The 27-year-old has since come a long way and is one of the three players retained by the franchise that is still eying its first ever title in the lucrative league.
Not only did India win the series 2-1, it is also the first time that India had a back-to-back Test series wins against the mighty Australian team.
The all-rounder also speaks of how coach Ravi Shastri has inspired him and the challenge of opening in Test matches.
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell lashed out at the Indian cricket team for complaining about the practice pitches at the Gabba.
Sundar and Shardul Thakur registered their half-centuries on day three of the ongoing fourth Test against Australia.
Statistical highlights on the opening day of the second Test between India and Australia in Brisbane.
'I don't have a problem with the 'keeper talking, but not when the bowler is about to bowl. You've got to zip it then.'
England's batting once again disappointed against Australia on Day 2 of the third Test
India batting coach Vikram Rathour said that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is working closely with the medical team and the decision on his inclusion will be taken ahead of the start of the match on Friday.
India captain Kohli will leave after the opening Test in Adelaide as he has been granted paternity leave by the BCCI to be with his actor wife Anushka Sharma for the birth of their first child in early January.
David Warner is apologetic of the crowd behaviour towards Team India in Sydney.
Australia captain Tim Paine's efforts to distract Ravichandran Ashwin on the fifth and final day of the third Test in Sydney on Monday failed terribly as the India off-spinner gave him a befitting reply.
Babar Azam (104) hit his second Test century and Mohammad Rizwan 95 to stall Australia's march to victory and once they had departed, Pakistan were soon all out for 335.
David Warner capped a brilliant return to form on home soil with a third successive half-century to fire Australia to a seven-wicket victory and a 3-0 T20 series sweep of Sri Lanka.
Captain Steven Smith is looking forward to Hazlewood making full use of the 'traditionally fast and bouncy Gabba wicket'.
Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan lamented that the current lot of leg-spinners don't have the ambition to play Test cricket and blamed it on too much stress on reverse swinging the ball these days.
Australia has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for international arrivals to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Senior pacer Ishant Sharma said that the Test series win over Australia earlier this year gave the Indian team a different kind of self-belief.
His childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, says he never really had to do anything special to mould the driven all-rounder except for "working on his mental strength".
Since 2011, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Ashes Tests over three tours and their last two Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth Test between Australia and India, at the Gabba, on Friday.
A temporary ceasefire was called on Wednesday as Australia captain Steve Smith and his England counterpart Joe Root paused for photos under a blinding blue sky at the Brisbane stadium, but both captains have been looking to land a psychological blow on the eve of the first Test.
'I think it's a very healthy trend. It's an embarrassment of riches.'
Plan to take off-side out of Australians was hatched in July, reveals India bowling coach Bharat Arun.
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow said the tourists were "content, relaxed, excited" as they arrived in Brisbane on Sunday ahead of this week's opening Ashes Test.
Memorable moments from Shane Warne's glittering career.
To become youngest Test debutant on Australian soil
The police have arrested her former husband and his current wife in connection with the case.
Saini limped off the field due to groin pain and was taken for the scans.
Pacer Thangarasu Natarajan is the first Indian cricketer to make his international debut across all three formats during the same tour.
'I think there'll be a huge fallout from this (defeat). There's not too many times that you lose to the second or third (choice) side.'
Pant's keeping was criticised after he dropped Australia opener Will Pucovski twice on the opening day but his batting heroics underlined why India keep playing him ahead of the technically superior Wriddhiman Saha.
India are marginally ahead of third-placed New Zealand in the WTC points tally.
Meanwhile, the last set of Indian players who will be travelling to Australia joined the bubble hours after the final between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Siraj, who made his debut for India in Australia, played Test matches against England during the home series earlier this year.
As soon as the Aussies clinched the victory, David Warner was seen having a good time with his daughter Ivy Mae.
'He just has to keep performing, and mustn't let this go to his head.'
The Australian bowlers took the honours on a sunny day at the Gabba.
Ponting said the ball does move around in South Africa and if Starc is able to reclaim the swing he will be more lethal in the series.
With a batting average of just a shade under 30, the pugnacious Mitchell Johnson plundered the Indian bowling to register his ninth Test fifty and give Australia a fighting chance in the second Test at the Gabba.
