Managing a draw from the brink of defeat would give India a psychological edge over England in the fifth and final Test, said head coach Gautam Gambhir.
'The quality of Bumrah is exceptional. What he has been able to do is just unbelievable so far'
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After hundreds upon hundreds of runs on flat tracks in the ongoing series so far, it took the green top at The Oval to finally produce the best day of the Indian summer, on the fifth and last Friday of the Test series.
Drawing on his own experience, Harbhajan recalled India's bold decision to field two spinners at Headingley in 2002, when he and Anil Kumble bagged 11 wickets between them on a green top.
With India conceding more than 600 runs for the first time since 2014, the case for including a wicket-taking spinner like Kuldeep Yadav is stronger than ever for the must-win fifth and final Test against England.
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is up and running in Beckenham, putting in the hard yards before the upcoming five high-stakes Tests against England, slated to kick off on June 20 at Headingley.
Led by Shubman Gill, a defiant India put on a mentally strong and technically disciplined response to keep the series alive with England 2-1 up. While there were plenty of positives to take forward, a few concerns continue to linger as the series heads to a decider at The Oval.
India's batting faltered under pressure as they suffered a 22-run defeat in the third Test against England, at Lord's.
Opener Ben Duckett hit the most defining century of his career, exposing an out-of-depth Indian attack as England comfortably chased down a tricky target of 371 to win the opening Test by five wickets.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff's three best performing players in all the 17 IPLs (2008-2024).
Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja were among the first ones to reach India.
'...I had to be disciplined, just stick to the basics'
India are yet to win a Test in Birmingham in nearly six decades -- boasting of a dismal record of seven losses and one draw in eight attempts.
Gill, Rahul, Pant and the irrepressible Yashasvi Jaiswal will now have a chance to script the next glorious chapter in Indian cricket.
The players from both teams waited for nearly two hours at the ground before the steady drizzle forced them to return to their team hotel.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party a clear winner in the Delhi assembly elections, meet the BJP aspirants for the chief minister's post.
With the emergence of their battery of fast bowlers, India have turned the tide at Lord's with two of their victories coming from their last three Tests -- in 2014 and 2021.
New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson said his side have every chance of derailing India in a major final once again.
Former India spinner R Ashwin has called for a shift away from the superstar culture prevalent in Indian cricket, urging for a more grounded approach.
Except in the IPL, the Australians have not had a good look at Varun Chakravarthy's bowling and that could spell trouble for Steve Smith and Co.
'Five spinners, Siraj ignored for Rana, and Jaiswal dropped. Brain-faded captain and coach combo!'
India's Head Coach Gautam Gambhir has seen both ends of the spectrum with high of Champions Trophy and low of six Test losses and he'll have tough choices to make once the new two-year cycle comes around with the new season.
Gambhir's tenure officially begins when India play three T20 internationals and three ODIs in Sri Lanka starting on Saturday in Pallekele.
Although India are playing a strong brand of 50-overs' cricket of late, they have some selection riddles to solve before they face Bangladesh in their opening match of the Champions Trophy.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes K L Rahul's impressive ODI form has cemented his position as the team's first-choice wicketkeeper.
With an aggressive mindset and intense training sessions, India looks set to make a powerful statement when they step onto the field, observes K R Nayar, the veteran cricket writer, from Dubai.
All eyes will be on Captain Shubman Gill and Coach Gautam Gambhir to lead the Indian Test team into a bold new era.
Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma ignore each other on match eve
'Players can apply for permission if they want their families to stay longer on tours.' 'The BCCI will make a decision as it sees fit.'
The Indian players went through a gruelling training session ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, starting next week.
'I will watch India's match against New Zealand with no tension -- just enjoy the cricket.'
Mystery spinner bowls in nets as India prep for three-match ODI series vs England.
'...whether he is a top player or not, it doesn't matter.' 'If I go by a player's name I won't be able to bowl at my best.' 'For me he is just a batter, and my only focus is where I need to land the ball.'
The Indian team will have a five-day training camp in Chennai ahead of the Test series.
It has become difficult for Ashwin to be even considered in the present scenario.
'The stakes are too high and it would have been a complete embarrassment had Bumrah broken down in a match.'
Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday dismissed concerns surrounding Indian batters' recent struggle against quality spin bowling, saying that the line-up has enough firepower to take on the best in the world.
'When it comes to selection or the Australia series, I think more about where I can get opportunities rather than whether I deserve a place.'
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