Paceman Nuwan Pradeep clinched his maiden five-wicket haul as Sri Lanka clawed back at a runaway India on day two of the first Test in Galle on Thursday. Pradeep (5-88) dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara for 153, triggering a batting collapse which saw the tourists lost four wickets in a lively first session after resuming at 399-3. … Read more
Five things we learned after India defeated Australia 2-1 to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Dharamsala this week: Relations between the old foes have always been testy, from the infamous “Monkeygate” scandal in 2008 to Virat Kohli showing Australian fans the middle finger four years later, but a bad-tempered series has exacerbated the animosity. From … Read more
India underlined their status as the world’s number one side as they demolished Australia by eight wickets to clinch a bitterly fought series 2-1 on day four of the fourth Test on Tuesday. Chasing 106, opener Lokesh Rahul (51 not out) hit the winning runs in Dharamsala to take back the Border-Gavaskar trophy from Australia, … Read more
India trudged to 64-1 at lunch in the face of some intense bowling by the Australian quicks on the second day of the decisive fourth and final Test on Sunday. Opener Lokesh Rahul was batting on 31 with Cheteshwar Pujara on 22 after the hosts lost Murali Vijay early in the first session at Dharamsala, … Read more
In-form Cheteshwar Pujara isn’t the flashiest batsman but his staying power at the crease is winning the admiration of cricketing purists — and could be vital in India’s crunch final Test against Australia. Pujara faced 525 balls over more than 11 hours of play during his double century against Australia in the drawn third Test, … Read more
India and Australia begin the finale of a bitterly fought Test series Saturday, with home skipper Virat Kohli keen to silence attacks that even Australia’s ex-skipper Michael Clarke has warned are “getting out of control”. Kohli, who has been compared in the Australian press to US President Donald Trump, has had a series to forget … Read more
The Indian cricket board Wednesday doubled the salaries of its contracted players while retaining former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the top pay bracket. Players holding a Grade A contract will now get an annual retainer fee of $3.05 million instead of the previous $1.71m they were getting since November 2015. Dhoni, who gave up … Read more
India’s Ravindra Jadeja took the big wicket of captain Steve Smith to damage Australia’s hopes of salvaging a draw on the final day of the third Test in Ranchi on Monday. Australia were 83 for four at lunch with Shaun Marsh on 15 and Peter Handscomb on four, needing another 69 runs to avoid an … Read more
Cheteshwar Pujara passed 150 in an unbroken century stand with Wriddhiman Saha as India closed in on Australia’s first innings total on the fourth day of the third Test on Sunday. The pair batted through the morning session in Ranchi without losing a wicket and were 435 for six at lunch, 16 runs behind Australia … Read more
Overnight batsman Murali Vijay hit a gutsy half-century to lead India’s strong first innings reply on day three of the third Test against Australia in Ranchi on Saturday. Vijay scored 82 off 183 balls before undoing his hard work at the stroke of lunch as he jumped out of his crease to be stumped off … Read more
Pace bowler Josh Hazlewood grabbed six wickets as India dramatically collapsed to 274 all out in their second innings, leaving Australia a target of 188 to win the second Test. Hazlewood notched career-best figures of 6-67 while left-arm quick bowler Mitchell Starc and left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe took two wickets apiece each as India folded … Read more
A probing Australian bowling attack struck twice to jolt India as opener Lokesh Rahul braved a tough morning session on the opening day of the second Test in Bangalore Saturday. The hosts, who elected to bat first, were 72 for two at lunch as off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara (17) just … Read more
Mitchell Starc may have won the opening duel against Indian skipper Virat Kohli by getting the star batsman out for a duck in the first Test, but the Australian fast bowler insists the battle has just begun. Starc triggered India’s downfall in last week’s first Test in Pune by claiming the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara … Read more
Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe claimed five wickets including the prized scalp of Virat Kohli as Australia closed in on victory in the first Test in Pune on Saturday. Chasing a daunting target of 441, India were tottering at 99 for six at tea on day three. Cheteshwar Pujara was batting on 31 after Wriddhiman Saha … Read more