Ingredients there for India's success abroad
Sanjay Manjrekar, Ajit Agarkar and Aakash Chopra assess India's future, marvel at R Ashwin's skill and rate South Africa as the only team who can pull off a blockathon
08-Dec-2015
Kohli has talked the talk and walked the walk
Although it was his first series as captain at home, Virat Kohli has been clear with his tactics and has marshalled his team well, never allowing the game to drift.
Backing his bowlers is Kohli's strength
He wants five bowlers, he wants his fast bowlers fast and he even conceded that he doesn't mind his batsmen's averages getting affected while playing on spinning tracks if it helps the team win. Virat Kohli getting behind his bowlers is a big takeaway in his short tenure as captain.
The emergence of a stronger R Ashwin
The offbreak has become the stock ball, and his line has become a lot more attacking - pitching outside off stump and then threatening the stumps. R Ashwin has come a long way from when he was dropped in Johannesburg in 2014 to the bowler who put fear and doubt in South Africa's mind.
Core of batsman found, world-class bowlers needed
India have beaten the best Test team in the world at home, but there remains a question mark over their ability to perform overseas. The foundation is there, in M Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, to establish a formidable batting-line up. But the need for world-class bowlers has to be met.
SA the only team who can pull off blockathon
South Africa had the resources to play for time in Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis. Not too many teams in the current circuit would decide on such an approach, and then have the temperament and skill to pull it off.
The rapid fire
Aakash Chopra, Ajit Agarkar and Sanjay Manjrekar answer questions on Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Wriddhiman Saha, etc.