India had its nose ahead after safely negotiating the West Indies bowlers on a tricky Ferozshah Kotla pitch on Tuesday. At stumps, on Day 3 of the first Test, they were 152 for 2, 124 runs from their victory target of 276. Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ravichandran Aswhin vindicated his selection into the Test side with a five-for on debut.
Chasing a challenging 150-run target, Mandhana smashed 52 off 49 balls and shared 57 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues (23 off 26) for the second wicket to set the platform before India lost four wickets in the span of 10 runs and succumbed easily.
It will take a special effort from the struggling Sri Lankan side to pull one back against the rampaging visitors.
The Opposition on its part wants to corner the government by raising issues like alleged shortcomings in the healthcare system during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the distribution of Covid vaccines to states.
What changes do you think India should make for the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad?
Rohit Sharma took a cheeky dig at the pitch critics
After a goalless opening two quarters, Nick Ross broke the deadlock for New Zealand in the 41st minute. But the hosts' joy was short lived as India equalised two minutes later through a field goal from SV Sunil (43rd).
Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer grabbed their chances with centuries, but seniors like Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma had a forgettable series.
Jasprit Bumrah will have to squeeze every ounce of energy from his already overworked body, while Ajinkya Rahane will hope to get one final chance to save his international career when India take on England in the fifth and final Test, chasing a historic series win, in Manchester on Friday.
Gill is a part of India's ODI and Test squad and would be looking to find a place in the playing XI.
A first Test series triumph in India since 1984-85 helped England consolidate its number-two position in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table. The series loss kept India in fifth place, with 105 rating points, after dropping one point. This has opened up a four-point gap with fourth-ranked traditional rival Pakistan.
The six-day lockdown in South Australia to contain COVID-19 cases has improved Adelaide's chances of remaining the venue of the first day-night Test between India and Australia from December 17 even though the situation remains fluid
Anyone criticising England's much debated rotation policy has not spent time inside a bio-secure bubble to understand the toll its strict COVID-19 protocols takes on players' mental health, fast bowler Jofra Archer said on Tuesday.
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If India feels it is necessary to conduct a nuclear test because of the geo-political situation, India will do it, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Rajya Sabha.
'KL Rahul should play at number five and Rishabh Pant should play at number six. Jadeja and Ashwin should play at number seven and eight and then three seamers. I will want to go in with five bowlers.'
The former skipper believes the Australians were not proactive enough against the Indian bowlers in this match.
N-tests: India will pay if it violates moratorium
'Full credit to our bowling attack again. Nice to get off to a good start. Chuffed with the way we bowled in this Test'
Akhtar said that India don't need to be scared as they can beat England on fair pitches.
Shukla's remarks came as India stumbled to an eight-wicket loss in the first Test of the four-match series against Australia.
A rejuvenated India shorn of Virat Kohli turned the tables on Australia to claim the second Test in Melbourne with a rousing eight-wicket victory within four days and breathe life into the series.
'He (Ashwin) will bowl to the same spot but the way it gets there and whether it hits the seam or hits the lacquer varies and the ball reacts very differently.'
With the Australian cricket team struggling like never before, India will have their best chance to end a 64-year wait to upstage them in their own backyard when the two sides clash in what promises to be apulsating four-Test series starting, in Melbourne, on Monday.
Australia's callow bowling attack has tantalised with the promise of a brave new era, but faces its stiffest examination against India's veteran batsmen in the first Test in Melbourne starting on Monday.
There is so far no evidence that the second wave of COVID-19 in the country is due to variants of the virus, but it is possible, said noted virologist Shahid Jameel.
'It does not matter even if you are the world's best, because if you have tired legs, obviously you cannot execute your plans as well you would want to. So, it's great learning for workload management for all of us,' said India's fielding coach R Sridhar.
'You have to be extra cautious and focussed, you need to talk to yourself'
Cashing in on the interest generated in the three-dimensional world by films like Avatar, consumer electronics companies like Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic are gearing up to cajole Indian consumers to buy a 3D TV set
Along with Jonny Bairstow, Wood joined the England squad ahead of the third Test.
Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting on Day 3 of the third Test against Australia at the SCG on Saturday and was taken for a scan.
Kohli's deputy Ajinkya Rahane will lead India in the final three Tests.
As has been reported from states and UTs that have pushed ahead with aggressive testing, there is a commensurate decline in the positivity rate, the health ministry said.
'It's not necessarily just been that one moment and the lights, or that twilight period. It's sometimes been right at the start of the game... later on in day four, these strange passages of play have happened.'
Brushing aside the incessant talk around spin-friendly pitches in India, big-hitting England all-rounder Ben Stokes has said that Test players should be proficient in handling all kinds of conditions.
More than 6.5 crore vaccine doses have been administered across the country so far to frontline workers, healthcare workers, those above 60 and for people aged above 45 with specified co-co-morbid conditions.
'There is no comfort zone at the international level, there is no comfort zone in training, there is no comfort zone in preparation. So, people who want to relate this to comfort zone should really have a reality check that it's pressure, not a comfort zone.'
Before they take the field for the World Test Championship final on Friday, June 18, Rajneesh Gupta takes a look at India-New Zealand Test encounters in the new century.
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