From Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah's high-stakes chess match to the all-round brilliance of Ben Stokes vs Ravindra Jadeja, and from emerging face-offs like Shubman Gill vs Shoaib Bashir to K L Rahul's test against Chris Woakes, each duel carries weight far beyond statistics.
'They can't afford to go 2-0 down so you want your best bowler.'
Ravindra Jadeja continues to reign supreme at the top of the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings for all-rounders, but his lead has narrowed following a stellar performance from Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Rahane lauded Gill's temperament under pressure, especially after India had lost the opening Test.
'There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop'
Rachin Ravindra was thrilled after being bought by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 1.80 crore
India lost the first Test on Tuesday at Leeds as the hosts chased down a stiff 371 on the final day courtesy a brilliant 149 by opener Ben Duckett.
Barring Jasprit Bumrah, who got five wickets in England's first innings, none of the other bowlers looked penetrative as the hosts chased down a target of 371 with minimum fuss.
Indian players mourn Ahmedabad airplane crash victims before intra-squad match
India crushed England by 336 runs to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday
Standout catches from the CSK vs DC games in Chennai...
With Jasprit Bumrah crafting chances by the dozen, a spate of dropped sitters, including three by Yashasvi Jaiswal, handed England a lifeline and drew scathing remarks from Stuart Broad and Sunil Gavaskar.
This was India's seventh defeat in their last nine matches as their poor run in Test cricket continues following successive series defeats against New Zealand at home and in Australia.
If series is on the line and Bumrah is fit, he has to play: Ian Bell
Engineer surprised by Kuldeep's omission from 1st Test, says he should be playing all matches
"We will have an advantage...": BCCI VP Shukla on India's new-look squad for England tour
'His hands are quite sore. We want to get his confidence back up.'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided the flourish at the end as Chennai Super Kings outclassed Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets to break their run of losses.
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.
Gujarat Titans will be aiming for a top-two spot even as Chennai Super Kings continue planning for the future when the two teams meet in the Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
As Team India gear up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting on Friday, several players in the squad will draw confidence from their county cricket experience.
While it's a do-or-die game for KKR, who must win all their remaining three matches to stay in playoffs contention, the match will be more about celebrating Dhoni's legacy than the result.
Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, visitors eye spin boost at Edgbaston.
Maharashtra's elite Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a Thane-based junior engineer on charges of spying, alleging that he provided sensitive defence information to a Pakistani intelligence operative who honey-trapped him online, officials said on Thursday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday
Shubman Gill played a masterful captain's knock with his second century of the series on the opening day of the second Test
Rachin Ravindra's blistering century against South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final, his fifth in just 13 ICC ODI innings, places him among cricket's elite.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in New Delhi, on Tuesday.
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.
India outclassed New Zealand by four wickets to win their third Champions Trophy title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
It's evident that this Indian attack, even without Bumrah, has oodles of quality in it, but can they refocus on their lengths?
Siraj's six-wicket haul helps India stay ahead on bizarre day three of the second Test against England at Edgbaston.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy second Semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs by an Indian in England. Virat Kohli holds the record for most wins by an Indian captain in England.
A clinical Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) thrashed a completely disoriented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Chennai on Friday.
A struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be aiming to break their losing streak when they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. CSK are currently ninth in the standings with one win and four losses, while KKR are in sixth position with two wins and three defeats. The home team will be hoping to turn around their fortunes at Chepauk, which has not been as advantageous this season as it has been in the past. CSK will need to adapt to the changed conditions and rely on their spinners to perform well at a venue where they have traditionally dominated. Meanwhile, KKR will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Lucknow Super Giants and secure a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
In a big blow to the Indian team, the hosts will miss Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul for the second Test against England.
As the asking rate spiralled to 17 in the last four overs, Conway was swapped for Ravindra Jadeja.
The BJP accused Rahul of insulting the armed forces with his "surrender" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances