'Looking at the Indian team, that (inexperienced bowling attack) is an area we are going to take advantage of just like I suppose, you look at opposing teams and at areas, which you can take advantage of'
The 3-0 series win against the West Indies could be called a precursor and the real battle begins now against Quinton de Kock's Proteas who are also in the midst of a tough transition.
'The reason was not security but the commitments of the players'
"I travelled to Dharamshala, India to speak to the Tibetan community that were assembled there in exile and to tell them that the US is opposed to China picking the next Dalai Lama," Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel D Brownback told reporters on Tuesday during a conference call, recalling his visit to India in October.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said, had India batted 'more sensibly', the hosts could have won the fifth and final ODI in Dharamsala and wrapped up the series by a bigger margin.
Lokesh Rahul, who hit two half-centuries in the deciding Dharamsala Test against Australia, on Thursday, jumped 11 places to a career-high rank of 11th in the latest ICC chart for Test batsmen.
Hughes said both sides were probably better off with Kohli injured for the final Test as the star Indian batsman might have "gone over the top" had he played in Dharamsala.
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.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday tweaked the schedule of the five-match One-Day International series between India and England taken into account the weather conditions in January next year.
'What a lovely person he is!'
Cricket South Africa's chief medical officer, Dr Shuaib Manjra, was quoted as saying that the players have been told to isolate themselves and will be tested for the deadly virus in case any symptoms show up.
The guidelines are expected to be followed at the upcoming IPL, starting March 29, too.
Venkatesh Prasad and Sunil Joshi were on Tuesday shortlisted along with three others for the national selectors' job. Agarkar not being shortlisted also is an indicator that the Board is likely to stick to the existing zonal policy for the national selectors.
South Africa have recalled top-order batsmen Faf du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen for their three-match One-Day International tour of India later this month, while left-arm spinner George Linde is named in the squad for the first time. The squad will be captained by Quinton de Kock and play the first ODI in Dharamsala in March 12.
India's middle order batsman Suresh Raina has been ruled out of the first ODI against New Zealand to be played in Dharamsala on Sunday because of viral fever.
Kohli is the only contemporary batsman who has an average of above 50 in all three formats of cricket.
In India, as elsewhere, veganism has spawned an industry of plant-based products such as tofu, tempeh, peanut curd, cashew cheese, almond butter, flax eggs, sauerkraut, seitan, mock meats, apple honey, vegan chocolates, nutritional yeast and plant-based milks. There are vegan cafs and restaurants such as About Vegan (Jaipur), Bodhi Greens (Dharamsala), Carrots (Bengaluru), Earthlings (Mumbai) and Elysian Delights (Gurugram), vegan cooking classes, vegan tours, vegan conferences and vegan e-tailers such as vegandukan.com and veganmall.in. "Plant-based milks such as soy milk, almond milk and oat milk have made promising inroads with Indian consumers. "Estimated at $21 million vs the animal-derived dairy industry at $140 billion, plant-based dairy in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20.7 per cent to reach $63.9 million by 2024," write Dhruvi Narsaria and Rajyalakshmi in their 2020 report, "Insights on plant-based milk category in India", published by the Good Food Institute India and Ipsos India.
Dharamsala's loss is Kolkata's gain! The marquee India-Pakistan encounter of the International Cricket Council's World Twenty20, on March 19, will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens, in Kolkata.
India on Sunday recorded their eighth successive win in a bilateral series and stand-in captain Rohit Sharma said the team needs to maintain the consistency in the upcoming tours overseas.
India have not lost a series at home since the defeat to South Africa in October 2015.
The former captain added, "So for Australia it's about enjoying it, working together and not looking too far ahead."
The BCCI Apex Council met, on Friday, to decide on a number of issues including apparel sponsorship, which is a significant if not huge income for BCCI.
It will be a selection dilemma for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Anil Kumble as a fit-again Suresh Raina is back in the nets having recovered from a bout of viral fever that kept him out of first ODI in Dharamsala. With Kedar Jadhav picking up two wickets with his handy part-time off breaks, the same skill set of both the players is definitely going to be a factor as the team management decides to pick the XI for the second ODI against New Zealand on Thursday.
Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar, on Saturday, replaced injured Kedar Jadhav in the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, commencing, in Dharamsala, on Sunday.
Brimming with confidence after a clean-sweep in the Test series, India will look to carry on their dominance over New Zealand when the two teams lock horns in the first cricket One-day International of the five-match series, in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Anil Kumble along with Ravi Shastri was the front runner for the coach's job, which was left vacant since Duncan Fletcher's departure after the 50-overs World Cup last year in Australia.
Former captain Ian Chappell has called for drastic reduction in 'on-field chatter' and a limited use of DRS in Test matches after a gripping but tense India-Australia series.
Pandya has played an important role in recent times in the limited overs games for India and in the ODI series won 4 -1 by India, he scored 222 runs at just over 55 per innings with 83 as his highest score, besides taking six wickets with his brisk medium pace.
Here are the statistical highlights from the opening day's play of the fourth and final cricket Test between India and Australia, played in Dharamsala on Saturday.
The best of India and the Middle East, now at the Dharamsala Film Festival.
Virat Kohli was named in the Asia XI squad to take on a Faf du Plessis-led World XI in next month's Bangabandhu 100-year celebration three-match T20 International series in Dhaka.
Rediff readers share their best travel memories.
Former Australia and Chennai Super Kings batsman Matthew Hayden said meeting Dalai Lamai is among the most special moments of his Indian Premier League career.
Pacer Suranga Lakmal shone with the ball to help Sri Lanka steamroll India by seven wickets in the first one-day international in Dharamsala on Sunday.
'Our plan in to take early wickets in the first 20 overs and that will help us to put pressure on the opposition'
PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan on Thursday welcomed ICC's decision to shift the venue for the marquee Indo-Pak World T20 clash from Dharamsala to Kolkata but kept the Pakistan team's departure on hold awaiting an assurance from the Indian government. "Both men and women teams (departure) have been deferred. I have also informed this to the government because it has asked for my opinion," Shaharyar said at a press conference. Shaharyar's response came after ICC announced in New Delhi the relocation of Indo-Pak tie on March 19 from Dharamsala to Kolkata due to security reasons. "I have told them that Kolkata is fine as venue and we welcome and appreciate it. But the Indian government from their side must also give us an assurance on the danger," the PCB chief said.
Officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India will be talking to Mohammed Shami's legal counsel in the next couple of days to get an update after a Kolkata court issued an arrest warrant against the India pacer on Monday in connection with the domestic violence case filed by his estranged wife, Hasin Jahan.
Ganguly said India captain Virat Kohli would be happy to see a full house when he walks out to bat against Bangladesh.
Rediff.com brings you some pictures that summarise the happenings in the sporting world in the week that was.
IPL is staring at a possible cancellation due to the deadly outbreak, which has led to more than 16,000 deaths globally. India, which has reported over 400 cases and nine deaths so far, is in a lockdown till March 31 to contain the pandemic.
