The Insider

His ability to get down and under the ball has been key to his success on the subcontinent

He isn't making it talk like he used to in his heyday. Is poor fitness to blame?

His numbers are phenomenal, and that's thanks largely to his ability to make a plan and stick to it

Using his height, action and intelligence, Tim Southee has set himself to become New Zealand's long-term leader of the pace pack

A quick course on playing spin in the subcontinent

You could marvel at VVS Laxman's unorthodox style as long as you didn't try it at home

He found overwhelming success in his first seven Tests but is now struggling in England. It's all to do with the nuts and bolts of how he bowls

The use of a new ball from either end in ODIs has made his yorker, bouncer and slower one easier to deal with

Sure, the wickets in Australia are faster and bouncier than back home; all the more reason to pitch it up

There's a fair bit of bounce on wickets down under, but that's not as bad as it may seem if you're walking out to bat first up

Piyush Chawla, Amit Mishra and Rahul Sharma have the skills to be successful for India. But their actions still need some work

The two opening batsmen have more in common than just their placid demeanours and astronomical strike rates

Being an aggressive spinner is not about bowling flat and fast. Quite the opposite, and you only have to look at veteran bowlers operate in Twenty20 to see that

South Africa losing the plot against New Zealand was more panic than choke. There is a difference

Some batsmen and bowlers have come to be considered specialists at the end of an innings. How do they do what they do?

Most fast bowlers wish they were skilled in both arts. And though physics and genetics play a role in determining who gets what, it's not impossible to achieve the golden combo

Apart from squatting, diving, catching and throwing all day, a wicketkeeper keeps the team together with his observations and chatter. Don't let anyone tell you it's easy

It's not as simple as having men in right places at right times, deliberate vacant spaces are just as important

Keep an eye on the point of release, the wrist, the position of the seam and more

Video footage is well and good, but there are also plenty of clues for bowlers to pick up from their opponents' grips, back-lifts and stances