Indian Cricket Team Updates

After two days of leather chasing, Team India gave a decent account of themselves with the bat on day-three of the Adelaide Test. While M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane scored fifties, captain, Virat Kohli led from the front to bring up his second Test century at the venue. India finished the day with 369 for 5, trailing Australia by 148 runs. Pujara who made a classy 73 before falling victim to Nathan Lyon, said despite of two tough days on the field, the team was confident of fighting back. (Also Read:  The story of Murali Vijay: As a player and a person ) “The plan was to fight back. We discussed that with our batting lineup we can definitely score the number of runs they scored on this wicket,” he said. “It was about proving to ourselves that we can achieve it and we are in a good position to do so.  (Also Read:  Report: Australia vs India, 1st Test, Day 3, Adelaide ) “They tried bowling into the stumps as well as outside the off-stump. But the ...

Led by Virat Kohli’s carefully paced 115, India dominated the proceedings on Day 3 and were trailing by 148 runs in the first innings at stumps.  (Also See:   HIGHLIGHTS: 1st TEST, DAY 3 - AUSTRALIA VS INDIA, Adelaide Oval ) At the venue where he scored his maiden Test century, the middle-order batsman returned to form with a hundred on his Test captaincy debut. Half-centuries by Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane earlier in the day too were crucial in India closing in on Australia’s mammoth first innings total. When play ended, the match was hanging in balance with India on 369/5 with Rohit Sharma (33*) and Wriddhiman Saha (1*) at the crease.  Earlier, Australia declared their innings on the overnight total of 517/7 and took the field on the third morning. Opening the batting for India, Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan added a quick-fire 30 until Dhawan was sent back. The left-handed opener found the gaps with ease and had collected 14 runs from a Mitche...

1st TEST, DAY 3 - AUSTRALIA VS INDIA STUMPS: DAY 3 - THURSDAY 11 DECEMBER, AUSTRALIA 306/4 VS INDIA 369/5. Overs: 97 Run Rate: 3.80 Murali VIJAY 53 (88), Shikhar DHAWAN 25 (24), Cheteshwar PUJARA 73 (135), Virat KOHLI 115 (184), Ajinkya RAHANE 62 (76), Rohit SHARMA 33* (61), Wriddhiman SAHA 1 *(16), Mitchell JOHNSON 2/90, Nathan LYON 2/103, Ryan HARRIS 1/49 Toss: Australia, who chose to bat Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Mick Martell, Geoff Joshua Referee: Jeff Crowe Australia innings Australia: 50 runs in 7.1 overs 1st Wicket: 50 runs in 45 balls (Chris Rogers 9, David Warner 38) David Warner: 50 off 45 balls (9 x fours) Australia: 100 runs in 21.3 overs Lunch: Australia - 113/2 in 24 overs 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 72 balls (David Warner 23, Michael Clarke 27) Australia: 150 runs in 31.6 overs David Warner: 100 off 106 balls (14 x fours) Michael Clarke: 50 off 69 balls (8 x fours) 3rd Wicket: 100 runs in 123 ba...

Team India have been in Adelaide for over two weeks now, and due to the rescheduling of the venues and dates, will begin their Test series against Australia at this very venue, instead of Brisbane. The revised schedule might be a blessing in disguise for the visitors, as they not only play their first Test at a venue they have become quite acclimatized to but also the one that suits their game better. There are great expectations, especially off the young batting lineup, that was challenged in England three months ago. In their two practice matches at the Gliderol Oval, almost all of them spent quality time in the middle, besides working long hours in the nets. As they put final touches to their preparations for the first Test, five Indian batsmen spoke about the lessons they learnt from England and their plans for the coming series. The lessons from England Murali Vijay:  I have been preparing well for this series. I batted well in England a few months back and I am trying to ...

India’s first warm-up match, against Cricket Australia XI, at the Gliderol Stadium in Adelaide ended in a draw with the visitors leading by 144 runs. (Also Read:  Report: 1st warm-up match: CS XI vs Indians – Day 1 ) After the bowlers impressed on the first day by dismissing the hosts for 219, most Indian batsmen got a good hit in the middle, as five half-centuries were scored in the innings. Virat Kohli’s 60 off 114 was the top individual score for the Indians before lobbing a catch at mid-wicket. The Indians began the day at 55 for 1 with Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease. Both batsmen opted to retire from their innings after getting to their respective fifties. Vijay scored 51 (eight fours) while Pujara made 55 (11 fours). Ajinkya Rahane (1) didn’t spend much time in the middle, as his attempt to drive a wide ball resulted in him being caught at mid-off. Suresh Raina scored a strokeful 44 off 49 balls, inclusive of four fours and three sixes before h...

India were playing their first Test at Manchester in 24 years. They had last played here in 1990. Gautam Gambhir was making a comeback to Indian side after a gap of nearly 19 months. His last Test was also against England at Nagpur in December 2012. (Also Read:  Report: England vs India, 4th Investec Test - Day 1 ) MS Dhoni was leading India for the 14th time in a Test against England, thus equalling Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record of most appearances as captain against England. Alastair Cook was playing his 106th consecutive Test. Now only Allan Border (153) and Mark Waugh (107) have appeared in more consecutive Tests than Cook (India’s Sunil Gavaskar also had a streak of 106 matches on the trot). When he caught Murali Vijay off the bowling of James Anderson, it was 23rd time Alastair Cook held a catch off Anderson’s bowling – most by a fielder / bowler combination for England.  From 8 for no loss India were soon down to 8 for four – their third worst start ever ...

In his last two innings James Anderson has aggregated 100 runs at number 11. In previous 56 innings at this position he aggregated 191 runs. (Also Read: Report: England vs India, 2nd Investec Test - Day 3 ) Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 6 for 82 are the second best figures by an Indian bowler at Lord’s after Amar Singh’s 6 for 35 in 1936. (Also Read: Batting form has helped in bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar ) Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s figures are also the fourth best by an Indian bowler in a Test in England. The details: Figures Bowler Venue Season 6-35 Amar Singh Lord's 1936 6-38 Bhagwat Chandrasekhar The Oval 1971 6-58 Chetan Sharma Birmingham 1986 6-82 Bhuvneshwar Kumar Lord's 2014 6-102 Dilip Doshi Manchester 1982 Bhuvneshwar Kumar has now taken five-wicket hauls in consecutive innings (he had returned the figures of 5 for 82 at Trent Bridge. The last Indian bowler to take five-wicket hauls in successive innings away from Ind...