Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, on Saturday.
Images from Day 3 in the second Test between India and New Zealand, in Mumbai on Sunday.
Images from Day 5 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park in Kanpur, on Monday.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami gave an exhibition of high-quality fast bowling on Saturday, on Day 2 of India's warm-up match against New Zealand XI, sending a warning signal for the home team ahead of first Test in Wellington.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead on Friday said beating India in Tests at home in spin-friendly conditions was "one of world cricket's greatest challenges" and he has no illusion about how tough it would be to face Virat Kohli's men in the upcoming tour.
'I will count myself as fortunate. I thank God to have (got) this opportunity but it was about putting the ball at good areas for a long period of time.' Ajaz Patel also said he is content with his choice of switching to spin bowling after initially wanting to be a pace bowler.
Unseasonable rain in Mumbai has also meant that both teams have not been able to practise outdoors since Wednesday and the weather conditions could have an impact on the team selection, according to Kohli.
Ishant Sharma's lack of rhythm can be attributed to lack of game time and it would take a couple of Test matches for him to get back into the groove, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said.
New Zealand's three-pronged attack could spell trouble for India on a spiced-up track and Will Somerville, who played a gutsy knock in Kanpur, might have to sit out.
New Zealand last toured Pakistan in 2003 for a white-ball series and since then have avoided touring the country because of security reasons.
Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday went past Harbhajan Singh to become the third highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket, reaching the mark in his 80th match.
Debutant Shreyas Iyer was guts, aggression and flair rolled into one during an unbeaten knock of 75, which was nothing short of a baptism by fire, as India ended on 258 for four on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur on Thursday.
Two more failures in two home games could effectively mean end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane, who is leading India in the first Test in Kanpur, starting on Thursday.
Prithvi Shaw smashed 48 off 35 balls to lay the foundation for India's chase.
The visitors were 38 for one in 14 overs at the draw of stumps on day three. Ravikumar Samarth (27 not out) and Ankit Bawne (5 not out) were on the crease after Abhimanyu Easwaran was dismissed in the seventh over.
Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer grabbed their chances with centuries, but seniors like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma had a forgettable series.
a red-ball warm-up game will be the most welcome distraction for Virat Kohli and his men as a precursor to the two-match Test series starting next week.
Rahul Dravid-coached India recorded a five-wicket victory over Pakistan on the final day of the warm-up matches on Monday ahead of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016, which starts in Bangladesh, on Wednesday.
Afghanistan registered a thumping 202 runs victory over New Zealand to move into the Super League semi-finals of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Christchurch on Thursday.
Prithvi Shaw, Jason Sangha and Mujeeb Zadran are among the cricketers whose performances will be watched keenly in the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant smashed his way into the record books with a 24-ball 78 as India colts gave Nepal a rude reality check by handing them a seven-wicket hammering to finish their league engagements unbeaten in the ICC U-19 World Cup in Mirpur on Monday.
