Former England spinner confident that he has learnt from his many experiences and coaches

The Indian Angle

Indians did not actually say – as Viv Richards once did after India had beaten the West Indies on an underprepared track in Chennai – "come home and we'll show you". But it was implied after MS Dhoni's men lost the series in England 4-0 last year. Well, England have come, and it is India who are being shown up. It might be too early to write India off in the Kolkata Test, but if the England players take time out to check the price of champagne here, it is understandable.

Haryana 334 & 133-6 drew with England 521 & 254-7

The cricketer Kevin Curran enjoyed the best years of his career playing for Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire. And although he missed out on Test cricket when he chose to remain in England when Zimbabwe became a Test-playing nation, he had already established his credentials as a fine all-rounder. The former Zimbabwe national team coach died yesterday after collapsing while out jogging in the eastern city of Mutare. He was 53.

He could plausibly make Pakistan the best Test side in the world within two years

Those who are calling for immediate change in England's Test team may be disappointed. It is, of course, the convention to call for multiple sackings, a few axeings and a beheading or two when teams are defeated as comprehensively as England have been in the past month.

Today

The one element missing from James Pattinson's man-of-the-match performance in Australia's heartening first Test victory over India was the prize wicket of Sachin Tendulkar. Australia's bright young thing put that right on the first day of the second Test in Sydney, albeit with just about his worst delivery of another memorable day for the 21-year-old and his side.

An unbeaten 79-run stand between Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting left Australia in a strong position after their in-form pace attack skittled India for 191 on a dramatic opening day at the SCG.