England's humiliating series defeat in India painfully exposed an alarming paucity in the side's slow bowling options and drove home the fact they will continue to struggle in South Asia until they unearth some world class spinners. Retired off-spinner Graeme Swann had bemoaned England's indifferent approach towards slow bowling before the five-match series started and his fears were confirmed after the touring side were handed a 4-0 drubbing.
'Since Piku, Irrfan seemed content in delighting us with his finesse than striking a nerve.' 'Now, why was this so?' 'Why did our No 1 soul-searching actor suddenly decide that he'd rather be a heart-warmer?' 'Did those journeys take too much out of him?' asks Sreehari Nair.
India keen to take down Australia for perfect end to season.
'It's cool in a decadent, Rome-is-burning kind of way,' says Kishore Singh.
Rediff.com takes a look at this epicentre of reefer madness that is the 4/20 celebration.
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann, who made a shock decision to quit all forms of cricket on Sunday, denied his criticism of arrogant international players was aimed at his team mates.
'These problems teach us to think and assess information in a rational way.' 'That's all important at a time when a minister for education crudely humiliates a schoolteacher for giving the right answers,' says Devangshu Datta.
Uncapped Test duo Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes have been named in England's 14-man squad for the fifth and final Ashes contest against Australia, starting at The Oval on Wednesday.
Trend researchers who come from design schools and have an art and sociology background are the latest foot soldiers in the struggle of auto companies to stay ahead in the competitive race.
India Test discard Virender Sehwag has been roped in to captain the Marylebone Cricket Club squad in a four-day Champion County match against Durham, starting March 23, in Abu Dhabi.
Alastair Cook's England seem to have neither the form nor the resources to repeat their 2012 heroics against an Indian team determined to cement their top Test rankings in a five-match series starting at Rajkot on Wednesday.
The many reasons why the famed scientist was a minor celebrity in Hollywood.
In motoring parlance, Australia spinner Steve O'Keefe is more reliable Korean car than prestige vehicle but his "happy" mental state makes him a great addition to the team garage, according to former England bowler Monty Panesar.
After Australia's spinners took 17 wickets to out-bowl their Indian counterparts in Pune, the hosts will now be less confident of having a major advantage should they decide to produce turning tracks for the remainder of the series.
Australia spinner Steve O'Keefe is aware that taming the Indians would be a 'big job' but exuded confidence that his team is capable of doing 'some damage' during their four-Test series.
The Ashes remains the pinnacle of Test cricket for James Anderson like any Englishman but the showdowns against India also rank pretty high as the world No.1 side brings out the absolute best in him -- the 2012 away series being a case in point.
Vanquished England skipper Alastair Cook blamed missed chances and lack of spin-bowling options for losing the fourth Test by an innings and 36 runs and with that the five-match series, in Mumbai on Monday.
Qarib Qarib Singlle is not a film that can be rushed. It moves languorously, pausing to savour moments at will, notes Savera R Someshwar.
Steven Smith (133) became the ninth Australian to score a century on captaincy debut as Australia wriggled out from a precarious 247 for 6 to post a mammoth 505 in their first innings in the second Test against India at the Gabba on Friday. He was well-supported by Mitchell Johnson (88) and Mitchell Starc (52) who made valuable contributions down the order, as the hosts took a first innings lead of 97 runs. India ended the third day on 71 for 1 in the second innings. Statistical highlights from the day's play. Statistical highlights from the day's play.
Rome's new mayor, Virginia Raggi, pulled the plug on the city's bid to host the 2024 Olympics, saying staging the summer games would bury the Italian capital under mountains of debt and tonnes of cement.
Swapnil Bajpai, 32, from Jalandhar, Punjab tells us about his 17 years of friendship with his best buddy Nikhil who currently resides in Dubai.
The former England opener says Cook, Bell and Root shouldn't be in the One-day squad and is unimpressed with the team's bowling line-up.
Darryl D'Monte mentored more journalists than any other editor of his generation. Some of the biggest bylines owe their beginnings in our glorious profession to this wonderful human being.
Former India star batsman VVS Laxman prefers all-rounder Hardik Pandya over Karun Nair in the playing XI for the first Test match against England, considering his all-round skill sets. Laxman is a firm believer of the "five bowler theory" and wants Pandya to open the bowling with Mohammed Shami, with Amit Mishra playing as the third specialist spinner.
Nitin Gokhale, national security expert and founder BharatShakti.in, tells us what the controversy is all about.
Henry Blofeld, who charmed the cricket world for more than 40 years, bids farewell to the microphone come September. Haresh Pandya salutes the Master.
Wrecking ball Mitchell Johnson laid further scars on England's battered psyche with a stunning seven-wicket haul that skittled the tourists for 172 and put Australia in complete control of the second Ashes Test after the third day on Saturday.
A disciplined England attack shrugged off the challenge of a bland Adelaide Oval wicket to limit Australia to 273-5 and leave the second Ashes Test delicately poised after the opening day on Thursday.
The genius of Deadpool lies in the audacity of its storytelling, raves Raja Sen.
India lost the crucial wicket of opener Murali Vijay after Steven Smith led Australia's fightback with a magnificent century on his captaincy debut. He received able support from Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc, who both scored half-centuries. At close of play on Day 3 in the second Test , India were 71 for one in their second innings. Check out some images from the day's play.
Michael Clarke's touring side will attempt to win the urn on English soil for the first time in 14 years and Alastair Cook's hosts will try to win back the trophy following their crushing 5-0 defeat in the last series Down Under.
Steve Smith scored a sparkling century and put on 128 for the sixth wicket with Brad Haddin to rescue Australia and push the hosts to 326 all out shortly before close of play on the first day of the fifth Ashes Test against England on Friday.
There will be no room for sentiment when it comes to selecting the team for this week's potentially decisive third Ashes Test against Australia, England captain Alastair Cook said on Thursday.
With only a day to go for the start of the much-anticipated five-match Test series between India and England, all eyes would be on aggressive skipper Virat Kohli as he readies to motivate his boys and avenge the 2012 home series loss against Alastair Cook's men.
Harbhajan Singh, who bowled India to memorable victories against the Aussies, looks at the India-Australia series.
Mitchell Johnson electrified a world record Test crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a searing new ball spell to capture two late wickets and leave England a rocky 226 for six at the close of the opening day of the fourth Test on Thursday.
A fired-up Mitchell Johnson dismissed England captain Alastair Cook cheaply in a hammer blow for the tourists after Australia declared for a mammoth first innings of 570 to be firmly in control after day two of the second Ashes Test on Friday.
Australia captain Michael Clarke has declared himself fit to play England in the second Ashes test in Adelaide after suffering an injury scare when he rolled his ankle on Monday.
Here is your ultimate guide to a happy one-night stand.
As Cheteshwar Pujara plays a landmark Test against Sri Lanka, Rajneesh Gupta salutes the batsman's career thus far in numbers...
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances