Edgbaston pitch, which stages the third Ashes Test next week, is almost like "jelly" after 12 days of non-stop rain in Birmingham, says groundsman Steve Rouse.
The Indian cricket squad had a rigorous training session at the Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham on Monday, with left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha turning up at the nets after joining the team as Harbhajan Singh's replacement.
After several losses in the early years of the new century, a resurgent India notched up two consecutive series wins in Australia to become the Aussies' nemesis.
David Warner made 34 in what is likely to be his penultimate innings in the long form of cricket as Australia reached 116 for two on the rain-disrupted second day of the third Test against Pakistan on Thursday.
India were 36 for one at stumps, with debutant Shubman Gill 28 not out and Cheteshwar Pujara on seven after the loss of opener Mayank Argarwal for a duck, after dismissing Australia for 195.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Hardik Pandya's late cameo and half-century from opener Shikhar Dhawan helped India outclass Australia by six wickets in a high-scoring thriller in the second T20 International to seal the T20 series 2-0, in Sydney, on Sunday.
In the cold light of defeat and without Smith's large shadow, Australia's batsmen have nowhere to hide and most head to Old Trafford in dire form.
Retiring South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis was given a guard of honour by the Indian players as he walked out to bat in the second and final Test at Kingsmead in Durban.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the Wimbledon Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on Friday.
Under-pressure Australia batsman Usman Khawaja is "frustrated" after failing to convert a number of starts in the Ashes series but insists his batting is in a good place as he looks for form in the tour match against Derbyshire on Thursday.
Images from Day 2 of the 4th Ashes Test played at the MCG in Melbourne on Wednesday
Images from Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
A good deal of the 92nd Academy Awards (going hostless second year in a row) was a drag what with a staggeringly dull red carpet, long-winded, lacklustre speeches and uneven live acts following too quickly one after another.
Lokesh Rahul hit his maiden century, Virat Kohli his fourth of the series but Australia's Shane Watson hit back with two wickets in as many balls to leave India on 342 for five after the third day of the fourth Test on Thursday.
The 86th Annual Academy Awards have been announced. Here's a quick glance at the winners.
Take a look back at the two politicos over the years.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
England and New Zealand have both had to ride out the storm to make this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final. It has been far from smooth sailing for either side, but in the end it is Kane Williamson and Eoin Morgan's side who have emerged on top, and deservedly so.
Check out the images from the second semi-final between Australia and India at the ICC World Cup at the Sydney Cricket, on Thursday.
Fancied France kicked off their campaign on a rousing note, inflicting a 7-1 humiliation on debutants New Caledonia in a Group E match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Guwahati.
Making their second Under-17 World Cup appearance, Iraq have been the surprise package of the proverbial 'group of death' as they are well placed to advance to the knockout stage following a spirited 1-1 draw against two-time champions Mexico, and a 3-0 rout of Latin American giants Chile.
India would look to reignite the spark and keep themselves afloat in the ODI cricket tri-series when they take on an unbeaten Australia in Sydney.
Australian opener David Warner on Tuesday said that a good pitch coupled with India's poor bowling and fielding helped Australia.
Steve Smith scored a brilliant century to help Australia knock out defending champions India and set up a mouth-watering final against neighbours New Zealand, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on Thursday.
'This is the first of (ideally) many superhero films that will appeal to those who aren't already besotted by the comics and the characters,' says Raja Sen after watching Captain America.
'This has been an ongoing process,' says Ambassador B S Prakash, India's former consul general in San Francisco, 'but I believe a Modi visit to the West Coast can be a force-multiplier.'
From developing the right partnerships to employing strategies that help you to turn the game in your favour, the world of sports is full of lessons for your life and career.