khaleel Ahmed scampering home for his life to tie the scores, only a single was all that was required off two deliveries.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present the Most Valuable Player Index of the just-concluded three-match series between India and Zimbabwe.
Images from Monday's IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab, in Hyderabad.
In the end, it turned out to be a nightmare with dark clouds hovering over the future of this Indian team and no sign of 'VIBGYOR' in the Rainbow Nation.
Duncan Fletcher handled the toughest transition phase in Indian cricket post the retirement of stalwarts and he should be given due credit for shaping the pace attack of the current team, former England opener Nick Compton said.
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner credited his bowlers and fielders for the comfortable 22-run victory over two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL Eliminator, in Delhi, on Wednesday.
Team India manager Arshad Ayub, speaking exclusively to Rediff.com's Manu Shankar, says he won't be surprised if India does well on the upcoming tour of Australia.
I don't think there is any upcoming bowler in the fray who is capable of bowling 140-plus regularly, says Ishant Sharma.
India's bench strength will be tested when a second string team takes on Zimbabwe.
'Unless Indian bowlers work with the correct information, the right mindset and the learning that encourages pace and accuracy together, they won't be able to maximise their talent,' says English bowling coach Ian Pont.
It would be interesting to see whether the selectors repose faith in veteran Gautam Gambhir, who made a half-century in the second innings of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Indore, if KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan are both passed fit to play.
Delhi Daredevils will have to learn from the mistakes made in the previous game against table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mohali on Thursday
India's batsmen have gone about their job efficiently, posting big totals on the board but the bowlers have been ordinary at best, allowing the hosts to chase down those tall scores in each of the first three ODIs of the five-match series.
Fresh from his good showing for India 'A' during their recent tour of Australia, paceman Umesh Yadav revealed that his Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Wasim Akram helped him get his yorkers right and he is now keen to use the toe-crushers against England batsmen in the limited overs series.
IPL-11 was a smashing success. Superstars like Kane Williamson, M S Dhoni, Rashid Khan shone. New stars like Rishabh Pant, Andrew Tye were born. Rediff.com/Harish Kotian draws up his dream team.
An unassailable lead has opened up the window for experimentation but there will be no letup in India's intensity when they face a heartbroken New Zealand team in the fourth T20 International, in Wellington, on Friday. Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant are waiting for opportunities, with the former expected to get a look-in. Pant's call-up would depend on which batsman is left out, and whether KL Rahul will continue to keep wickets.
'India have a good bunch of fast bowlers.' 'Umesh is doing really well and so are Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant.'
Ashish Nehra produced a sensational spell of pace bowling after Shikhar Dhawan shone with the bat with a scintillating unbeaten 82 as Sunrisers Hyderabad spanked Mumbai Indians by 85 runs in a lopsided IPL match in Visakhapatnam.
A freak heel injury that was supposed to heal in three and half weeks took three and half months but Varun Aaron is back again raring to unleash his 140 plus thunderbolts as he gears up for another comeback to the India team.
A second-string India just about managed to survive an embarrassing defeat at the hands of a fighting Zimbabwe as the visitors huffed and puffed to a narrow four-run win to take 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series in Harare.
After their below par showing in the World Cup, some senior Indian players are living on borrowed time.
With India being outplayed in the Twenty20s, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni will face added pressure to perform and lead India from the front against a formidable South African unit in the five-match ODI cricket series starting in Kanpur on Sunday.