Images from the third and final day's play between India and Australian Chairman's XI in Canberra, on Wednesday.
Let down by injuries on his previous two trips Down Under, Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan said this time he wants to be the factor that decides the Test series against Australia, starting Monday in Melbourne.
Team India's pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma got some vital bowling practice on the third and final day of their warm-up match against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI before the match ended in a draw in Canberra on Wednesday.
Pace spearhead Zaheer Khan's form and fitness turned out to be the main concern for the Indians after the left-armer failed to impress on the second day of their warm-up game against CA Chairman's XI, at the Manuka Oval, in Canberra, on Tuesday.
Spin legend Shane Warne feels that bowling is India's weak link and Australia can exploit this to their advantage in the four-match Test series beginning in Melbourne on December 26.
The Indians are likely to field their first team when they take on Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in their second and final warm-up game, on Monday, with the focus on the fitness of their fast bowlers ahead ofthe four-match Test series, starting December 26.
Reader Sudha Thakur sent us these pictures from London.
With a gruelling four-Test series against Australia ahead, India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, on Thursday, said he is prepared for the challenge and determined to get in the "best state of mind".
Their crucial contribution in guiding India to their first World Cup title in 28 years on Sunday fetched the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan a place in the International Cricket Council's Team of the Tournament.
A host of former Indian players, including Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, are in favour of the country taking part in the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in the United Kingdom next month.
The pacer feels that the new ICC rule from October 1 that different balls will be used from the two ends in the one-dayers, has helped swing bowlers like him to move the ball for longer periods.
The pacer feels that the new ICC rule from October 1 that different balls will be used from the two ends in the one-dayers, has helped swing bowlers like him to move the ball for longer periods.
A summary of the second day's play in the Ranji Trophy Elite division matches, on Wednesday.
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been included in the Mumbai squad for the Ranji Trophy game against Orissa starting November 29 which also be his fitness test ahead of India's tour Down Under.
Trust MS Dhoni to spring a surprise! The second day's play at the Lord's was no different.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bowl his seam-up stuff during the second day of the Lord's Test on Friday came under severe criticism from former India captain Kapil Dev.
With youngsters such as Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron making their presence felt, India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan cannot take his place for granted, feels former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram.Zaheer, recovering from an ankle surgery, had missed out on India's England tour and the current West Indies series but is expected to play in Australia next month.
There is still time before the Test series gets underway but the banter has started with India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan taunting Andrew Strauss, saying the English skipper's decision to play for Somerset in a practice match highlights the "element of doubt" in his mind.
He has been dismissed five times by Zaheer Khan in Test cricket but England captain Andrew Strauss feels there was nothing wrong in his technique to be worried about going into the first Test against world No 1 side India on July 21 at the Lord's.
Pacer Ishant Sharma's return to form on the tour of the West Indies is good news for India, says former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar, as he and Zaheer Khan "will form a formidable pair" in the upcoming Test series against England, starting later this month.
Relishing the new role of being India's strike bowler in absence of an injured Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, on Sunday, said he is completely fit and doesn't need a surgery to fix his left ankle.
Training with his Mumbai Ranji Trophy team-mates for the past few couple of weeks, injured Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan on Wednesday conceded that he had some work to do before attaining full fitness.
Dashing opener Virender Sehwag's availability will be the bone of contention when the national selectors meet in Chennai on Saturday to select the Test squad for the upcoming tour of England.
Karnataka medium pacer Abhimanyu Mithun and Uttar Pradesh's Praveen Kumar have been named as their replacements.
Statistical highlights of the fifth and final ODI between India and South Africa at Centurion.
Rajneesh Gupta highlights all the important numbers from cricket World Cups held between 1975 to 2015.
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan says his recovery post-ankle surgery is "slow but positive" and has not set any timeframe for making his international comeback.
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar says the current England team is in complete awe of India's world-class seam attack with only its skipper Joe Root looking capable of getting a big hundred.
Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni were among the four Indian cricketers who found a place in former Australia captain Ian Chappell's '2010 World XI', which did not feature a singleAussie.
India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and star bowler Zaheer Khan got Mumbai Indians' Indian Premier League campaign into top gear as they joined the training camp in Mumbai on Wednesday, ahead of the third season.
Gautam Gambhir will lead India in the ODI and T20 series on the upcoming tour of the West Indies after regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni asked to be rested. Suresh Raina will be Gambhir's deputy.
The Indian cricket team's summer of discontent in the longest format of the game was reflected in the ICC 'Test Team of the Year' in which senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar was the only player from the country to make the cut.
Admitting that India find itself in a difficult position in the ongoing first Test against South Africa, batting mainstay Rahul Dravid said the visitor's inexperienced pace attack missed injured Zaheer Khan's services badly.
Former Indian captain Kapil Dev does not foresee Zaheer Khan spearheading the team's attack for a very long time as he feels a fast bowler getting injured at the wrong side of age has to do something "extraordinary to come back".
Former Indian captain Kapil Dev does not foresee Zaheer Khan spearheading the team's attack for a very long time as he feels a fast bowler getting injured at the wrong side of age has to do something "extraordinary to come back".
What things should they improve upon to make a comeback in the second Test, beginning in Colombo, on Monday.
A re-energised Delhi Daredevils would look for their third win in a row when they face table leaders Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League in New Delhi, on Saturday.
With little improvement in his health over the last 10 days, India's opener Gautam Gambhir, who suffered a concussion after a fall, could be packing his bags to return home.
'Batsmen were good, but if have to win overseas, we have to get players from the MRF Pace Foundation and the NCA coming through, try to prepare pitches to encourage these faster bowlers rather than dusty turners'
Senior Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan found places in the ICC's Test squad of the Year, chosen by a specially-appointed selection panel, headed by West Indies legend Clive Lloyd, on Friday. However, Khan made it to the squad only as 12th man. Four countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and Tendulkar made the side for the third year in a row, having appeared in the ICC World Test Team of the Year 2009 and 2010.
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