King Kohli's India script history with maiden Test series win in Australia

India scored 622 for 7 in their first innings and then bowled out Australia for 300 thereby enforcing the follow-on.

India Tour of Australia 2019: India scripted history winning their first ever series on Australian soil beating the home team 2-1 after the fourth and final Test ended in a tame draw due to inclement weather.

India scored 622 for 7 in their first innings and then bowled out Australia for 300 thereby enforcing the follow-on.

However persistent drizzle washed out day five thereby keeping the victory margin down to 2-1.

Coming into this fifth Test, India had an unassailable 2-1 series' lead after winning the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and the third Test in Melbourne by 137 runs. Australia had won the second Test in Perth by 146 runs.

The morning began with similar murky clouds as seen throughout Sunday, and right at the supposed start of play at 10 am local time, rain arrived to prevent any possibility of cricket happening at the Sydney Cricket Ground.


Highlights & Scorecard → India Vs Australia 4th Test Match

Anushka Sharma applauds Virat Kohli as he receives Khel Ratna Award

Anushka Sharma applauds Virat Kohli as he receives Khel Ratna Award

Multimedia News: Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday presented with the country's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, by President of India Ram Nath Kovind.

During the award function, Virat was cheered by his wife Anushka Sharma.

In the video, Anushka can be seen cheering and clapping for the cricketer as he proudly walks to the president to receive his honor.

↓↓↓ Here is the Video Link ↓↓↓

National Sports Awards 2018

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News Source: BS & Business Standard

Virat Kohli admits India were ‘outplayed’ by England in crushing Lord’s defeat

England defeated India by an innings and 159 runs on the fourth day of the second Test to take 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Sports News : After suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of England in the second Test at the Lord's, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has admitted that his side deserved to lose the match as they were completely outplayed by the home side.

Pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad combined to take eight wickets as England crushed India by an innings and 159 runs on the fourth day of the second Test to take 2-0 lead in the five-match series here at the Lord's Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Expressing disappointment over the loss, Kohli said that he is not at all proud of the way his side performed in the match, while admitting that the England team displayed their hard work and dedication throughout the game.

"Not proud of the way we've played. First time in the last five Tests that we've been outplayed. We deserved to lose this game, the way we went about things.," Kohli said in a post-match presentation. Virat Kohli further didn't mince his words as he said the poor batting conditions could not be blamed for the defeat.

"Can't really think about conditions when you're playing the game. You can't sit and crib about these things. Sometimes the rub of the green won't go your way. Even when the ball's doing a bit, you have to pitch it in the right areas," he added.

However, Kohli allayed concerns about his injury, saying he is confident of getting fit ahead of the third Test. "I should be fine. Lower back issue, I'm confident I'll be fine in five days time with a bit of rehab," Kohli asserted. It should be noted that the match was India's first innings defeat under Kohli's captaincy.

↓↓↓ Match highlights & Scorecard ↓↓↓

India vs England Match Scorecard

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News Source : BS

India vs England 2nd Test Result: England beat India by an innings and 159 runs (Scorecard)

England bowled out India for 130 runs in 2nd innings to win second Test by an innings and 159 runs on Day 4 at Lord's cricket ground in London. England take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

 

Sports News : India suffered an embarrassing 159-run innings defeat in the second Test against England after yet another batting failure on day four at Lord's in London, leaving the struggling visitors 0-2 behind in the five-match series. Indian batsmen failed to learn from their mistakes and were all at sea against the moving ball as the second innings folded up for 130 in 47 overs.

James Anderson (4-23) once again toyed with the opposition, taking his match tally to nine, and equally effective was Stuart Broad (4-44). England, who resumed at overnight 356 for six, declared their first innings at 396 for seven earlier on Sunday with Chris Woakes staying unbeaten on 137. The Indian batsmen let the team down also in the first Test but the away side at least put up a fight. Here at the 'Home of Cricket', the Virat Kohli-led unit showed no semblance of a fight, bringing back the haunted memories of the previous series in 2014 and 2011.

With the rain threat looming large over the remainder of the game, India needed to bat for survival. But it wasn't to be as the batsmen once again cut a sorry picture after mustering 107 in the first innings that lasted just 35.2 overs. The crushing loss has given the Indian team management plenty to think about ahead of the third Test beginning August 18 at Nottingham.

The weather was also kind on the impressive hosts, who batted in the sunshine on day three while overcast conditions made the job tougher for the Indian batsmen. "Not very proud of the way we played. For the first time in the last five Tests, we were outplayed," said captain Virat Kohli at the post-match presentation.

↓↓↓ Match highlights & Scorecard ↓↓↓

India vs England Match Scorecard

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News Source : BS

India vs Ireland 2018 T20I: Virat Kohli will look to start English summer with a bang

The Indian cricket team have a full-strength squad to pick from with captain Virat Kohli back in the team after nursing a neck injury.

Sports News : India will begin their preparation for England tour by playing two T20Is against Ireland. The first of the two T20Is matches will be played at Malahide Cricket Club Ground or The Village in Dublin on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. The Indian cricket team have a full-strength squad to pick from, with captain Virat Kohli back in the team after nursing a neck injury. The men in blue will use the two T20Is against Ireland to get acclimatised to the English conditions as they have struggled to counter the swing and overcast conditions in England in the past and there is no better way to prepare than get a few games under the belt, and there is no place more suitable than Ireland.

However, the Ireland Cricket team are no pushovers and have T20 specialists like Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien in the team. Still, India will be expected to come through unscathed before they begin their England tour starting July 3. The two teams have played just one T20I in the past, during 2009 T20 World Cup which India won by 15 runs.

How Virat Kohli and Co will look at two T20Is against Ireland

For India, the two T20Is against Ireland will mark the onset of a long English summer for Virat Kohli & co, and perhaps it was a marker of this crucial impending assignment that India decided to stay on and practice in London on Monday, reports PTI. Since the tour of South Africa, this is the first time a full-strength Indian team will be seen in action. Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and MS Dhoni were rested for the T20 tri-series in Sri Lanka in March. The quadruple also missed the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Bengaluru recently. After a brilliant performance in IPL 2018, KL Rahul got another chance in limited over cricket and Ajinkya Rahane's omission from the ODI squad means that he is once again a contender for the number four spot when the three-match series against England begins on July 12.

Virat Kohli's concern: The middle order

With Rahul in contention for a starting spot in the middle order, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik will be left jostling for two spots. As part of the full-strength Indian side, the three had featured in the T20 series against South Africa. Raina had been used as a pinch-hitting, aggressive number three option, but the current situation might warrant a re-think.

India playing 11 Probables: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah

Ireland playing 11 Probables: Gary Wilson (c & wk), Kevin O'Brien, William Porterfield, Paul Stirling, Simi Singh, George Dockrell, Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Stuart Thompson, Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase

Read More → Ireland vs India

After Virat Kohli’s ‘Fitness Challenge’, Rahul Gandhi dares Narendra Modi to cut petrol prices

So far, Virat Kohli, Amitabh Bachchan, Modi, Hrithik, Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal have taken up the challenge.

 

Latest News : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accepted a fitness challenge by cricketer Virat Kohli saying that he will soon post a personal fitness video. Earlier on Wednesday, Kohli, in a tweet, challenged Modi in a fitness campaign initiated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on social media.

“Challenge accepted, Virat! I will be sharing my own #FitnessChallenge video soon,” Modi tweeted on the initiative called the ‘Hum Fit Toh India Fit’ challenge.

On Wednesday, Kohli, who posed for his fitness video in a gym, tweeted: “I have accepted the #FitnessChallenge by @ra_THORe (Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore) sir. Now I would like to challenge my wife @AnushkaSharma , our PM @narendramodi ji and @msdhoni Bhai for the same. #HumFitTohIndiaFit #ComeOutAndPlay.” Earlier, the Olympian shooter Rathore initiated an online fitness campaign and posted his exercise regime on the social media.

He further challenged Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, cricketer Virat Kohli and badminton player Saina Nehwal to post their respective fitness mantras on the social media.

So far, Kohli, Amitabh Bachchan, PM Modi, Hrithik Roshan, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, and Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal have taken up the challenge and posted messages and videos supporting the cause.

After Virat Kohli’s ‘Fitness Challenge’, Rahul Gandhi dares Narendra Modi to cut petrol prices on Business Standard. So far, Virat Kohli, Amitabh Bachchan, Modi, Hrithik, Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal have taken up the challenge.

Rathore does push-ups to spread fitness message ‘Fitness Challenge‘:

• Rathore made a pitch for exercise on Twitter and urged netizens to share pictures and videos on the site to show how they kept fit.
• “Whenever I see the prime minister, I get inspired…He wants all of India to be fit,” Rathore said in the video.
• “Post pictures and videos of how you keep yourself fit and send a #FitnessChallenge to your friends on social media,” he tweeted.

Rahul dares PM for ‘Fuel Challenge‘:

• As Narendra Modi accepted an online fitness challenge from Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, Congress president Rahul Gandhi was quick to dare the prime minister for a “fuel challenge”, asking him to reduce the spiralling fuel prices in the country or face a nationwide stir by his party.
• “Dear PM, Glad to see you accept the @imVkohli fitness challenge. Here’s one from me: Reduce fuel prices or the Congress will do a nationwide agitation and force you to do so. I look forward to your response,” Gandhi wrote on Twitter using the hashtag ‘FuelChallenge’.

Virat Kohli’s wax figure to be latest addition at Madame Tussauds Delhi

Kohli met with Madame Tussauds’ team for the sitting process, where a group of talented world renowned artists flown in from London took over 200 measurements to create an authentic figure.

Latest News : Indian captain Virat Kohli’s wax figure will be the latest addition at the Madame Tussauds Delhi as he is set to join other sports icons there.

Kohli’s wax figure will join other sports heroes including Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and Lionel Messi.

Kohli’s journey has been phenomenal, from his first-class debut in 2006 to captaining the Indian cricket team, winning the Under-19 World Cup on route.

With his unbeatable performances, Kohli has won several accolades including the Arjuna award, ICC World Cricketer of the year and three BCCI international cricketer of the year awards. He has also been honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of of India.

Virat Kohli met with Madame Tussauds’ team for the sitting process, where a group of talented world renowned artists flown in from London took over 200 measurements to create an authentic figure.

Talking about his inclusion in Madame Tussauds Delhi, an excited Kohli said “It’s a great honour to be chosen as one of the figures at Madame Tussauds. All thanks to the Madame Tussauds team who were extremely patient during the sitting sessions and for giving me a lifetime memory”.

Anshul Jain, General Manager and Director, Merlin Entertainments India Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are thrilled to announce the Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli’s figure as the 23rd attraction. He holds the heart and respect of every Indian and a perfect choice to have him as our next Figure.”

Madame Tussauds Delhi is an attraction that portrays the fascinating world of Bollywood and Hollywood, renowned sportspersons, historical and political personalities under one roof, through planned themes and interactive areas.

Don’t let Virat Kohli play county cricket; he must suffer in England

Virat Kohli is expected to play for Surrey in the Division One of English county in his bid to prepare for the five-Test August-September series in England.

Letting Virat Kohli play county cricket is “nonsense”, feels former England captain Bob Willis, who wants the prolific Indian captain to “suffer” from the wretched form he endured in 2014, when his team comes here for a Test series later this year.

Kohli is expected to play for Surrey in the Division One of English county in his bid to prepare for the five-Test August-September series in England, which has been his focus for sometime now.

“I can’t stand overseas players in county cricket,” Willis told ‘Sky Sports’.

“He should be made to suffer and average 30 in England as he has done before. We don’t want England starting to lose Test matches at home because we’re accommodating all of these visiting players,” Willis commented.

Apart from Virat Kohli, the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara (Yorkshire) and Ishant Sharma (Sussex) are also set to play for different sides.

Willis, however, is upset that England will be losing home advantage ahead of the series and termed it as a detrimental move for the counties.

“It doesn’t benefit the players stranded in the second XI year on year and the youngsters. The only way to improve our Test team is to have as many England-qualified players playing in the County Championship as possible,” said Willis, who has played 90 Test matches for his country taking 325 wickets.

“Instead, they’re going to pay Kohli, presumably, five figures a match so he can hone his skills in English conditions before a Test series. It’s a nonsense,” fumed Willis.

The 68-year-old feels that like last time, when Kohli failed to score a single half-century across five Tests, England should once again make him suffer.

From Dhoni to Kohli, why skippers prefer their IPL boys in national team

Sports psychologists believe having IPL teammates playing together helps the national team’s performance.

Indian cricket team captains like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli seem to prefer playing more with players from their respective IPL teams even in the national team. We have seen that for various tours over the years. But is there a real correlation between the composition of IPL teams and the Indian national cricket squad?

Business Standard analysed historical data, valuation reports and franchise balance sheets to comprehend the correlation, if any. What emerged was an interesting picture.

In 2014, when Dhoni was the captain of Chennai Super Kings, its players found a spot in the national squad 35 times in five tours. In 2017, when Virat Kohli captained Royal Challengers Bangalore, the team found a place in the Indian national side 26 times in eight tournaments. This was the highest among all IPL teams that year. An aberration was perhaps Mumbai Indians. Its players found a place in these tours 21 times in 2017. Mumbai’s representation in the national side has been consistent over the years.

On an average, Bangalore and Mumbai accounted for almost half the Indian squad in many of the tournaments in 2017. Bangalore’s representation has risen phenomenally over the past two years, while Mumbai Indians has consistently been sending at least three players to the national team since 2010.

An equally impressive representation in the Indian team is that of Sunrisers Hyderabad. But Hyderabad’s high representation is on account of some of its marquee players like Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have all been part of the Indian team for long now.

→  IPL 2018 News  ←

Virat outplays Shah Rukh, tops brand value list with $144 mn

Deepika 3rd; Varun Dhawan, P V Sindhu enter Duff and Phelps brand value list

 

Virat Kohli has overtaken Shah Rukh Khan as the most valuable celebrity in the country, according to the latest Duff and Phelps brands report.

Kohli’s brand value was $144 million, Shah Rukh Khan’s $106 million and Deepika Padukone’s $93 million — the top three on the list. Padukone managed to hold her spot from last year, while Kohli and Khan swapped places in the pecking order.

“For the first time since we began publishing our rankings, Shah Rukh Khan has slipped from the top ranking and been replaced by Virat Kohli,” said Varun Gupta, managing director and region leader-India, Japan and Southeast Asia of Duff & Phelps. “Kohli is now the first choice of brands to engage and attract consumers, fuelled by his extraordinary on-field performances and off-field charisma.”

This year also saw two new entrants in the top-15 celebrity brands – Varun Dhawan at 10 (brand value $32 million) and P V Sindhu at 15 (brand value $15 million).

Ten of the top-15 celebrity brands were millennials.

The brand value of the top 15 celebrities together was $712 million.

“In addition to Kohli, other young celebrities such as Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and badminton champion P V Sindhu have either risen in the rankings or entered our top-15 list, backed by note-worthy performances in their respective fields and strong endorsement signings over the last year,” Gupta added.

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Virat, Anushka married in Italy! How star brands light up the catwalk

As the fashion market booms, the band of celebrity endorsers with their own apparel brands is expanding

 

Business Standard is republishing this 11/12/2017 article in light of Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma tying the knot on Monday in a private ceremony, reportedly at a countryside resort named Borgo Finocchieto in Italy.

They used to be the names big fashion brands turned to when it was time to launch a new style or jazz up an old line. Anushka Sharma, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Shraddha Kapoor and such others are the faces that have launched a plethora of local and international labels. But now these stars are helming their independent fashion lines and hoping to leverage their mass appeal to build their own businesses. Will this trend pick up steam through 2018, or will it be just another marketing gimmick that soon loses its fizz?

The trick lies in ensuring that the brands that the stars build reflect their persona. Indranil das Blah, COO and partner at CAA KWAN says, “The clothing/fashion brand and celebrity need to be in sync.” The involvement is more, way more than that between an endorser and brand, he points out. “The very premise of taking ownership is to make it an extension of the celebrity’s own brand. If that does not happen, it could backfire on both, the celebrity and the business venture,” says Das Blah.

Are stars likely to play by these rules when it comes to the brands they own? Not everyone believes that they will be as closely aligned to their labels. The stars are riding their fame, hoping that some of the stardust will rub off on their labels many believe. “It is all about marketing and PR, especially during launch. In this case, the celebrity works as a brand endorser (in addition to being the owner or promoter),” says Amrish Kumar, CEO, the Ritu Kumar company which houses fashion brands created by designer Ritu Kumar. He does not see them involved in the creation process or the business.

Among the first to jump on to the wagon were Hrithik Roshan (sports and athleisure brand HRX) and Salman Khan (Being Human). Soon Virat Kohli (Wrogn), MS Dhoni (Seven), Sonam Kapoor (Rheson alongwith sister Rhea Kapoor) and most recently Anushka Sharma (Nush) followed. And there is cricketer K L Rahul who recently announced his label.

Virat Kohli: Fastest to reach 9,000 ODI runs; a century

Courtesy his innings of 113 in the match, Kohli broke de Villiers' record of fastest cricketer to have reached the milestone

 

 

India skipper Virat Kohli on Sunday became the fastest to reach 9000 ODI runs, taking just 194 innings to achieve the feat.

He achieved the feat even as he scored his 32nd century in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) against New Zealand here at the Green Park stadium on Sunday, to clinch the 1-1 levelled series.

Courtesy his innings of 113 in the match, the Team India captain broke de Villiers' record (205 innings) of the fastest cricketer to have reached the milestone.

FIFA U-17 World Cup: Indian team won hearts, if not medals

Kohli also became the first batsman to amass 2000 runs in international cricket in 2017. Ahead of the Kanpur ODI, Kohli was on 1991 runs from 39 matches at 58.55.

The 28-year-old achieved the 8000-run mark in ODIs in just 175 innings, again breaking AB de Villiers' record, who took 182 innings.

Kohli, in 2013, became the fastest player to 5000 ODI runs, equaling West Indies' Viv Richards record, reaching the mark in 114 innings.

Meanwhile, India has crossed the 300-run mark with Rohit Sharma having been snared by Santner for 147.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and decided to have a bowl first.

Click here to Know More → Fastest 9000 ODI Runs

Virat Kohli first Indian sportsperson to ink Rs 100-cr deal with Puma

The long-term deal could potentially cover Kohli's remaining career with the Indian team

 

BREAKING NEWS  - Virat Kohli became the first Indian sports personality to strike a

Rs 100-crore deal with a single brand, reported Times of India. Kohli signed an eight-year deal with sports apparel brand Puma worth Rs 110 crore. The Indian cricket captain is now set to join the likes of Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Thierry Henry, among others, as a global ambassador for the brand.

The long-term deal could potentially cover Kohli’s remaining career with the Indian team. A bulk of the endorsement deal, estimated between Rs 12 crore to 14 crore annually, is locked up in fixed payout.

“It’s a privilege to be part of a great list of athletes that Puma has,” Kohli told TOI. “Not just today’s icons like Usain Bolt, but also the brand’s rich history with Pele, Maradona, Thierry Henry and others. Both Puma and I are committed to a long-term partnership. I am impressed by the way Puma has gained popularity and market leadership in India in a short period of time,” he added.

Only Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been in the Rs 100-crore club through multi-year contracts with talent management agencies, but they have never been signed by a single brand for such a big amount. (read more...)

India thump Bangladesh by 208 runs in one-off Test

Captain Kohli, who scored 242 in two innings, was declared the man-of-the-match

 

Latest News - It was a comprehensive show by Virat Kohli-led side. They put up a mammoth total of 687-6 declared in their innings before bowling out Bangladesh for 388. Then, India scored at a rapid pace in their second innings before declaring at 159-4, setting a target of 459 for the visitors.

Captain Kohli, who scored 204 and 38 in the two innings respectively, was declared the man-of-the-match.

Following the win, Kohli's side has now captured four consecutive Test series. They won away against the West Indies before prevailing over New Zealand and England.

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IND  687/6 decl,  159/4 decl

BAN 388,  250-all out (100.3 Ovs)   (Scorecard)

Kohli anchors India to 6-wicket win over NZ, lead series 1-0

Virat Kohli held centrestage with a delightful unbeaten 85 after a collective bowling effort as India cruised to an easy six-wicket victory over New Zealand taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI series, here tonight.

After bowling out New Zealand for 190 in 43.5 overs, India reached the target in a mere 33.1 overs in a match that turned out to be thoroughly one-sided.

If debutant all-rounder Hardik Pandya (3/31) stole the limelight in the bowling department, it was another flawless effort from 'Chase Master' Kohli, whose 85-run knock came off 81 balls. He struck nine fours before effortlessly lofting Ish Sodhi for his only six to finish the match in style.

It was rearguard action from New Zealand that saw them reach 190 after being down at 106 for 8.

If not for Tom Latham, who remained unbeaten on 79 and Tim Southee (55), New Zealand would have never imagined to reach near the 200-run mark.

Southee played the role of an aggressor and together with Latham stitched quickfire 71 runs off just 58 balls for the ninth wicket to give New Zealand bowlers something to bowl at.

But India hardly had any problems in overwhelming the target with vice-captain Kohli again showing his supreme command in the 50-over format.

View full Scorecard

New Zealand

190/10 (43.5)

vs

India

194/4 (33.1)

India won by 6 wickets

Read Source

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Pakistan vs West Indies, 1st Test, Day 4 at Dubai

View full Scorecard

Oct 13-17, 2016- 1st Test at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (day/night)

Pakistan579/3d & 123

West Indies357 & 95/2 (31 ov, target: 346)

Stumps - West Indies require another 251 runs with 8 wickets remaining

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Ashwin takes six as India inch closer towards 'Whitewash'

A splendid six-wicket effort from premier strike bowler Ravichandran Ashwin saw India maintain their stranglehold on New Zealand and remain firmly on course for a 3-0 series whitewash at the end of third day's play in the final Test match in Indore.

Riding on Ashwin's brilliant figures of 6/81, India bowled out New Zealand for 299 thereby taking a healthy first-innings lead of 258 runs.

Virat Kohli, however, did not enforce the follow-on and India were 18/0 at stumps increasing their overall lead to 276 runs.

Veteran opener Gautam Gambhir was retired hurt on six after sustaining a shoulder injury going for a second run. At stumps, Cheteshwar Pujara (1) and M Vijay (11) were at the crease for the home team.

Related: India presented with ICC Test Championship mace

The day belonged to Ashwin, who used the bowlers' rough brilliantly by operating from the pavilion end to get his 20th five-wicket haul in his 39th Test.

The off-spinner, who grabbed 10 wickets in the series opener at Kanpur and four in the second match at Kolkata, also ran out two batsmen off his own bowling.

His spin partner Ravindra Jadeja accounted for the other two wickets in the visitors' innings.

With two days left in the game, India, who won the first two Tests by huge margins, looked well-poised to score another victory for a clean sweep of the series.

Read Source

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MATCH DETAILS

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Toss - India
Series - India won the 3-match series 3-0

Player of the match - R Ashwin (India)
Player of the series - R Ashwin (India)

Umpires - HDPK Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and BNJ Oxenford (Australia)
TV umpire - C Shamshuddin
Match referee - DC Boon (Australia)
Reserve umpire - Nitin Menon

Close of play

• Sat, 8 Oct - day 1 - India 1st innings 267/3 (V Kohli 103*, AM Rahane 79*, 90 ov)
• Sun, 9 Oct - day 2 - New Zealand 1st innings 28/0 (MJ Guptill 17*, TWM Latham 6*, 9 ov)
• Mon, 10 Oct - day 3 - India 2nd innings 18/0 (M Vijay 11*, CA Pujara 1*, 6 ov)
• Tue, 11 Oct - day 4 - New Zealand 2nd innings 153 (44.5 ov) - end of match

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India knockout Pakistan as No 1 Test team after beating New Zealand

India pulled off a brilliant all-round performance to trounce New Zealand by 178 runs in the second Test to clinch the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead, which also propelled them to the top of the ICC rankings dethroning arch-rivals Pakistan, here on Monday at Eden Gardens.

Virat Kohli's men wrapped up the series-deciding victory on the Fourth day of the match after setting the Black Caps a mammoth target of 376 runs to chase.

The visitors showed some spark to start with but their chase floundered in the post-tea session and the side was bowled out for 197 in 81.1 overs in what was India's 250th home Test.

The home team had earlier finished its second innings at 263 in 76.5 overs.

Following Rohit Sharma's 82-run knock on Sunday (yesterday), Wriddhiman Saha also picked up his second successive half-century of the match by scoring a 120-ball 58, laced with half a dozen fours.

Faced with an improbable chase, New Zealand were off to a confident start before things went downhill in the final session of the day.

Opener Tom Latham top-scored for them with a 148-ball 74, which included eight hits to the fence 

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Brief Scorecard

IND -  316, 263

NZ - 204, 197-all out (81.1 Ovs)

India won by 178 runs

PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Wriddhiman Saha

View Full Scorecard

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500 test matches… and a heap of mediocrity

India goes into its 500th Test match today against a combative but not frightening New Zealand XI. The national expectation is that Virat Kohli and his lads will win, making it India’s 130th Test victory. A cooperative pitch is expected to play its part: it’s not called “home advantage” for nothing. In Indian cricket at least, ‘atithi devo bhavah‘ – the Upanishadic principle that says the guest is God – is blithely ignored. It’s more like ‘Ashwin devo bhavah’, in homage to India’s sharpest spin bowler.

India’s being at number one in the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings from November 2009 to August 2011 has led the younger generation of fans to be starry-eyed about their team in Tests. The team was briefly number one again in January, February and August of this year; and but for last month’s foul weather in Port of Spain – and the fouler drainage at the ground – it would still be at the top. India currently sits in second place, a point behind Pakistan, and would return to pole position if it beats New Zealand in the forthcoming series.

Recent Test performances should not blind us to the truth that India has historically been a mediocre, and often poor, Test side. It has a better head-to-head record against only four out of the nine other Test-playing countries. Two of those are Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, teams largely undeserving of their Test status. Sri Lanka and New Zealand are the other sides against which India has prevailed more often than it has lost; but of those two, the Kiwis have the worst overall win percentage – 20.68%  – of any major Test team, so they don’t provide a basis for a boast. And Sri Lanka’s total win percentage against all sides is actually better than that of India. So while India is superior head-to-head, the islanders fare better on average, against everyone else, than India does.

The point of this short piece, therefore, is an appeal for modesty. Let us not thump our chests in the modern Indian manner, but remember that for long stretches of its Test history, India has been a soft opponent. Its overall percentage of victories is a mere 25.95%, the second-worst among the major Test nations (comprising England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). Only New Zealand has a poorer record. Australia has won a dazzling 47.20% (or nearly half) of its Tests and every other team has won a  read full story