Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev will be among the icons celebrating India&#39;s 500th Test in Kanpur this week as Virat Kohli&#39;s team begin their quest to regain the top spot in the world rankings against a dangerous New Zealand. 
 
The match marks both the start of a three-Test series against the Black Caps and a packed programme of international cricket for India, who will also host England, Bangladesh and Australia later this season. 
 
India are strong favourites after their recent 2-0 victory over the West Indies in a four-match away series, which saw Kohli lead from the front by scoring his first Test double century in Antigua. 
 
But their success was tinged with disappointment as they managed to topple Australia at the top of the rankings, only to be leapfrogged by their arch-rivals Pakistan when rain wrecked their hopes of a clean sweep in the Caribbean. 
 
India start the series just one point behind Pakistan, and they will be hopeful of returning to number one before Pakistan play three Tests against the West Indies in October and November. 
 
Inspired by Kohli, India&#39;s top order has been in fine form of late, with the newcomer Lokesh Rahul scoring three centuries in the last eight Tests. 
 
But they can&#39;t afford to be complacent after their stunning defeat by New Zealand at the start of the World Twenty20 in March. 
 
Their last Test series with New Zealand ended in a 1-0 away defeat in 2014, a contest which saw the then Black Caps&#39; skipper Brendon McCullum score a triple century. 
 
Although McCullum has since retired, his successor Kane Williamson is now established as one of the game&#39;s finest batsmen and he has already found form in India, hitting a belligerent half-century in a warm-up last week. 
 
Other former captains such as Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin are expected to join Tendulkar and Dev at Kanpur&#39;s Green Park as part of the festivities organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 
 
Dev, who skippered India to victory in the 1983 World Cup, warned that a New Zealand side packed with veterans of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament should not be underestimated. 
 
&quot;India will have the home advantage but times have changed, teams and players are no longer alien to foreign conditions,&quot; he told the NDTV network. 
 
The legendary all-rounder, still the only player to have scored 4,000 runs and taken 400 wickets, said Test cricket had changed radically in the two decades since he retired, praising Kohli for his attacking batsmanship. 
 
&quot;The mindset of the young cricketer is different,&quot; said Dev. &quot;Aggression wasn&#39;t part of the Indian team in the 80s, but today I think, God these boys have changed.&quot; 
 
The series also marks Anil Kumble&#39;s first home assignment as coach and he is expected to pack the Indian bowling line-up with three spinners, including Ravichandran Ashwin who took 17 wickets in the Caribbean. 
 
The hosts will also be bolstered by the return on home soil of medium-pacer Mohammed Shami, who took 11 wickets in the West Indies after a long lay-off. 
 
Williamson, who has so far skippered New Zealand in just four Tests, said he was excited by taking on such a tough assignment in the early days of his captaincy. 
 
&quot;We have a great bunch of guys and we are enjoying our cricket. We have to keep improving and that&#39;s my focus as a captain,&quot; he said. 
 
On the bowling front, all eyes will be on Indian-born New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.&nbsp; 
 
Fast bowler Trent Boult can expect a heavy workload after the visitors lost Tim Southee to an ankle injury just before the start of the series. 
 
New Zealand, who have never won a series in India, were whitewashed by the hosts in the two-match Test series in 2012. 
 
(AFP)

The match marks both the start of a three-Test series against the Black Caps and a packed programme of international cricket for India

Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev will be among the icons celebrating India's 500th Test in Kanpur this week as Virat Kohli's team begin their quest to regain the top spot in the world rankings against a dangerous New Zealand. The match marks both the start of a three-Test series against the Black Caps and a packed programme of international cricket for India, who will also host England, Bangladesh and Australia later this season. India are strong favourites after their recent 2-0 victory over the West Indies in a four-match away series, which saw Kohli lead from the front by scoring his first Test double century in Antigua. But their success was tinged with disappointment as they managed to topple Australia at the top of the rankings, only to be leapfrogged by their arch-rivals Pakistan when rain wrecked their hopes of a clean sweep in the Caribbean. India start the series just one point behind Pakistan, and they will be hopeful of returning to number one before Pakistan play three Tests against the West Indies in October and November. Inspired by Kohli, India's top order has been in fine form of late, with the newcomer Lokesh Rahul scoring three centuries in the last eight Tests. But they can't afford to be complacent after their stunning defeat by New Zealand at the start of the World Twenty20 in March. Their last Test series with New Zealand ended in a 1-0 away defeat in 2014, a contest which saw the then Black Caps' skipper Brendon McCullum score a triple century. Although McCullum has since retired, his successor Kane Williamson is now established as one of the game's finest batsmen and he has already found form in India, hitting a belligerent half-century in a warm-up last week. Other former captains such as Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin are expected to join Tendulkar and Dev at Kanpur's Green Park as part of the festivities organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Dev, who skippered India to victory in the 1983 World Cup, warned that a New Zealand side packed with veterans of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament should not be underestimated. "India will have the home advantage but times have changed, teams and players are no longer alien to foreign conditions," he told the NDTV network. The legendary all-rounder, still the only player to have scored 4,000 runs and taken 400 wickets, said Test cricket had changed radically in the two decades since he retired, praising Kohli for his attacking batsmanship. "The mindset of the young cricketer is different," said Dev. "Aggression wasn't part of the Indian team in the 80s, but today I think, God these boys have changed." The series also marks Anil Kumble's first home assignment as coach and he is expected to pack the Indian bowling line-up with three spinners, including Ravichandran Ashwin who took 17 wickets in the Caribbean. The hosts will also be bolstered by the return on home soil of medium-pacer Mohammed Shami, who took 11 wickets in the West Indies after a long lay-off. Williamson, who has so far skippered New Zealand in just four Tests, said he was excited by taking on such a tough assignment in the early days of his captaincy. "We have a great bunch of guys and we are enjoying our cricket. We have to keep improving and that's my focus as a captain," he said. On the bowling front, all eyes will be on Indian-born New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. Fast bowler Trent Boult can expect a heavy workload after the visitors lost Tim Southee to an ankle injury just before the start of the series. New Zealand, who have never won a series in India, were whitewashed by the hosts in the two-match Test series in 2012. (AFP)

Kohli's India eye New Zealand scalp in 500th Test

India have the resources to become the best team in test cricket and the bumper home season would be a perfect opportunity to sow the seed of their ascendancy, Indian captain Virat Kohli said on Wednesday. 
 
Kohli&#39;s men embark on an important 13-test season on Thursday when they take on New Zealand in the first match of the three-test series at Kanpur&#39;s Green Park Stadium. 
 
&quot;We believe we certainly have what it takes to be the best team in the world,&quot; the 27-year-old told reporters on the eve of what would be India&#39;s 500th test. 
 
&quot;One area we have tapped into is belief. It&#39;s something that a lot of young players can lack coming into international cricket. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s all about getting rid of that feeling. That&#39;s the only way you can go out there, be confident and express yourself. Express how good you are, and that&#39;s what this team has done. 
 
&quot;More often than not if you&#39;re fearless, the results will fall your way because you&#39;re willing to take that extra risk in the course of the game. I certainly feel that this team has what it takes to be the best.&quot; 
 
India&#39;s poor record as tourists have been a home truth but under Kohli, the team have won series in Sri Lanka and West Indies to briefly occupy the top test rankings before arch-rivals Pakistan snatched it. 
 
Kohli saw a gilt-edged opportunity to reclaim the tag in the big &#39;career-defining&#39; home season which will also include tests against England, Australia, and Bangladesh. 
 
&quot;This season is a phase where we can lay the foundation where the test team will go,&quot; Kohli said. 
 
&quot;The challenge in last one year or so has been to show composure and get the victories which we require and we have been able to get that. The important thing is to continue the same. 
 
&quot;This season will be career-defining for all the people in the squad&nbsp;because hardly we have played 17 test matches regularly. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s something we are happy about, that we can plan our test cricket, and back ourselves and get those victories whenever the chance comes. Very exciting times ahead.&quot; 
 
Dwelling on the test against New Zealand, Kohli praised the touring side&#39;s fearless brand of cricket, which he attributed to former Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum. 
 
&quot;Their mentality was cricket was not the end of the world for them, they just enjoyed the game,&quot; Kohli said. &quot;I think they have been able to detach themselves from those pressures and that&#39;s why they have got successful in last couple of years.&quot; 
 
Indian paceman Ishant Sharma has been ruled out of the test with mosquito-borne viral disease Chikungunya. 
 
(Reuters)

The Indian team embark on an important 13-test season on Thursday when they take on New Zealand in the first match of the three-test series

India have the resources to become the best team in test cricket and the bumper home season would be a perfect opportunity to sow the seed of their ascendancy, Indian captain Virat Kohli said on Wednesday. Kohli's men embark on an important 13-test season on Thursday when they take on New Zealand in the first match of the three-test series at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium. "We believe we certainly have what it takes to be the best team in the world," the 27-year-old told reporters on the eve of what would be India's 500th test. "One area we have tapped into is belief. It's something that a lot of young players can lack coming into international cricket. "It's all about getting rid of that feeling. That's the only way you can go out there, be confident and express yourself. Express how good you are, and that's what this team has done. "More often than not if you're fearless, the results will fall your way because you're willing to take that extra risk in the course of the game. I certainly feel that this team has what it takes to be the best." India's poor record as tourists have been a home truth but under Kohli, the team have won series in Sri Lanka and West Indies to briefly occupy the top test rankings before arch-rivals Pakistan snatched it. Kohli saw a gilt-edged opportunity to reclaim the tag in the big 'career-defining' home season which will also include tests against England, Australia, and Bangladesh. "This season is a phase where we can lay the foundation where the test team will go," Kohli said. "The challenge in last one year or so has been to show composure and get the victories which we require and we have been able to get that. The important thing is to continue the same. "This season will be career-defining for all the people in the squad because hardly we have played 17 test matches regularly. "That's something we are happy about, that we can plan our test cricket, and back ourselves and get those victories whenever the chance comes. Very exciting times ahead." Dwelling on the test against New Zealand, Kohli praised the touring side's fearless brand of cricket, which he attributed to former Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum. "Their mentality was cricket was not the end of the world for them, they just enjoyed the game," Kohli said. "I think they have been able to detach themselves from those pressures and that's why they have got successful in last couple of years." Indian paceman Ishant Sharma has been ruled out of the test with mosquito-borne viral disease Chikungunya. (Reuters)

India can be the best team in Test cricket after bumper season: Virat Kohli

Gruelling workouts have been key for India Test captain Virat Kohli&#39;s prolonged purple patch. 
 
&quot;Explosive&quot; batting and &quot;dynamic&quot; running between the wickets have been products of his lung-busting sessions he undergoes daily at the gym. &quot;Weightlifting has made me realise what actually one needs to do. It&#39;s a thing that one needs to get a knowledge of,&quot; the run-machine had said earlier this year. 
 
With the New Zealand series just around the corner, the Indian cricketer has given us a sneak peek -- a morning cardio session to be precise -- of what he is doing to get battle-ready for Boult and company come September 22. 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Sneak peak into my morning cardio session ???? <a href="https://t.co/RANRd9svMt">pic.twitter.com/RANRd9svMt</a>
&mdash; Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/776256026311929856">September 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
Those who want to know what he&#39;s doing everyday in the morning, his cardio regime includes:&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Wearing a high altitude mask during training which increases the level of difficulty tremendously</li>
	<li>15 minutes on bike at level 3 maintaining a&nbsp;120 rpm</li>
	<li>Straight treadmill for 10 strides of 20 seconds each</li>
	<li>10 strides back to back at a speed of 19 km/hr at level 1</li>
</ul>
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

India vs New Zealand Test series starts from September 22

Gruelling workouts have been key for India Test captain Virat Kohli's prolonged purple patch. "Explosive" batting and "dynamic" running between the wickets have been products of his lung-busting sessions he undergoes daily at the gym. "Weightlifting has made me realise what actually one needs to do. It's a thing that one needs to get a knowledge of," the run-machine had said earlier this year. With the New Zealand series just around the corner, the Indian cricketer has given us a sneak peek -- a morning cardio session to be precise -- of what he is doing to get battle-ready for Boult and company come September 22. Sneak peak into my morning cardio session ???? pic.twitter.com/RANRd9svMt — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 15, 2016 Those who want to know what he's doing everyday in the morning, his cardio regime includes: Wearing a high altitude mask during training which increases the level of difficulty tremendously 15 minutes on bike at level 3 maintaining a 120 rpm Straight treadmill for 10 strides of 20 seconds each 10 strides back to back at a speed of 19 km/hr at level 1 (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Virat Kohli reveals fitness regime, breaks the internet

The weather gods gave West Indies a lifeline in their quest to avoid defeat in the second test against India when rain washed out the final session of day three in Kingston, Jamaica on Monday. 
 
India built a first-innings lead of 304 runs before captain Virat Kohli declared at 500 for nine just before tea as light rain fell at Sabina Park. 
 
But the showers persisted and the India bowlers did not get a chance to have a crack at the West Indies top order. 
 
Play is scheduled to resume 30 minutes early today at 9.30 AM local time (1430 GMT), but the forecast is for more rain, with a tropical wave heading towards the island. 
 
India lead the four-test series after winning the first match in Antigua last week. 
 
Ajinkya Rahane scored his seventh test century, and the third in four innings, compiling an unbeaten 108 off 237 balls. He made 127 and 100 not out against South Africa in Delhi in December. 
 
Rahane brought up his century with a somewhat lucky boundary when he edged off-spinner Roston Chase between the wicketkeeper and first slip. 
 
&quot;Everyone expected at some point he would up the tempo a bit, but he just played his natural role,&quot; said retired West Indies batting great Viv Richards of Rahane. 
 
&quot;It was a perfect example of what this guy is all about where batsmanship is concerned.&quot; 
 
Richards added that although Rahane batted mostly conservatively, a towering six over cover demonstrated the quality to switch gears when necessary. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s a class shot. When he needs to up the tempo, he certainly looks like he does have the quality to get that done.&quot; 
 
The West Indies bowlers stuck to their task well, keeping the India batsmen subdued for long periods. 
 
It took the visitors 171 overs to compile their mammoth total as they scored at less than three runs per over. 
 
Chase (5-121) returned the best figures and was on a hat-trick after dismissing Amit Mishra (caught bat-pad for 21) and 
 
Mohammed Shami for a golden duck. 
 
Captain Jason Holder got little reward for his efforts, conceding only 72 runs from 34.2 lively overs. 
 
He picked up only one wicket, his first of the series, when he trapped Wriddhiman Saha lbw for 47. 
 
(Reuters)

Ajinkya Rahane scored his seventh test century and third in four innings, compiling an unbeaten 108 off 237 balls

The weather gods gave West Indies a lifeline in their quest to avoid defeat in the second test against India when rain washed out the final session of day three in Kingston, Jamaica on Monday. India built a first-innings lead of 304 runs before captain Virat Kohli declared at 500 for nine just before tea as light rain fell at Sabina Park. But the showers persisted and the India bowlers did not get a chance to have a crack at the West Indies top order. Play is scheduled to resume 30 minutes early today at 9.30 AM local time (1430 GMT), but the forecast is for more rain, with a tropical wave heading towards the island. India lead the four-test series after winning the first match in Antigua last week. Ajinkya Rahane scored his seventh test century, and the third in four innings, compiling an unbeaten 108 off 237 balls. He made 127 and 100 not out against South Africa in Delhi in December. Rahane brought up his century with a somewhat lucky boundary when he edged off-spinner Roston Chase between the wicketkeeper and first slip. "Everyone expected at some point he would up the tempo a bit, but he just played his natural role," said retired West Indies batting great Viv Richards of Rahane. "It was a perfect example of what this guy is all about where batsmanship is concerned." Richards added that although Rahane batted mostly conservatively, a towering six over cover demonstrated the quality to switch gears when necessary. "That's a class shot. When he needs to up the tempo, he certainly looks like he does have the quality to get that done." The West Indies bowlers stuck to their task well, keeping the India batsmen subdued for long periods. It took the visitors 171 overs to compile their mammoth total as they scored at less than three runs per over. Chase (5-121) returned the best figures and was on a hat-trick after dismissing Amit Mishra (caught bat-pad for 21) and Mohammed Shami for a golden duck. Captain Jason Holder got little reward for his efforts, conceding only 72 runs from 34.2 lively overs. He picked up only one wicket, his first of the series, when he trapped Wriddhiman Saha lbw for 47. (Reuters)

Rain gives West Indies lifeline against dominant India

Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. 
 
His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India&#39;s massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. 
 
Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). 
 
This result was India&#39;s largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. 
 
&quot;We were really eager to get going in this series,&quot; said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. 
 
&quot;Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us.&quot; 
 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side&#39;s batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. 
 
He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease.&nbsp; 
 
But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I&#39;m glad I was able to deliver,&quot; said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. 
 
&quot;I wasn&#39;t getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different.&quot; 
 
Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. 
 
However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. 
 
Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. 
 
&quot;We obviously need to bowl a bit better,&quot; said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It&#39;s been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there.&quot; 
 
Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India&#39;s potent combination of pace and spin. 
 
Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score.&nbsp; 
 
Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. 
 
Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin.&nbsp; 
 
His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. 
 
Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. 
 
Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. 
 
(AFP)

This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia

Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India's massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. "We were really eager to get going in this series," said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. "Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us." "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell" Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side's batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease. But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I'm glad I was able to deliver," said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. "I wasn't getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different." Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. "We obviously need to bowl a bit better," said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat. "I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It's been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there." Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India's potent combination of pace and spin. Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score. Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin. His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. (AFP)

?Ashwin spins India to crushing 1st Test victory against West Indies

India skipper Virat Kohli, calling on his side to create a winning habit,&nbsp;has admitted that they are looking forward to a series whitewash against West Indies after claiming an emphatic win by an innings and 92 runs against the hosts in the first Test here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last evening. 
 
&quot;If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not. We don&#39;t need to get complacent. If we end up getting a 2-0 lead, it&#39;s not that we&#39;re playing for a draw in the next two tests. We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. As we know, if we learn to win Test matches, then we&#39;ll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way,&quot; said Kohli, who scored his maiden double century. 
 
Off-Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was adjudged &#39;Man of the match&#39;, led from the front as he contributed 113 runs in his side&#39;s innings before claiming seven wickets as the Caribbean side were bundled out for 231 in their second innings. 
 
India declared their first innings at 566-8. 
 
Reflecting on India&#39;s strategy, an ecstatic Kohli revealed that his side would not pay attention to their previous laurels and would focus on one game at a time. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s what we need to do. We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team. Everyone is looking to contribute and that`s the most important thing with this team. I certainly feel very positive going forward with the way we have played,&quot; he added. 
 
Describing the win as &#39;perfect&#39;, the 27-year-old swashbuckling batsman credited his side&#39;s bowling department for the massive victory while adding that his side executed the plan really well. 
 
&quot;If you look at it logically, that&#39;s probably the perfect finish, which every team looks for. The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That&#39;s when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again. I think it was a wonderful partnership bowling by all our bowlers in the two innings. And the batsmen as well,&quot; he added. 
 
India, which is bidding to clinch third consecutive series whitewash against the Caribbean side, have now taken a one-nil lead in the four-match series. 
 
The two sides will play the second match at Sabina Park in Jamaica from July 30. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

'We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team'

India skipper Virat Kohli, calling on his side to create a winning habit, has admitted that they are looking forward to a series whitewash against West Indies after claiming an emphatic win by an innings and 92 runs against the hosts in the first Test here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last evening. "If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not. We don't need to get complacent. If we end up getting a 2-0 lead, it's not that we're playing for a draw in the next two tests. We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. As we know, if we learn to win Test matches, then we'll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way," said Kohli, who scored his maiden double century. Off-Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was adjudged 'Man of the match', led from the front as he contributed 113 runs in his side's innings before claiming seven wickets as the Caribbean side were bundled out for 231 in their second innings. India declared their first innings at 566-8. Reflecting on India's strategy, an ecstatic Kohli revealed that his side would not pay attention to their previous laurels and would focus on one game at a time. "That's what we need to do. We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team. Everyone is looking to contribute and that`s the most important thing with this team. I certainly feel very positive going forward with the way we have played," he added. Describing the win as 'perfect', the 27-year-old swashbuckling batsman credited his side's bowling department for the massive victory while adding that his side executed the plan really well. "If you look at it logically, that's probably the perfect finish, which every team looks for. The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That's when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again. I think it was a wonderful partnership bowling by all our bowlers in the two innings. And the batsmen as well," he added. India, which is bidding to clinch third consecutive series whitewash against the Caribbean side, have now taken a one-nil lead in the four-match series. The two sides will play the second match at Sabina Park in Jamaica from July 30. (ANI)

Indian skipper Kohli calls on teammates not to get complacent post Antigua Test win

Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday.

Kohli scored 200 as India hit 566 for eight declared, sharing a 168-run fifth stand wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (113), who was dropped on 43 by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and made the West Indies pay by compiling a century.

West Indies were 31 for one in their first innings at the close of play with Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (0) at the crease.

Rajendra Chandrika went for 16 in the penultimate over of the day when he got a thick edge to the keeper off paceman Mohammed Shami.

The day belonged to Kohli, who completed his double tonne just before lunch by pulling a single to deep mid-wicket.

He went down on his knees and kissed the turf as retired West Indies great Viv Richards, after whom the venue in North Sound is named, joined in the applause from the stands.

Kohli, who struck 24 fours in 283 balls, was out shortly after lunch when he got a thick inside edge on to his stumps off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-65).

Leg-spinner Bishoo (3-163) looked dangerous at times but for the most part the home attack posed few problems for the batsmen on a flat track.

Ashwin, who registered his third test century, said a more disciplined approach was the key to his success.

&quot;I&#39;ve been looking forward to this opportunity,&quot; he said in an on-field interview after being promoted to number six in the order. &quot;I really enjoy my batting and there have been times in the past when I&#39;ve been a little too flashy.&quot;

&quot;I know if I have to get into the top seven or six I really need to tighten my game so I&#39;ve really worked on it. I&#39;ve never left so many balls (outside off stump) in my life.&quot;

India&#39;s total left West Indies looking to occupy the crease for three more days to squeeze a draw in the first of four tests between the teams.

&quot;It&#39;s not going to be easy. We&#39;ll have to prise every wicket out,&quot; said Ashwin. 
 
(Reuters)

First Indian captain to post 200 runs in international cricket as India hit 566 on the second day of the first test against West Indies

Virat Kohli became the first Indian captain to post a test double century overseas as the tourists played their way into a virtually unbeatable position on the second day of the first test against West Indies in Antigua on Friday. Kohli scored 200 as India hit 566 for eight declared, sharing a 168-run fifth stand wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (113), who was dropped on 43 by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and made the West Indies pay by compiling a century. West Indies were 31 for one in their first innings at the close of play with Kraigg Brathwaite (11) and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (0) at the crease. Rajendra Chandrika went for 16 in the penultimate over of the day when he got a thick edge to the keeper off paceman Mohammed Shami. The day belonged to Kohli, who completed his double tonne just before lunch by pulling a single to deep mid-wicket. He went down on his knees and kissed the turf as retired West Indies great Viv Richards, after whom the venue in North Sound is named, joined in the applause from the stands. Kohli, who struck 24 fours in 283 balls, was out shortly after lunch when he got a thick inside edge on to his stumps off fast bowler Shannon Gabriel (2-65). Leg-spinner Bishoo (3-163) looked dangerous at times but for the most part the home attack posed few problems for the batsmen on a flat track. Ashwin, who registered his third test century, said a more disciplined approach was the key to his success. "I've been looking forward to this opportunity," he said in an on-field interview after being promoted to number six in the order. "I really enjoy my batting and there have been times in the past when I've been a little too flashy." "I know if I have to get into the top seven or six I really need to tighten my game so I've really worked on it. I've never left so many balls (outside off stump) in my life." India's total left West Indies looking to occupy the crease for three more days to squeeze a draw in the first of four tests between the teams. "It's not going to be easy. We'll have to prise every wicket out," said Ashwin. (Reuters)

Cricketer Virat Kohli scores maiden double hundred overseas, makes history as India take command

Virat Kohli stroked a commanding 12th Test century to put India in control at 302 for four when stumps were drawn on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies on Thursday. 
 
Having chosen to bat first on winning the toss, the Indian captain led the way with a thoroughly authoritative innings of 143 not out, decorated with 16 fours that has so far occupied just over four hours off 197 deliveries. 
 
He put on 105 for the third wicket with Shikhar Dhawan, the opening batsman missing out on a three-figure innings of his own, when he fell lbw for 84 sweeping at Devendra Bishoo on the stroke of the tea interval. 
 
Bishoo&#39;s mixture of leg-breaks and googlies were the greatest threat to the Indians throughout a long, tiring day for the home side at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium although his three wickets were more the result of poor shot-selection by Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. 
 
He ended the day with figures of three for 108 off 27 overs. 
 
Surprisingly he was not called upon by his captain, Jason Holder, in the first period of play, when even debutant batsman and part-time off-spinner Roston Chase delivered eight overs. 
 
However, his dismissal of Pujara via a horribly miscued pull in the first over after lunch ushered in Kohli, who proceeded to transform the rest of the day into a testament to his ever-increasing stature as a batsman of the highest class. 
 
In stark contrast, the usually destructive Dhawan was content to play the supporting role. 
 
Famed for his adventurous attacking instincts in all forms of the game, the left-handed opening batsman displayed admirable restraint in the early exchanges against bowling that lacked any real pace and potency, with the notable exception of Shannon Gabriel, who caused alarms for the Indian opening pair with his raw pace. 
 
&quot;I enjoyed my knock. I just had to take the punches (early on) and I was happy I had the persistence to keep going,&quot; said Dhawan. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not every time I&#39;ll keep getting boundaries from the start. I had to grind it out.&quot; 
 
Gabriel removed Murali Vijay for just seven after half-an-hour&rsquo;s play when the right-hander fended at a lifting delivery for Kraigg Brathwaite to take the catch at the second attempt at second slip. 
 
Pujara looked untroubled on joining Dhawan at the crease with the pair putting on 60 before the middle-order player&rsquo;s error of judgement at the start of the afternoon session. 
 
Having opted to go into the match without uncapped fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins, the only other pace threat available in the West Indies pre-match squad of 13, it was left to Holder, fellow medium-pacer Carlos Brathwaite and Chase to do the bulk of the early work in support of Gabriel before Bishoo got into his work after lunch. 
 
Nevertheless, those bowling resources, were made to appear decidedly inadequate on a placid pitch and against batsmen prepared to keep the scoreboard ticking over. 
 
Early in his innings Kohli passed 3,000 career Test runs and later on reached 1,000 as Test captain. But the most important figures were the partnerships built around his excellent innings. 
 
His century stand with Dhawan was followed by a further 60 put together with Rahane followed by a fifth-wicket stand so far worth 66 with Ravichandran Ashwin. 
 
With two Test centuries against the West Indies on the Indian sub-continent, the lower-order player will resume on the second morning unbeaten on 22 alongside Kohli. 
 
While the West Indies have packed their side with batting, India opted for a bowling attack comprising three pacers and two spinners, omitting Ravindra Jadeja in preference for Amit Mishra to work in tandem with Ashwin as specialist slow bowlers. 
 
West Indies have not defeated India in Test cricket for 14 years since the end of the 2002 series in the Caribbean and are the decided underdogs for the first meeting with these opponents on home soil for five years. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The Indian captain stole the show by hitting 143* which involved 16 fours

Virat Kohli stroked a commanding 12th Test century to put India in control at 302 for four when stumps were drawn on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies on Thursday. Having chosen to bat first on winning the toss, the Indian captain led the way with a thoroughly authoritative innings of 143 not out, decorated with 16 fours that has so far occupied just over four hours off 197 deliveries. He put on 105 for the third wicket with Shikhar Dhawan, the opening batsman missing out on a three-figure innings of his own, when he fell lbw for 84 sweeping at Devendra Bishoo on the stroke of the tea interval. Bishoo's mixture of leg-breaks and googlies were the greatest threat to the Indians throughout a long, tiring day for the home side at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium although his three wickets were more the result of poor shot-selection by Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. He ended the day with figures of three for 108 off 27 overs. Surprisingly he was not called upon by his captain, Jason Holder, in the first period of play, when even debutant batsman and part-time off-spinner Roston Chase delivered eight overs. However, his dismissal of Pujara via a horribly miscued pull in the first over after lunch ushered in Kohli, who proceeded to transform the rest of the day into a testament to his ever-increasing stature as a batsman of the highest class. In stark contrast, the usually destructive Dhawan was content to play the supporting role. Famed for his adventurous attacking instincts in all forms of the game, the left-handed opening batsman displayed admirable restraint in the early exchanges against bowling that lacked any real pace and potency, with the notable exception of Shannon Gabriel, who caused alarms for the Indian opening pair with his raw pace. "I enjoyed my knock. I just had to take the punches (early on) and I was happy I had the persistence to keep going," said Dhawan. "It's not every time I'll keep getting boundaries from the start. I had to grind it out." Gabriel removed Murali Vijay for just seven after half-an-hour’s play when the right-hander fended at a lifting delivery for Kraigg Brathwaite to take the catch at the second attempt at second slip. Pujara looked untroubled on joining Dhawan at the crease with the pair putting on 60 before the middle-order player’s error of judgement at the start of the afternoon session. Having opted to go into the match without uncapped fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins, the only other pace threat available in the West Indies pre-match squad of 13, it was left to Holder, fellow medium-pacer Carlos Brathwaite and Chase to do the bulk of the early work in support of Gabriel before Bishoo got into his work after lunch. Nevertheless, those bowling resources, were made to appear decidedly inadequate on a placid pitch and against batsmen prepared to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Early in his innings Kohli passed 3,000 career Test runs and later on reached 1,000 as Test captain. But the most important figures were the partnerships built around his excellent innings. His century stand with Dhawan was followed by a further 60 put together with Rahane followed by a fifth-wicket stand so far worth 66 with Ravichandran Ashwin. With two Test centuries against the West Indies on the Indian sub-continent, the lower-order player will resume on the second morning unbeaten on 22 alongside Kohli. While the West Indies have packed their side with batting, India opted for a bowling attack comprising three pacers and two spinners, omitting Ravindra Jadeja in preference for Amit Mishra to work in tandem with Ashwin as specialist slow bowlers. West Indies have not defeated India in Test cricket for 14 years since the end of the 2002 series in the Caribbean and are the decided underdogs for the first meeting with these opponents on home soil for five years. (AFP)

India vs West Indies: Kohli puts India on edge with 12th Test century

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. 
 
The 23-year-old opener observed that his side&#39;s batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. 
 
&quot;I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total,&quot; Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. 
 
&quot;Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good,&quot; he said. 
 
Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. 
 
He said, &quot;The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series&#39;&#39;. 
 
The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. 
 
(ANI)

The opener stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. The 23-year-old opener observed that his side's batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. "I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total," Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. "Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good," he said. Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. He said, "The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series''. The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. (ANI)

It's not going to be easy against India, says West Indies Vice-Captain Brathwaite

Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was not satisfied with being an average performer and the India test captain says that a desire to reach the next level was his motivation for an improvement in his conditioning. 
 
The 27-year-old is widely considered to be the fittest cricketer in the Indian side, complementing his batting with razor-sharp skills in the field. 
 
A lean patch with the bat during the 2012 Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament acted as the catalyst for Kohli to make a &quot;lifestyle choice&quot;. 
 
&quot;Until IPL 2012, I did not focus much on the physical aspect,&quot; said Kohli, who tops the world Twenty20 batting rankings and is second on the one-day international list. &quot;I never got into the minute details of fitness, things like what I need to eat from morning to night, how much I need to work out and how much I need to train. After that IPL, I started listening to my body. I made a lifestyle choice.&quot; 
 
Kohli, who has scored 11 test hundreds and 25 one-day international centuries for India, admitted he initially did not have the fitness to be the world&#39;s best batsman. 
 
&quot;I wanted to explore a new side of my body to take me to the next level because I never wanted to be average,&quot; he told reporters at a promotional event in Delhi. 
 
&quot;I wanted to (be) best in the world. So I always had that mindset but never had the physical ability.&quot; 
 
Kohli has often been lauded for the effort he puts into his fitness regime and he feels it has also improved his fielding as well as given him confidence. 
 
&quot;When you become fit, you feel you can do anything,&quot; he said. &quot;I will give you one example. I was never a quick fielder. I was never willing to field in every position. But after becoming fitter, lighter and stronger, I overcame all those doubts I had. Now it (staying fit, eating right) has become second nature to me. I have never been as fit as I am today. It has worked beautifully for me. Even in my off-time, I watch what I eat.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The Indian Test captain credits his fitness regime for improving his on-field performance as well as his confidence

Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was not satisfied with being an average performer and the India test captain says that a desire to reach the next level was his motivation for an improvement in his conditioning. The 27-year-old is widely considered to be the fittest cricketer in the Indian side, complementing his batting with razor-sharp skills in the field. A lean patch with the bat during the 2012 Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament acted as the catalyst for Kohli to make a "lifestyle choice". "Until IPL 2012, I did not focus much on the physical aspect," said Kohli, who tops the world Twenty20 batting rankings and is second on the one-day international list. "I never got into the minute details of fitness, things like what I need to eat from morning to night, how much I need to work out and how much I need to train. After that IPL, I started listening to my body. I made a lifestyle choice." Kohli, who has scored 11 test hundreds and 25 one-day international centuries for India, admitted he initially did not have the fitness to be the world's best batsman. "I wanted to explore a new side of my body to take me to the next level because I never wanted to be average," he told reporters at a promotional event in Delhi. "I wanted to (be) best in the world. So I always had that mindset but never had the physical ability." Kohli has often been lauded for the effort he puts into his fitness regime and he feels it has also improved his fielding as well as given him confidence. "When you become fit, you feel you can do anything," he said. "I will give you one example. I was never a quick fielder. I was never willing to field in every position. But after becoming fitter, lighter and stronger, I overcame all those doubts I had. Now it (staying fit, eating right) has become second nature to me. I have never been as fit as I am today. It has worked beautifully for me. Even in my off-time, I watch what I eat." (Reuters)

Cricketer Virat Kohli lauds benefits of conditioning to reach next level

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