The Indian team used a unique method to tackle Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan, who at seven feet one inch, is the tallest cricketer in the world.

Just outside the Oval, a combination of Indian origin fans gathered to honour their heroes. There was a combination of Indian style dances and Bollywood music played on the stage as the crowd waited for the team to arrive.

Kirti Azad hit out at Ishant Sharma and expressed concerns at the team's thin bowling option.

Former Australian pacer Damien Fleming always had India in his final four of the World Cup until they carried their winless run of the Test series into the recent tri-series Down Under.

India will be looking for resurrection against Afghanistan.

The Indian team may have been struggling off late in the One-dayers, but ask former India coach John Wright, and he would tell you that starting the World Cup on a winning note will act as a confidence booster for the Men in Blue.

'What makes this team special is that over the last few years they have faced all kinds of situations in the limited overs cricket and have shown they are capable of coming out successfully from all of them.'

Key facts on the India squad for the 2015 cricket World Cup.

Former India seamer and bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad says the struggling pace trio of Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami must not try anything extraordinary in upcoming Cricket World Cup, starting February 14.

'With India's bowling so poor, there will be extra pressure on the batsmen to score more runs. The Indian team, which nonchalantly scores 300/350 runs in ODIs at home, has had problems making even 200/250 runs in Australia.'

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has blamed the injuries and niggles being the reason for his team's poor show in the tri-nation tournament where they failed to reach the final after losing three out of the four league matches with a game being abandoned.

England start as the favourites but India have a golden chance to reverse the trend and get into gear just before the World Cup.

'Ultimately the plan is to have 15 players who are fit and doing decently well, and according to the demands you can feature the best eleven that suits'

Wriddhiman does acknowledge that he didn't score too many runs despite getting starts (25 and 35) in the first innings of both the Test matches Down Under.

Suresh Raina said he would have been left devastated had India failed to draw the fourth and final Test against Australia in Sydney following his failures with the bat in both innings.

Suresh Raina said he would have been left devastated had India failed to draw the fourth and final Test against Australia in Sydney following his failures with the bat in both innings.

A fit-again Irfan Pathan feels that he is close to bowling at his best and it's just a matter of time before he is again back in contention for the seam bowling all-rounder's slot in the Indian cricket team that has been up for grabs for some time.

The Indian cricket team returned to the grind on Friday with an intense net session in Melbourne.

India's bowlers may have come under severe criticism for a below-par showing in the recent Test series in Australia but head coach Duncan Fletcher has defended them, saying the thrashing they got from the home side's batsmen was due to the inexperience of some of them.

Former Australia captain, Dean Jones, is of the view that India Test captain Virat Kohli must have a say in picking the next coach and also says that changing staff again and again isn't a solution for the team.

Wriddhiman Saha was effusive in his praise for India's new Test captain Virat Kohli and said the team was all fired up under the elegant Delhi batsman.

Former Australian batsman Michael Hussey warned teams against underestimating India after their 0-2 loss in the Tests series.

Criticised for failing in his debut Test in Melbourne, young batsman Lokesh Rahul was relieved after scoring his maiden century in only his second game as India stayed afloat on the third day of the fourth and final Test against Australia, in Sydney, on Thursday.

Ravindra Jadeja, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury, was included as the selectors felt that he would recover in time for the 2015 ICC World Cup.

The left-hander, who was not selected in the preliminary list of 30 probables, has come back into contention by striking three back-to-back hundreds against Haryana, Maharashtra and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy.

New Indian captain Virat Kohli should channelise his aggressive attitude in the right direction, according to Team Director Ravi Shastri, who said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "selfless act" of retiring from Test cricket format at the right time should also be given its due respect.

New Indian captain Virat Kohli should channelise his aggressive attitude in the right direction, according to Team Director Ravi Shastri, who said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "selfless act" of retiring from Test cricket format at the right time should also be given its due respect.

Former Australia captain Michael Hussey said he was surprised by reports that just-retired Test captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had suggested his name for the coach's job of Indian cricket team once Duncan Fletcher's contract expired at the end of World Cup 2015.

- 'Time Indian cricket looked beyond Fletcher' - 'Their bowling has been pretty inconsistent'

In the end it came in as a quiet announcement on the social network. But MS Dhoni had made the decision. He knew it was the right time.

India looking to avoid a seventh straight Test loss on Australian soil.

As the curtain comes down on 2014, here's a look at the five best performances over the last 12 months. And, guess what? Two Indian sportsmen figure in the list!

With Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series against India, the scales are titled highly in favour of the hosts. History also shows that the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts. With the Boxing Day Test around the corner, here is a quick look at how the teams stand.

It will come as little comfort to India after going 2-0 down in the four-match Test series against Australia but the young touring party have already put on a much better showing than the much vaunted 2011-2012 vintage.

India's Shiva Keshavan won a silver at the 17th Asian Luge Championships in Nagano, Japan.

India may be way behind Australia in the Test rankings, but the World Cup holders are just 0.2 points behind the top-of-the-table Kangaroos in the ODI rankings. According to the latest ICC rankings, Australia and India are on 117 rating points and the scores will only be settled in the upcoming tri-series involving the two teams and England, starting January 18 next year.

With the second Test set to start on Wednesday, here is a quick fact check on how both teams stand at the Gabba.

- 'The aggressive approach was the right one. The approach will remain the same' - 'I feel what he (Kohli) did throughout the Adelaide Test was really great'

Bolstered by the return of regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India will look to regroup and fight their way back into the four-match series when they face Australia on a lively Gabba wicket in the second cricket Test starting in Brisbane on Wednesday.

With Steven Smith now helming the Australian affairs, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni returning from injury, the 2nd Test at Gabba, starting Tuesday, will shed light on the mindset of the two leaders.