Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting claims that he persuaded Rahul Dravid against retiring when he was written off after a string of low scores in 2010 and the in-form Indian batsman has reciprocated the support by inspiring him during his lean patch.

Lack of preparation of the Indian team has been touted as the biggest issue for India’s debacle on this tour. You are the exception in this, having enjoyed a hugely successful series with three centuries Lack of preparation of the Indian team has been touted as the biggest issue for India’s debacle on this tour. You are the exception in this, having enjoyed a hugely successful series with three centuries and people want to know how do you prepare for such big tours? Especially since you are in and out of the side, like not playing the World Cup for instance...

Pakistan foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who arrived here on Tuesday night, will be holding talks with her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Wednesday on a host of issues including bilateral, regional and international.

Spanked in the Test series, India would aim to get their floundering tour of England back on track when they take on Sussex in a one-day practice match here on Thursday ahead of the limited-overs series starting with a one off Twenty20 on August 31.

Ayaz Memon

The first session of play on Monday took my mind back more than 21 years ago when Sachin Tendulkar scored his first Test hundred at Old Trafford. It was a sterling effort by a 17-year-old on his first tour of England that not only saved the game for India, but announced to the world the coming of a great talent.

Crude prices see-sawed in Asian trade on Tuesday as traders monitored the crisis in Libya with rebels claiming victory but Muammar Gaddafi’s sons saying the strongman remains in power, analysts said.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries have left for their honeymoon following a lavish wedding. The 30-year-old socialite married Humphries, 26, on Saturday in Montecito, California.

The rapidly intensifying Irene that's already cut a destructive path through the Caribbean is the first hurricane to seriously threaten the U.S. in almost three years, a worry for some emergency management officials who hope people haven't become complacent about the dangers.

Gaza militants agreed to a cease-fire with Israel to stop three days of violence, a Hamas official said on Sunday, after a deadly attack on Israelis near the Egypt-Israel border set off a round of Israeli airstrikes and rocket barrages from Gaza.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Monday the government was open to a debate on the Lokpal Bill but this alone cannot solve the problem of corruption and there is a need to revamp existing government procedures.