England Test series a test of mind & character: Rahane
London, July 30 : India's vice captain Ajinkya Rahane on Monday said the upcoming Test match rubber against England will be a test of mind and character, adding that making quick adjustments according to the demands will be key.
Ahead of the opening Test starting in Birmingham on Wednesday, he also said that as per the skill-set, both teams are at par.
"It is a test of mind and character. Communication in these conditions crucial. We will have to respect the conditions," Rahane told reporters.
"Our mindset is to how quickly you adjustment rather than thinking about the skill-set. Skill-wise both teams are at par. It is all about how quickly you handle the situations," he added.
Rahane said the team is not thinking about the results as it can only put the players under-pressure. He also mentioned that the patience is the key to success while playing England.
"We were here in 2014 and we know what it takes to play good cricket here in England. Thinking about results put pressure on yourself," Rahane said.
"Patience is key because it depends on the weather. If it is sunny, good to bat. If it is gets cloudy, good for bowlers. As a batting unit, it is important to challenge yourself, backing your game. If you are set, you need to hold back and need to make it count," he added.
Asked about the conditions in England and the pace bowlers Rahane said: "We have experienced pace bowlers like Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav. They played here in 2014 as well. Our bowling attack took 20 wickets in each Tests in South Africa. So, we have an attack which actually can destruct the opponents. The main challenge is to bowl in right areas for the long period of time," Rahane said.
India only played one warm-up game, and that too was cut short by a day. Commenting about the preparations, the right-hand batsman said: "We have had decent practice sessions and enough net sessions. We are taking one Test at a time and really looking forward to the series."
Praising chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, Rahane said: "Kuldeep can be the X-factor for us, especially the way he bowled in T20Is and ODIs. At the moment I am not sure about the team combination and we will have to see what the wicket will be like."
However, Rahane said that his selection in the team is not given. "We don't have to forget (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja -- they have been doing well for us. Ashwin has been bowling well and contributes with the bat as well," he reasoned.
Rahane was also confident that top-order bstsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan -- who have looked off-colour so far -- will return to form as soon as possible.
"We are not worried about them. They are quality batsmen and we all back them. It just takes one innings (to hit form)," he said.
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Rocket from Yemen strikes Tel Aviv, injuring 16, as Palestinians mourn 19 dead in Gaza
Tel Aviv, Dec 21: A rocket fired from Yemen hit an area of Tel Aviv overnight, leaving 16 people slightly injured by shattered glass, the Israeli military said Saturday, days after Israeli airstrikes hit Houthi rebels who have been launching missiles in solidarity with Palestinians.
A further 14 people sustained minor injuries as they rushed to shelters when air raid sirens sounded before the projectile hit just before 4 am Saturday, the military said.
The Houthi rebels issued a statement on the Telegram messaging app saying they had aimed a hypersonic ballistic missile at a military target, which they did not identify.
The attack comes less than two days after a series of Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and port city of Hodeida killed at least nine people. The Israeli strikes were in response to a Houthi attack in which a long-range missile hit an Israeli school building. The Houthis also claimed a drone strike targeting an unspecified military target in central Israel on Thursday.
The Israeli military says the Iran-backed Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and drones during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and say they won't stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Israeli strikes Thursday caused “considerable damage” to the Houthi-controlled Red Sea ports “that will lead to the immediate and significant reduction in port capacity,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The port at Hodeida has been key for food shipments into Yemen in its decade-long civil war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said both sides' attacks risk further escalation in the region and undermine UN mediation efforts.
