In one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent times, an inspired English team is challenging the might of India in their own backyard.
England opener Nick Compton, who was adjudged leg before wicket by umpire Rod Tucker on Thursday, claimed that the ball had brushed his gloves before hitting the pads.
England captain Alastair Cook scored his third consecutive Test century in the first innings of the Kolkata Test against India as the visitors end the day with 216 runs on the board.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha was the best-placed Indian at number five in the latest ICC Test Rankings issued on Tuesday, while Sachin Tendulkar was the only batsman to have found a place in the top-20 list.
Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who has lately been struggling with his form, was a picture of concentration Monday. He was slogging hard at India's net practice at the Eden Gardens here before the Test match against England beginning Wednesday.
England middle-order batsman Ian Bell, who had flown back to England after the Ahmedabad Test for the birth of his child, is back with his squad and prepared for the third Test if picked.
Dashing Indian batsman Virender Sehwag Sunday gave the thumbs up to Lord's, Sydney and Ahmedabad, and the thumbs down to Eden Gardens - in terms of the food served to cricketers.
England dealt with spin quite well in the series-levelling win in the second Test but their batsmen continued to practice against tweakers ahead of the third Test against India starting at Kolkata on December 5.
Former opener WV Raman on Friday said Indian spinners buckled under pressure of expectations in the second Test against England which the hosts lost by 10 wickets to allow the visitors draw level the four-match series 1-1.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was disappointed with the performance of Indian players. India were handed a humiliating 10-wicket loss by the English, who were expected to struggle on the spinning track that Dhoni had asked for before the game and the same track backfired on the Indian team. Dhoni feels it was difficult to...